Whitewater bars should be smoke-free

The city of Whitewater has a choice to make--to make the bars and public buildings smoke-free or not. For some, this would feel like the city was taking away privileges, but for others it would be great not to have to deal with smoke every time they go out. I personally couldn't be more in support of the ban.

To not have to worry about people blowing smoke in my face when I want to go out with some friends for a drink would make my day. I absolutely hate the way my clothes smell after getting home from the bars. I have to throw them in the wash as soon as I get home and I don't think I should have to do that.

Secondhand smoke has been classified by the EPA as a class A carcinogen-a substance known to cause cancer in humans. No one should have to endure that while trying to relax in a public place. It also causes decreased blood flow in a very short period of time. No one should have to risk his or her health so someone else can light up.

Those people opposed to the smoking ban always want to say that they're losing their constitutional rights when a motion like this one come along. They feel like were taking away some freedom or right to some where ever they please. But what about the rights of people who like their lungs; they have a right too.

It not like it's even that hard to just go outside to burn one. You are out there for maybe three minutes and then back inside. I know it's cold outside and you're afraid of Wisconsin winters, but it's not like you live here or anything. Get used to the cold.

I work at a restaurant that is completely smoke-free; smokers have to go out back in the cold. They handle it just fine. Customers enjoy an atmosphere where they can breathe and have conversations with friends, so the employees go out back. Simple.

Madison went to no smoking in the bars a few years back, and for a time people went just outside the city limits to drink and smoke, and businesses felt it. But Whitewater isn't like Madison, there is no 'just outside the city limits.'

People are still going to go to The Pub or The Rail, or any downtown bar, because there is no place else to go. Whitewater doesn't have a suburb were people can take their business. Smokers will just have to deal with it in town.

I do understand that the business owner should have a say in the way his or her business is run. This is a free country, but the owner should be looking out for the non-smokers freedoms too. Those people are their customers too and actually make up a larger percentage than smoking customers.

To anyone that thinks dealing with smoke at the bars is just something people have to put up with; remember people are there to drink, not smoke. Have you ever seen a bar were you don't drink, but smoke instead. No, and you never will.

I look forward to the day when smokers only hurt themselves, or better yet, no one smokes. With everything we know about smoking today, how can anyone still smoke? But that's a whole other argument.

I would like to give special attention to Bob Sweet though. To call Gov. Jim Doyle a jerk in response to the ban is hilarious. The plan and simple fact that the best argument Sweet had was the "you're stupid" defense was priceless.