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What do you think of the New York smoking ban?
By DONNA LUKIW
SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — As of July 24, New York State’s Clean
Indoor Act has instituted a ban on smoking in most indoor public spaces.
The law includes bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and most
private clubs and any businesses, company cars and buildings open to the
public, including covered outdoor areas.
Smoking is now restricted to private homes and cars, some
hotel rooms, dormitories, smoke shops and private clubs with no paid employees.
Health departments in counties that have them will enforce
the law. In others, like Sullivan, the state health officials will enforce
the new regulations with fines up to $2,000.
What do people think about it?
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This new smoking ban is taking away from people’s leisure;
smoking is a luxury and this ban takes away from it. What is the point of
paying taxes and then them telling you what to do? If you can’t choose what
you want to do then just go with communism.
—Dana Pierri, Barryville, NY |
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I think it’s a good idea. People just go outside to
smoke. It’s healthy. They should really ban cigarettes.
—Bud Jarrin,
Liberty, NY |
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think that the choice of being smoke-free should be
the choice of the owner of the business. I hope that smokers will continue
to
support establishments like mine. I think that my restaurant business will
increase but the bar business will decrease, for a while.
—Michael Stoddard,
owner of Cobbler’s, Liberty, NY |
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I think it’s so great. I wish the whole world would stop
smoking. I don’t like to breathe smoke when I go out to eat. It’s a great
idea.
—Irina Krewitz, Parksville, NY |
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I feel that business owners should have a say if it should
be smoke free or not. We’re the ones that are paying taxes and mortgage,
not the state. And I’m not a smoker.
—Brian Borowski, bar owner,
Kenoza Lake,
NY |
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I think it’s unfair. It’s another right that’s being taken
away. I don’t smoke, but I choose to go to a smoking establishment or not.
They used to have people from non-smoking sections in a restaurant go to
the bar to smoke; now they can’t do that anymore. What happened to choice?
Where is it going to stop?
—Patti McGurrin, Fremont Center, NY |
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I think it’s ridiculous. How many rights are they going
to take way from us? Who are they to tell an owner what he can do with his
business? If employees don’t want to work somewhere because of the smoke,
then they shouldn’t work there.
—Jim Adams, North Branch, NY |
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