Portland, Tennessee Blog

I would like to see smoking banned in resturants, but I can see smoking in bars. However, If I was only given the choice of banning it without compromise, I would just ban it entirely.

no smoking

Smoking should be banned in ALL restaurants...the Panther Den is absolutely the worst. There is no ventilation system, it seems.....the smoke is always so thick there...I ate there this evening, in fact...stopped by because they have a great hamburger and pie....but always hate that my hair and clothes smell like stale smoke after I go there...needless to say....I'd go there a LOT more often, it they would ban smoking.

I beleive it should be banned it is very inconsiderate to non-smokers. I am a smoker and i believe its like murder. Second hand smoke is just as bad if not worse.It may take awhile but it will eventually kill if consumed over a period of time.

I think smoking should not be allowed becuase other pepple inhale it.

To the person who commented that it has never been proven that secondhand smoking causes cancer...are you living under a rock. It was proven long ago.

It has never been determined that second hand smoke does not cause cancer.

I think smoking should be banned from all public buildings. Lung cancer is quickly on the rise from secondhand smoking, and it makes no difference if there is a separate section for smokers and non-smokers. We are still breathing the same air confined to a building. I know this from firsthand experience. My sister-in-law died from secondhand smoke because her husband was a smoker. She never smoked a day in her life.

GREAT. we alerady have a nanny city gov't that wont let adults enjoy a cold beer or margareta
with their tacos, now we cant even smoke.
i hate cigarretes, but i dont want to run anybodys
life. tell me is this portland or moscow?
the CDC has even concluded that 2nd hand smoke
hurts no one. geeese, what a bunch of liberal democrats some of these people are!
silly me, its probably bush's fault.

I am doing a speech on banning smoking in resturants and found this all to be very helpful in supporting my stance on banning smoking in resturants. The long term and short term effects are unfair to nonsmokers just so that smokers can have enjoyment. I am not a smoker, but I have friends that smoke and they have told me that they also take this stance and that waiting until they leave a public building is not a big deal to them.

thank you all for the info, it helped me out !

I am in favor of the no-smoking ban in any public buildings....especially restaurants. Smoke makes food taste bad - not to mention the health risks of breathing second hand smoke. As far as banning the huge burgers....that is a personal choice for that person to make, but when that same person smokes he is putting smoke into my lungs which I think he has no right to do. At least with the burger, he is only hurting his own health.

In California they haved banned it in all resturants and bars. When I visited there is was really nice and I even smoked at the time.

I have allergies and can't stand to be around it. So, ya, I say put the cigarette out and go smoke outside!

This is an interesting study of the results when the City of El Paso (Texas) banned smoking in restaurants and bars. The report is supplied by the United States Centers for Disease Control.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5307a2.htm

Despite tons of worries from restaurant and bar owners that their revenues would plummet following a ban on smoking, it did not happen.

Studies from New York City, California, and other places confirm the same result. Owneres were terrified their revenues would fall. In fact, the revenues stayed the same or, in many cases, increased.

In addition, employees had a healthier environment in which to work, and customers had a healthier environment in which to eat.

Glad to see something has got some discussion going, here is my view.
I am a very limited government involvement type person. This is a problem that can be fixed by the power of the "almighty dollar." If the Panther Den sees that it can make more profit by banning smoking to attract more non smokers, they will do so. As long as they are doing well allowing both, they will do both. They are a business and that is their right in my opinion.
I hate the smoke in there too. I have allergies, and just plain don't like second hand smoke, but I know that it is present when I make my decision to eat there.
If you want it banned, let the owners know that you would eat there if they would ban it. If they know how much business they are losing out on, you bet they will change.
I would say that's my two cents, but I don't think my opinions are worth even that much... lol.

I am a smoker and I do appreciate the "bother" that it can be for non-smokers. However, I think that separate sections in resturaunts is a better solution than completley banning it. Part of enjoying a good meal at a favorite resturaunt is the time you take after eating to sit and socialize with friends/family, etc. whether you do it over coffee, dessert, or by smoking. Smoking is not illegal, and there are still lots of smokers out there. I personally drink very little alcohol, but there are many nice places that have bars and serve alcohol and while it may not be harming anyone's health, it can cause unpleasant personalities to emerge and the drinker can bother families by getting loud and obnoxious or causing trouble, or whatever. The point is, we all have pet peeves when out in public, someone can blow their nose at their dinner table and gross me out while I am eating at my table, should be ban nose blowing...I miss the old days when people just did not go someplace if they didn't like what took place there....gw

With regards to the hamburger comment, while eating a double super papa burger (although I have no idea what that is....LOL) may be harmful to your health, it isnt affecting anyone else's health. Second hand smoke on the other hand has been proved very harmful. I will not eat anywhere that doesnt have a non-smoking section, because I don't want my kids around it. (Although sometimes the only difference between non-smoking and smoking is half a wall or a few feet away. I am not a smoker and I would like to see smoking banned from restaurants, but that is easy for me to say considering the fact that I wont be the one inconvienced by having to go outside to light up.

I for one will not eat at panther den it is nasty rather smoking is allow or not. I ate there once and found it to be nasty and my service was awful.

I do smoke and they should ban it there are children in there, and it isn't healthy for them.

While I do not smoke and would rather not be around it; I do not feel it appropiate to label the Panther Den as unpleasant or unhealthy.
I eat there from time to time and have eaten there since I was a child and I enjoy it.
If we ban the smoking due to health reasons, do we also ban the Double Super Papa Burger?

I for one do smoke but I think it is a good idea to ban smoking in any public building such as restaurants. I always want a smoke after I eat but I can wait till I get in my car or get home. Smoking is a very nasty addiction and it's hard to quit. I have tried many, many times. I expect any day for it to become illegal and part of me wish it was.