Up In Smoke

[Detector]

I still believe it is the right of the business owner to decide if they want to allow smoking in their business. I have the right to not go in and spend my money in that business if they do.

And thats the way it should be. We can argue all we want about the good and bad of smoking, but the fact is, this is an issue about more government control over business. I think it has little to do with secondhand smoke and everything to do with drumming up business for non smoking businesses.

I think the real problem is non smoking businesses can't compete with businesses that allow smoking. By getting the city to ban smoking everywhere, they think it will put them on a level playing field. It won't. Any successful business knows what their customers want. If they had the slightest idea they'd make more money by going non smoking, don't ya think they would? So what better way than to have the city do their dirty work for them.

They want to have their cake and eat it too.

They've got far more important things to spend their time on. Or should I say far more important things they SHOULD be spending their time on.

[TrueRomance1211]

Detector is right. This smoking thing is not productive and is an abuse of power. It is also a diversion from the more pressing issues that they should be working on.

[K C Muffin]

But it's easier for them to deal with than some of the other problems before them. It's lazy - being the size Dodge City is, thre ought to be people on the council that really care about the city and it's growth.

[Tony Clams]

From my point of view, it appears that the council has taken the stance that the SEC will be built only after everyone involved has figured out a way to get their slice of the pie. Until that's sorted out it'll be:

Why? Not Dodge!

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Bubba

But that is the smoker's choice, knowing the risk. That isn't the right of others or the government, at least it shouldn't be. As a non-smoker, I still believe it is the right of the business owner to decide if they want to allow smoking in their business. I have the right to not go in and spend my money in that business if they do.

I agree too with this. I am a non smoker and take the non smoker stance BUT the larger issue is DO YOU WANT THE CITY DECIDING HOW you run your business. Whether you smoke or not or are on oxygen or whatever shouldn't matter. WHAT SHOULD matter is setting an NASTY precedence of letting the CITY or anyone else come INTO YOUR privately owned business and tell you how to run it. The smoking issue is just a baby step in an ugly direction that we will regret going down someday.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Detector

but the fact is, this is an issue about more government control over business.

Amen Brother Detector.

Originally Posted by Detector

I think the real problem is non smoking businesses can't compete with businesses that allow smoking.

Isn't Montana Mikes non-smoking? Applebees is all but non-smoking. Pizza Hut is non smoking. I believe they all do a pretty healthy business. I would venture to say that they do more business than Bad Habit or Peppercorns which allow smoking and are usually filled with smoke.

Originally Posted by Detector

They've got far more important things to spend their time on. Or should I say far more important things they SHOULD be spending their time on.

Again I agree on this. Our gang problem is out of control, we open our arms to illegals, I city is not safe and growing worse by the day with no trend to fix it...yes..there ARE MORE IMPORTANT things than telling someone how to run their business.

[Highwayman]

Add up all the money made by the smoking cessation industry, lawyers and taxes and tell me the anti-smoking agenda isn't about palms being greased.

[Detector]

What should be done is to pay no attention to what the others do, and look at whats best for Dodge City.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Detector

Unfortunately, our city will do what sheep do, follow everyone else.

Unless it is something like what Garden City did with the drivers license thing..then we can't get them to budge.

[booger]

there is only a small hand full of businesses in DC that allows smoking. only folks that don't care either way cater to them. where's the beef coming from that causes the commissioners to pursue this issue??? is there a money issue again????