NC Smoking Ban - So Far So Good

Poke N Hope

Poke N Hope

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The North Carolina Smooking Ban went into effect this past Saturday. So far everything is business as usual in the pool halls. There have been a couple of halls where the business seems to have picked up but only 4 days into the ban it is way to early to see what the true effects the ban will have on business, good or bad.
 
The first few weeks of January are always difficult for bars/poolrooms. Everyone makes resolutions that they're going to diet, quit drinking, quit gambling, save money, etc. So they stay home.

Eventually, the lure of sin overcomes their will power and they come back out into public.

I sold my bar back in November (thank god!), but the spot I've been hanging out at since, which is always packed, has been very slow since the 1st.

Give it a month or so and we'll see what impact the smoking ban is really going to have. As a smoker I can tell you it f*cking sucks to stand out in the cold.

eric
 
I'm not sure all places are abiding by the new regulation. From the chatter I heard pre-2010 I think many places were going to test enforcement. The Dep't of Health and Human Services is in charge of this. 1st and 2nd violations are warnings. 3rd is a fine UP TO a max of $200/day. A smoker could get fined $50.

Anyone can file a complaint via a phone call or web site, which goes to Raleigh. Within a week or so the complaint will be funneled to the local Dep't of Health whereby someone will investigate. I don't know how many more people were hired for enforcement, perhaps zero.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out. This is a b1tch for businesses to navigate, especially during the depression.
 
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this guy won't like it !
joe camel.JPG



oops gotta rotate that !
 
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This guy is the Vice President in charge of ambiance at one of our local clubs. He would be out of a job. No wait... he could get on at a local Indian casino.
 

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ronhudson said:
This guy is the Vice President in charge of ambiance at one of our local clubs. He would be out of a job. No wait... he could get on at a local Indian casino.
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He probably keeled over and gave up the ghost right there. LOLz
 
Poke N Hope said:
The North Carolina Smooking Ban went into effect this past Saturday. So far everything is business as usual in the pool halls. There have been a couple of halls where the business seems to have picked up but only 4 days into the ban it is way to early to see what the true effects the ban will have on business, good or bad.
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If it's like Ohio's it wont last. The smoking is just as bad at my pool leagues after the ban as it was before the law went into affect. It doesn't matter how many times an establishment has been reported nothing ever gets done about it.
 
Smoking Ban

The smoking ban in the Denver area hurt business at bars & pool halls for quite a while and they are still feeling the effects.
Bars that have patios have done better but some don't really have a good place to smoke outside.

The number I have heard is pool halls are down at least 25% since the ban.
Certain bars are really hurting because of it.
Some even allow smoking in a certain area and are willing to pay the fines if caught.

Personally I don't mind going outside to smoke.
I smoke less, and you get to meet some new people you wouldn't normally talk to inside.
What I don't understand is people staying home just because they can't smoke.
I never thought about smoking being part of going out, unless you're going out to get stoned.
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
I'm not sure all places are abiding by the new regulation. From the chatter I heard pre-2010 I think many places were going to test enforcement. The Dep't of Health and Human Services is in charge of this. 1st and 2nd violations are warnings. 3rd is a fine UP TO a max of $200/day. A smoker could get fined $50.

Anyone can file a complaint via a phone call or web site, which goes to Raleigh. Within a week or so the complaint will be funneled to the local Dep't of Health whereby someone will investigate. I don't know how many more people were hired for enforcement, perhaps zero.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out. This is a b1tch for businesses to navigate, especially during the depression.
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I can tell you the impact it had in Illinois.....ZERO. When the law first went into effect a lot of places went non-smoking and built "smoke shacks" with heaters. After a couple months they figured out that nobody was going to enforce the law and now people are back to smoking inside. In Illinois it is up to the local authorities to enforce the smoking ban, and so far they have did nothing. Been going on like this for 2 years now or so I think. I have heard of areas (Chicago) that are strict on the rule, but there are more places than not that just ignore it.

I do not smoke but do not think it is right that the government can tell business owners it is not allowed in their establishments.

The government gets involved with stuff and all it does is ruin everything. Illinois recently passed a law to put in their own state gambling machines and get rid of the poker machines owned by local businesses. However, they have put ridiculous rules in place that there is no more than 5 machines per business and the player can not win more than 500 dollars. These new machines are going to cost around 15,000/ machine and many businesses will not be able to afford them. Even if they do it will be nothing like the past 20 years. The government gets 60% of the money and the proprietor gets 40% and is taxed on their 40%. The state government just sent out letters to all of the bars and clubs telling them that they will revoke liquor licenses and issue felonies if they find any machines, but are not replacing them with the state machines for over a year from now. The brutal part is all of these businesses that have these poker machines pay a yearly due to the government which doesn't expire til July of 2010. How does the government get away with such things? Sadly, many bars, poolrooms, and clubs will never last and lives are going to be ruined.
 
Maine has had a smoking ban for a few years now. After a while, it all shakes out, people adapt. For the guy in NC complaining about going out and smoking in the cold, you should see the folks here, where it gets MUCH colder! The bars have been quite creative, setting up patio-style areas, with canopies and such to protect the smokers from the elements.

The private club where I belong to play pool was exempt from the ban, but eventually followed suit due to complaints by customers and employees alike. They not only set up covered areas with seating outside, but they even heat the area as well.

(I wouldn't join until they stopped the smoking. It was simply too painful to my eyes after a whole night there, and having to take a shower when I got home before going to bed was a bit of a pain in the tookus, especially after enough "lubrication"... My wife couldn't go at all, as her lungs would just close up due to the smoke. Now she doesn't go cuz all I do is play pool. :grin: )

Have patience, NC folks. It'll work out, and you'll eventually have more folks playing, I bet.
 
Fyi

Gate City Billiard Club states they believe they are exempt from the smoking ban & are still allowing smoking. They do have the non-smoking room with 3 tables in it.
 
Its been wonderful for patrons in MD since the ban. No more stinky clothes, burning eyes, loud smoke eater fans that don't work, oh, and less cancer to boot.

Now if people would smoke away from the door so the smoke stays outside!

And the mess of butts outside the door, sheesh!

When I go to PA to play its like going back to the stone ages. Phuck that!

I will spend my money in smoke free MD.

Good luck in NC.
 
TimKrazyMon said:
Gate City Billiard Club states they believe they are exempt from the smoking ban & are still allowing smoking. They do have the non-smoking room with 3 tables in it.
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On what basis to they think they are exempt? Not trying to provoke an argument, just curious because I know a couple of places in Raleigh would be interested if they can bypass the ban.
 
desmocourtney said:
Its been wonderful for patrons in MD since the ban. No more stinky clothes, burning eyes, loud smoke eater fans that don't work, oh, and less cancer to boot.

Now if people would smoke away from the door so the smoke stays outside!

And the mess of butts outside the door, sheesh!

When I go to PA to play its like going back to the stone ages. Phuck that!

I will spend my money in smoke free MD.

Good luck in NC.
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Marylands ban was kinda screwy. It was well known that a ban was coming and bars/business were allowed to build "smoking rooms" (areas that had different ventilation systems,ect). When the ban came, the state had to give exemptions to the business's who invested in the "smoke rooms" and bars were exempt also. That exemption only lasted a short time before the entire state went smoke free.

NC is in the heart of the smoking belt and I'm frankly suprisedto hear they passed a ban there. I'm sure there was some old school back door politicing going on to kill the ban.

Lets face it, smoking will lead to horrible diaiese's that will kill you in a not so pleasent way. It is best to leave them alone. With that being said, if a grown adult wants to roll the dice and burn a weed, more power to ya! Just as long as it doesn't effect other people in the process.

If the ban is statewide, it shouldn't effect business in the long run. If someone is skirting the rules and allowing smoking, they may draw some hardcore smokers for a while but they will soon get tired of burning the extra gas and having to add in the extra driving after having a few adult beverages, it will pass, I'm sure.

Good luck!
 
Poke N Hope said:
On what basis to they think they are exempt? Not trying to provoke an argument, just curious because I know a couple of places in Raleigh would be interested if they can bypass the ban.
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On the basis they are a private club charging membership. (I wished the owner luck cuz I don't think it's gonna fly.)
 
No Smoking

In Minnesota, we have had a smoking ban for a while now. I know of 4 pool halls that have closed in the past 2 years due to loss of business. With that being said I personally like the no smoking, I feel like I can breathe and not go home feeling like I have just gotten cancer.
 
TimKrazyMon said:
On the basis they are a private club charging membership. (I wished the owner luck cuz I don't think it's gonna fly.)
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It won't fly, Tim. Don may think it'll work, but it won't. The no-smoking statute clearly defines what it considers a "private club", and it's *not* the same as GCB (or Shooters or Breakers or Lucky 7s or Jakes or ...). All these places are "private clubs" only by the ABC definition. The no-smoking statute considers them "bars".

http://www.smokefree.nc.gov/ clearly spells it out.

If he and his lawyer think that the pre-existing definition of "private club" wins out, they'll have to test it with the courts.

It won't take long before GCB is reported to the Health Department. You'd be surprised how hateful serious non-smokers can be.
 
Drater said:
It won't fly, Tim. Don may think it'll work, but it won't. The no-smoking statute clearly defines what it considers a "private club", and it's *not* the same as GCB (or Shooters or Breakers or Lucky 7s or Jakes or ...). All these places are "private clubs" only by the ABC definition. The no-smoking statute considers them "bars".

http://www.smokefree.nc.gov/ clearly spells it out.

If he and his lawyer think that the pre-existing definition of "private club" wins out, they'll have to test it with the courts.

It won't take long before GCB is reported to the Health Department. You'd be surprised how hateful serious non-smokers can be.
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It'll fly. I heard Don is going to start doing evangelical broadcasts and will thereby qualify as a non-profit organization. ;)

Non-profit private clubs and country clubs - In order to qualify for this exception, the club must satisfy all of the following criteria:

Membership: The club must maintain selective members.
Operations: The club must be operated by the members.
Restricted service: The club must not provide food or lodging for pay to anyone who is not a member or a member’s guest.
Nonprofit status: The club must either be:
incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under state law (found in G.S. Chapter 55A); or
exempt from paying federal income tax under federal Internal Revenue Code.



Seems to me it will all come down to whether the state puts forth the resources to enforce the ban.
 
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