Great post, hannah.

> What about Joe's Pub for a great non-sports place for drinking a wide selection of good beers?

> We could celebrate the first day of the smoking ban there!

lol, yeah, I'd love to do it... maybe in another year or two...

In the meantime... visit your local Yardhouse (nearest one is in the northern burbs of Chicago)... 100 to 250 beers on tap, depending on location!

15yearsthere: Nice change of subject.
madman1961: Truly sorry to hear of your loss. Hope to see you in a local watering hole sometime soon!

I'm truly on the fence about this one...

...on one hand, I have COPD and I just buried my father who died of emphysema...i quit several years ago but my COPD will likely transform into emphysema later in my life, so part of me is glad that I will be able to go to a bar and have a beer or two again.

On the other hand, do we really need to have even MORE of the "nanny state" mentality going on around here?

I will say that when smokers start complaining about their "right to smoke" that, first of all, their "right" to smoke ends just before my nose and second, their "right" to smoke is NOT greater than my right to not be around smoke. It isn't less than, but not more, either.

No worries SuperDave, i'm sure our government will go after "butts" next.But will it be cigarette butts or the 25.5% adult obesity rate we have here in WI?...that contributes to some of the "butts" i've seen.And there goes more of our tax money to buy bigger hoops for all the obese to jump through.

Thanks hannah and who!
creatureinthefreezer: "why do all the smokers just toss the butts out the windows or drop them on the ground where ever they are at the time. Talk about litterbugs. Those butts just pile up over time. Take a look outside the window the next time you're at a stop light".
That's a whole 'nother issue that unfortunately is not addressed by this legislation. It's not just at the stop lights of course. This time of year, every week I have to go around my yard and pick up litter, etc. before I cut the grass. Fully half of the litter I pick up is cigarette butts! This, in my own yard, and there are no smokers living here! So these are butts strewn about by neighbors and random strangers who happen to be walking past my house. It's another thing I don't understand. I don't go around littering, why do so many smokers think it's okay? And since so many smoke the "filtered" variety, those butts do not biodegrade quickly. (And why smoke a filtered cigarette btw, why not get the full effect?) Even if it's a minority of, say 10%, that's a LOT of butts being strewn about town.

Hoorah!!!
For those that smoke...yes, you have a right to smoke...just don't do it near me & my family where you are creating health risks for us. Maybe after you have gotten cancer yourself or know someone who has it because of smoking you will change your tune very quickly. It is a known fact it is not only bad for you, but can kill you so why risk it. You know a loaded gun can kill you. Would you put it up to your head & pull the trigger? I think not. So, why play the same game with cigarrete smoking.
I hate smelling it and having it stuck on my clothes when I'm somewhere someone is smoking.
For those that do smoke you have no idea how badly you & your clothes STINK!!!

Zoom: "I think the delay until 2010 is ridiculous. What, exactly, do bars have to do to get prepared for the ban? Buy a sign? Just another example of the Wisconsin Tavern League's lobbying efforts."
I agree - I thought the same thing right away. What the heck is that all about anyways??

Smoking is an act of aggression on people and the environment. Tossing cigarette butts all over the place is just more of that aggression.

I'm happy that the government has finally provided us with the freedom that residents of many of our neighboring states enjoy. (we're free to breath clean air in public places.)

That is exactly what is going to happen once people stop smoking, all other taxes will be going up sky high and then all the non-smokers will be complaining again about how they can't afford the gas to get to work or to the non-smoking bar to have a drink that the price has also gone sky high due to the goverment raising the alcohol tax. It really doesn't make any difference what the goverment does, everyone some how will always be affected by their decisions. I just don't know how they can make a owner of a company or business become smoke free. And to ever who said that our freedom is being taken away I totally agree with you! And it's AMEN not Ahmen.

Some of my old friends over at Baker Mfg will have a fit to be sure. The company allows smoking all around the foundry and assembly areas. I always hated going in there and having to talk with people that were just smoking away like no one else should care about it. I made the mistake one time of saying "I'm surprised you guys can smoke on the job site". The reply was "this is a foundry and the smoking is the least of your worries." Something that has always bothered me was why do all the smokers just toss the butts out the windows or drop them on the ground where ever they are at the time. Talk about litterbugs. Those butts just pile up over time. Take a look outside the window the next time you're at a stop light.

Taxing coffee would be the last straw. Don't even think it.

Superdave....I will not try and explain my screen name on this board LOL Lets just say it could be the Packers and it could not :)

"I don't smoke. Wonder where the tax money will come from next?"

Don't you worry, as long as there are enough idiots in this state that continue to vote Doyle into office there will be no shortage of methods to extract your hard earned money from you.

Missouri has the lowest rate for cig tax. Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota all beat Wisconsin tax rate. I quit 13 years ago, but still have to buy.

Once again SuperDave you make the most sense of any of the posts. Your points are well said and taken.

I am glad that this decision was made.
This is just one more thing that is legal (and should be) that will not be allowed in bars. It's just one more pollutant that business owners cannot allow in the air of their establishment.

What about Joe's Pub for a great non-sports place for drinking a wide selection of good beers?

We could celebrate the first day of the smoking ban there!

It's a health issue.

pack: "I don't smoke". Then why is your name "pack"? Just kidding.
joeflint: "why aren't there any real pubs in the area??? ....turn the TVs off and let people talk to each other!" RIGHT ON. Besides the annoying cigarette smoke, one reason I avoid certain places is that there are too many video monitors. If I wanted to watch TV I would stay home! My preference would be one TV, max. And it should be turned off most of the time.
dudefromjsvl: "you people are out of your mind, anyone who are drunk or who are drinkin dont even realize it smells like smoke". That is a common misconception. Smokers acclimate to the smell and don't even realize that they walk around all day reeking of cigarette stench. "I will have to stand right in front of the door of whatever place and blow the smoke into the place just to make yall mad". That's the type of behavior that caused some people to lobby for this ban in the first place. Get a life indeed!
Finally, people keep saying that this is taking away a right. Smoking is still allowed under this bill, no right is being taken away. These are reasonable restrictions on where and when you can smoke. Want to compare it to drinking? There are already plenty of restrictions on where and when you can drink. You can smoke outside of a business, you cannot stand there and drink. You can smoke in your car - you cannot drink in your car. You get to take "smoke breaks" at work - but since I don't smoke I don't get all those extra breaks, shouldn't I get a "drink break"? I guess I could take a "coffee break" but try explaining to the boss that you need a few minutes to have a glass of wine. So don't even go there. And as a reminder, I do not support this ban, but I also realize that rude smokers are the ones that put this issue front and center.

I think the delay until 2010 is ridiculous. What, exactly, do bars have to do to get prepared for the ban? Buy a sign? Just another example of the Wisconsin Tavern League's lobbying efforts.

"Why would the ban make hotels get rid of their smoking rooms?"

One purpose of the ban is to provide a smoke free environment for workers.

I don't smoke. Wonder where the tax money will come from next? Gonna have to come from somewhere. But for goodness sakes, let the people drive around with no license and 4-5 drunk driving tickets. Don't want to take THEIR rights away. (insert sarcasm here) I still don't know how the gov't can stop someone from having an establishment where smoking is allowed. And I don't know how somebody else can dictate to me whether I can allow smoking in my establishment. Oh well, when everybody is happy that there is no smoking, they can start to complain about something else, as long as nobody touches their rights.

... and before anyone jumps on me... I will reiterate that I think the gov't should NOT be regulating peoples' lives to this degree. Since smoking is legal: If allowing smoking in a bar is good for business, good for the bar owner... let him make money in a free marketplace.

> you people are out of your mind, anyone who are drunk or who are drinkin dont even realize it smells like smoke

Wrong.

I love beer.

I love beer (light, dark, hoppy, creamy, dry, bitter, rich taste, texture, head, ...) more than you love cigarettes and have miles of bar tabs from all over the world to prove it. Do you have a humidor in your basement? Cause I have a bar with four taps and a separate dedicated fridge for bottled beer. I have over 90 different brands of beer in the house, right now. You likely have one brand of smokes that you enjoy the most. I blather on only to make the point that I simply love beer... so... why don't I love going to the bars in Janesville...?

Smoke. And I'll admit that it's NOTHING like it was 15-20 years ago... you don't walk into a blue haze anymore...

And... I love an occasional cigar so I am not some anti-smoking zealot... I enjoy the beer + cigar buzz... but...

True story: a bunch of us, living in California (where smoking is basically not allowed), were visiting Death Valley and wanted to spend the night in a hotel... the only nearby ones are in Nevada where smoking in hotels / casinos remains legal. One of our group ran inside a hotel for 30 seconds to inquire if there were rooms available... 30 seconds. He smelled so badly of cheap cigarettes that we wouldn't let him back in the Suburban for five minutes until he had aired out a little bit. Once we arrived at a smoke-free hotel, we made him shower and made him leave his clothes outside so they would air out overnight. He reeked.

Smoking, cigarettes at least, REALLY %*)#ing REEKS. You have NO IDEA until you have been away from smoking for more than a few weeks.

P.S. (vaguely off-topic) why aren't there any real pubs in the area??? I mean every zarking bar is a "sports bar" with mostly cheap, light, lager beer on tap and multiple TVs blaring ESPN. Gah. The Speakeasy comes close but the food is only a 6/10 (imo) and the beer selection is still pretty limited. Seriously... give me a nice, quiet pub with a GREAT selection of GREAT beers! These boards prove people like to engage in conversation... turn the TVs off and let people talk to each other!

booch... while I completely agree with you that the government is (over-)regulating behavior, your facts are dreadfully wrong:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/FASTATS/lcod.htm...

Drunk driving deaths lag far behind deaths from smoking (e.g. heart attack, [lung] cancer, emphysema, etc. Even if EVERY accident were caused by drunk driving, you would only need 1/12 of the other leading causes of death to be due to smoking (near- or long-term). It turns out that something more like 1/3 deaths (of those leading indicators) is due to smoking...

http://www.deathsfromsmoking.net/downloa...

that is one of the most retarded and stupid bans i have ever heard. I smoke, and yes I could see a ban for family resturants, but a ban for taverns and bar, you people are out of your mind, anyone who are drunk or who are drinkin dont even realize it smells like smoke. You all always complain about something, just means I will have to stand right in front of the door of whatever place and blow the smoke into the place just to make yall mad. GET A LIFE PEOPLE

I don't smoke, and I am on the fence as far as this issue is concerned. I can see both sides. I don't like breathing in smoke, but I don't like the idea of any type of freedom being taken away. There is one thing in this article that has me a little confused, however. Why would the ban make hotels get rid of their smoking rooms? If certain rooms are set aside for smokers, and only smokers use these rooms, then what is the problem??? I don't understand this.

Wow, that was fast.They must be taking cues from how quick Barry Soetoro can run up the national debt.But anyway, does this satisfy most people? Or are us smokers still monsters after july 2010? One thing i do know for certain, this won't be the last "freedom" we lose.The next one could affect anyone of us.

People aren't going to stop smoking just because it is banned from public places.

Where will the tax money come from when people stop smoking? That's right, gas taxes will go up.
Where will the tax money come from when people can't afford to drive? That's right, sales taxes will go up.
Where will the tax money come from when people can't afford to buy anything? That's right, income taxes will rise.
Where will the tax money come from when people won't have jobs? That's right, property taxes will skyrocket.
Where will the tax money come from when people can't afford to own anything?
If anyone understands the downward spiral, then understand that now that property values are going down, the mill rate on your house and land is going back up.
The american dream has now made me a second class citizen. My opinion is unconstitutional!

"How long until the smoking police complain that since I'm within 100 ft (made up distance) of the property line I am infringing on them?"

Never.

booch,
Tobacco isn't being completely banned, as your question suggests, only restricted where it does harm to non-smokers, similar to alcohol restrictions.

janesvillemom:
funny how some people don't mind losing their freedoms just because it fits their purposes.
non-smokers, and i am one of them, can enjoy lots of non-smoking places.
smoking my dear, is legal.
and if people want to go into a smoky bar then they should be able to.
the entire issue is one of hypocrisy.
this state gets lots of money in tobacco dollars.

and while we're at it, more people die from drunk driving accidents than from tobacco.
why not ban alcohol except in the home?
please, if you would, give me a cogent answer to that question.

AT LAST!!! Nasty smokers can stink up their homes and breath that nasty smoky air.

The ban should be motivation for people to lose the cancer sticks!!!

Take the hint!!!

I totally disagree with the smoking ban, i feel that if you don't like the smoke in a bar then go else where!!! Bars are a place to unwind and relax, if a bar owner allows it then post signs saying it is allowed and if you non smokers come in and see the signs then LEAVE. It's a freedom of choice, how many other freedoms are you people going to give away?

HALLELUJAH!!!

I think they should put a ban on cars. They kill more people then smoking. Also, how about a ban on cell phones. Maybe a ban on fast foods. Oh hell lets put a ban being alive. Maybe, lets ban Doyle.

I've been known to occassionally enjoy a cigar in my back yard reading a book. How long until the smoking police complain that since I'm within 100 ft (made up distance) of the property line I am infringing on them?

It's about time cigarette smoking causes many deaths on our highways, now i would like the lawmakers to increase the alcohol level to 2.0 drop the taxes on booze and encourage drinking .so our roads would be safer to drive.

YES!!!! FINALLY.

This is not about freedom for smokers, it is about freedom for non-smokers to be in public places without putting their health at risk. So no, I am not worried about losing a freedom as I am actually gaining one! You don't have the right to do something that is harmful or offensive to others in public. Kind of like nudity, you can do it at home, but not in public.

smoking isnt a freedom, your putting other peoples health at risk. why should people have to choose where to go based on second hand smoke?
.
If you want to smoke why do you have to do it where your putting other people at risk, go smoke in your backyard.

i wholeheartedly disagree with the two prior comments.
i do not smoke and detest it.
however, it is legal.

when do we stop giving up our freedoms?
can somebody please answer that question?

ahmen sahmama! This can't happen soon enough. Should have been inline with several other states that went smokeless either late 2008 or beginning of 2009.

Now maybe I can finally take my son bowling without gagging on smoke the whole time.