Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 37 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
Group debates smoking ban
Published Tuesday, January 13, 2009
NATCHEZ — Smoking in public places may not be so easy to snuff out in Natchez.
The majority — 57 percent to be exact — of local tourism and business officials present at a Monday meeting were against a proposed smoking ban in restaurants and bars.
Approximately 50 people attended the meeting of the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce’s Tourism Council.
The remaining votes were split between those favoring some type of smoking ordinance with 30 percent voting in favor of an ordinance that would contain restrictions or exceptions for businesses such as bars and casinos. And 13 percent said they favored an across-the-board ban on smoking.
Tourism Council Chairman Baxter Lee said the purpose of the meeting was to formulate an opinion that could then be presented to the board of aldermen as a sort of recommendation from the tourism community.
“This can be a very polarizing issue,” Lee said. “It is important that everyone have a chance to express their opinion.”
Aldermen James “Ricky” Gray and Bob Pollard, who originally brought up the idea, attended the meeting along with Mark Fortenbery and Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton.
During the meeting, Gray tried to ease concerns business people had over the possible economic impact a smoking ordinance would have.
“We are not trying to harm anyone’s business,” he said. “That is not the intention at all. The intention is to try to save lives.”
But some business people were still concerned that a ban on smoking inside public buildings would negatively affect their businesses.
General manager of the Isle of Capri casino Tony Scudiero said he had no doubt that business would drop if a smoking ban were put in place at casinos.
“If an ordinance were to say ‘no smoking’ in casinos it would be completely devastating,” he said. “In Calgary, Alberta, (Canada) where I used to work, revenue dropped 30 to 40 percent after a smoking ban.”
He also said his personal opinion didn’t differ much from his business opinion when it came to telling people where they can smoke.
“Personally, this has nothing to do with the Isle, I’d like to see it stay the way it is,” Scuidero said. “It should be left up to the business owners.”
But as admittedly as Scuidero argued against a ban on smoking, other Natchez business people were in favor of a smoking ordinance.
Regina Charboneau, owner of Twin Oaks Bed and Breakfast, said she is in favor of an across-the-board ban on smoking in Natchez. Charboneau said that while in the restaurant business in San Francisco she faced a similar smoking ban.
“Having a bar business, I was afraid it would hurt my business, but it didn’t at all.”
Shawyn Mars, owner of King’s Tavern, said his restaurant and bar have a sort of smoking ordinance already in place.
“The restaurant is smoke free. But we allow smoking in the bar, and if you choose, you can order off the full menu in the bar,” Mars said during the discussion.
Mars said while he wasn’t a smoker, he understood the need for businesses to be open to both smokers and nonsmokers.
“Provisions could be made in casinos for people who don’t smoke,” he said. “I think businesses should be able to make their own decisions while making provisions for people who don’t smoke.”
In other action, Tourism Director Connie Taunton announced that there were billboards promoting Natchez currently in place in Bossier, La., Shreveport, La., Alexandria, La., Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Vicksburg and Jackson.
Sally Durkin gave a presentation on the progress of the CVB’s Web site. She said the CVB is “working frantically to upload information.”
The site will include information about accommodations, restaurants, meeting planning and wedding planning as well as a link to the CVB’s Facebook page.
Natchez Downtown Development Association Director Carrie Lambert announced changes to First Friday festivities that included a change in the events’ start time from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Comments
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 10:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Let the business owners and patrons decide...THIS IS NOT A FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT!
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 11:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Natchez Mayor Jack Middleton"
You kidding, right, Jennifer?????
Posted by mslugirl (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 11:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Please proof your articles before they are printed! Anyone can make a mistake on occasion, but this is a daily newspaper with daily mistakes. Even the mayors name is incorrect.
Posted by ghost (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 2:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Also, some of the people who post comments on this website have the grammatical capabilaties of a toothbrush.
Posted by ghost (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 2:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Smoking in a bar is fine. I understand that drinking alcohol intices the need for a smoke. If you need to smoke a cigarette inside a restaurant while others are trying to enjoy a nice meal....you have a problem.
/ Im just glad that dipping snuff and proudly displaying the Dasani water bottle full of spittle on a restaurant table is no big deal. I was worried my "snuff" rights were going to be endangered.
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on January 13, 2009 at 2:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One of my grandma's dipped snuff ghost. She spit into empty tin cans. That's class.
Posted by ghost (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 2:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A translucent water bottle works wonders when it's sitting on a table in a restaurant in view of all the smokers.
/ Fight fire with fire
Posted by crawgator (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 5:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sum of us'es may knot half tha bestes grammer but we make a hell of a lot more senses than some of these other posteder's on here. GOST!
Posted by plpriest (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 6:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What is the difference in smoking and drinking? How many people have you seen have a wreck from smoking?? How many people have you seen have a wreck fom drinking??? If they ban smoking they sure need to ban drinking also. Yes smoking causes cancer but that is our choice but drinking causes liver trouble and that is your choice if you decide to drink. At least when you are on the road smoking a cigarettre you are not putting everyone live at stake when you are driving your car. when you are driving drunk how many gets killed that are innoncent. So I say lay off the smokers.
Posted by 3on23 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 6:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually I have seen smokers that have problems while driving when they drop ashes on themselves or car upholstry distracting them from driving. What about the ones who carelessly flick butts out the window not caring about the driver behind them who may have their window open or be on a motorcycle. Smoking does affect others around you but a little courtesy goes a long way.
Leave it up to the individual business to decide their policy.
Posted by erohed (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 7:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just keep in mind, that some of us are still addicted.
Posted by babev1 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
you don't see smoking causing people to piss in the streets downtown outside of the bars it the drunks stop the drinking the drunks are worse than the smokers anyday the bar can and the beer bottles all over the streets are more of a eye sore
Posted by momof1 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Since smoking is to taboo and smokers are looked upon as horrible people and smoking kills, why don't they just ban the sale of cigarettes? I'll tell you why. The city that wants to ban smoking enjoys the tax revenue that is generated from the sale of cigarettes. They are a bunch of hypocrites if you ask me. All the people with their nose in the air as they walk by a smoker will gladly spend the tax revenue generated from cigarette sales.
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Smoking looks nasty! Smoking smells nasty! Smoke taste nasty!(second hand,I don't smoke)Smoking is nasty! But it is still a freedom of choice just like drinking and gambling or any other legal addiction. We can't take a smokers rights away without cleaning it all up.I don't think we want that. Too much money involved for one thing.And I am not my brothers keeper.I even believe marijauna should be legal . And I can't inhale! It would probably bring in enough tax money to save social security and bail out porn.
Posted by sandyman7 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
BAN SMOKING????? Well if smoking is banned, It should be BANNED...Not just for certain area's but ALL...
So what if the Isle looses customers...That would be a GREAT result of the smoking ban.!!!!! And it just might keep a FEW DRUNKs off the streets.....
Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good point, momof1. I'm with letting individual businesses decide. It's just too anti-American to step on their rights as property owners.
The article made Regina C. sound like a dictator...just an "across the board" BAN ON SMOKING, PEOPLE!!!!!!!!! It won't hurt a thing. On the flip side, the Isle dude said he has witnessed a fall in revenue after a smoking ban in another casino. I say go with this guy's info...more people smoke while gambling than smoke in guesthouses.
Also, today is my first day w/o a cig in a looooong time. Wish me luck.
Posted by 3on23 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't hate smokers. It's your choice to smoke. I hate what smoking does to families and to those who do succumb to the diseases associated with it. I have lost loved ones to it before and will lose more in the future. It is a very hard addiction to overcome. That being said, if you want to smoke then just do it outside, that way those of us who choose not to, aren't being as closely subjected to the second-hand smoke as we would be inside a building.
Posted by MSviaTN (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In the town where I live there is no smoking allowed in restaurants and trust me it has not hurt their business. I actually forgot how nice it was to have restaurants like that until I came home for the holidays - YUCK! I mean, come on, on a really busy day you are in a restaurant - MAYBE an hour and a half - can you really NOT go that long without a puff????
Posted by Natchezbear (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Smoking is NASTY! Smoking should only be allowed in designated places. Cigs and marijauna Should be enjoyed in the privacy of ones home or car. Smokers need to realize their bad habits make them second class citizens and should be respectful of those who don't smoke. Tossing your butts out on the Hwy can cause a fire.....Tossing butts out at traffic lights and on the curb of non smoking business is littering. I have lost many friends and loved ones to Cigs. I have lung problems now because of smoking in my youth, Now I have to fight my way pass the "15 ft away from the door smokers" at the hospital. Legalize marijauna and tax it...and tax cigs HEAVYLY! to help pay for problems of the world
Posted by Natchezbear (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
BTW Does any know that our new President Smokes! NASTY!
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm with you,Ntzbear
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i jist smokes rock.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I smoke guys like hardcorps.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hate smokers. They always make my clothes and my hair STINK! People only do it to look cool.
Posted by momof1 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at noon (Suggest removal)
Natchezbear, you are a perfect example of one of those hypocrites I was talking earlier about who walk around with their nose in the air looking down at us "second class citizens" but are all too happy to spend the tax revenue generated by cigarette sales. I guess you don't drink or do any of the other things in this world that kill people?
Posted by momof1 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 12:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Also, good luck Kpage on trying to quit. For those on this forum that have never been addicted to anything in their life, it's not easy. But just for the record, chocolate is addictive and so are those Big Mac's, so don't judge people because you don't see the sin in your own life as being as bad as the next persons. It's not for you to judge.
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 1:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Way to go Kpage! Hope you are successful. If not, email me and I will tell you how I did it 13 years ago and have had no withdrawal symptoms. It is great to be free of it!
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes, way to go kpage, you can do it, but don't dare take that quit smoking pill - Chantix, I'm warning everyone that that drug will cause you lots of problems, my wife, she has quit now for over a year, Praise the LORD!!! And she tried Chantix for a couple of weeks, it like turned her into a zombie and gave her lots of side effects. Kpage.... if you get really stressed out, go ahead and take a puff or two, then put it out, don't beat yourself up too bad if you have serious cravings that you cannot control, just remember that the nicotine is HIGHLY addictive, even forms opiates in your systems, and in your mind you cannot experience joy at all without some, you will have the best success if you are patient and don't get depressed, I mean you will get depressed some, but remember WHY, it's not YOU, it's that your brain chemistry is going through HELL and trying to convert back to normal chemistry of normal pleasure.
Anyway..... I'm in favor of a total ban in public owned buildings like the Courthouse, Police Dept. , etc..
But private businesses (which some people confuse with public places, they are not public places, you are a guest of the owner, and don't forget that please, that causes a lot of problems when customers and visitors think they have some imagined ownership rights inside a private business) should have the right to regulate their own policies of smoking. If you don't like their policy, then go somewhere else, or stay at home.
If someone is smoking near you and it annoys you, well just ask them politely to refrain from blowing smoke your way, or get up and move away. Remember that they are an addict and well, to put it bluntly, stupid and have little self-control.
A little smoke never bothered me, but I know that continued exposure is very hazardous to my health. I've never been hooked and can take it or leave it , I choose to leave it.
Posted by caresaboutnatchez (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nothing worse than taking a big group to a popular restuarant and have to sit in the smoking section in the back just because your group is too big to sit elsewhere and then have to put up with inconsiderate people blowing their smoke all over the place. You would think the owner would stop smoking in his restuarant to satisfy the majority of his customers!
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 2:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I understand addictions and I don't think people that smoke are second class citizens. I was saying only yesterday how nice it is to have my coffee every morning. I'm also proud of kpage. Keep us posted and hang in there.
Posted by cooper3k1 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I live in a city where there is a ban on smoking in public places such as restaurants. (You are still allowed to smoke in bars) However, I don't have a problem with it and I am a smoker. I usually didn't light up after a meal in a restaurant anyways because I didn't want to offend anyone that may not have like it. I will not even smoke in my own car if I know the person that maybe riding with me is a nonsmoker. In my opinion, it is just a matter of respect for other people.
Posted by momof1 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 3:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we should also ban perfume. There are WAY too many people that do NOT know how to use it. When they walk in the door, it smells l like peppy lepew crawled in and you can still smell them hours after they've left the building.
Posted by drawpaintsing (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 4:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
.....and it burns your nose also, momof1.
Posted by momof1 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 4:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
AND it leaves a bad taste in your mouth :}
Posted by reneef (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm a smoker but I try to be considerate of others. I also believe it should be the business owners choice as to whether or not the business is non smoking. I do believe that a ban in government builds is something that the government has the right to decide. Thank You to all of you non smokers that believe it is up to the business owner. Not because it will allow me to smoke in a business (which is not a public area) but because you continue to support the freedoms we are allowed in this country.
Posted by time4change (anonymous) on January 14, 2009 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh ok, just go ahead and keep on smoking...it's your lungs; just don't blow your smoke in my face while I'm trying to eat and we will get along just fine. There is a big difference between drinking alcohol and smoking. Your drink doesn't burn my eyes, give me a headache, or make me cough and most often I can't smell your drink until you've had way too many, but I can smell your cigarette very soon after you've lit it. I used to smoke too and didn't realize how much my smoking bothered people who are sensitive to smoke. Also, smoking while driving can be very dangerous. I know this because I have dropped a cigarette while driving, plus I thumped one out the window only for it to blow back into the back seat and the seat caught on fire.
I'm very sensitive to offensive odors and highly allergic to perfumes. I've hurt several people's feelings because of that...usually I buy them a perfume that I can be around and tell them that I can't take the other one, but I have gotten really mean over a fragrance after having informed them that it bothers me. OMG, they get in my car wearing that perfume and after a few minutes of being closed up with them, I'm ill, but then I still have to drive them wherever we were going. Or they get dressed in my house pouring on that perfume and after I start smelling it and tasting it, I get the worst headache, my nose starts pouring, and I start feeling very ill which lasts long after they've left for their party. Once a sample of lotion was squirted in my hands at a side store in the mall and before I could walk to the middle of the mall I was so ill that I had to go to the washroom and wash that stuff off of my hands and then it was a while before I could return to normal. What to do? Maybe I should just get myself a gas mask to wear, lol, since it's my nose.
Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on January 14, 2009 at 1:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm a non smoker, but everyone in my family smokes. Years ago it didn't bother me, but the last few years it has started choking me. I'll probably die from second hand smoke and they will all be puffing away.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)