Hi, William.  Well, it's going through in many, many cities and towns.  I know, because the poor waitresses at our favorite restaurant are missing the nice tips that we smokers tend to leave them!  While I understand your frustration, I don't sympathize.  I do, however, understand.  Some people hate smoke; some people like smoking.  That's not a meetable twain!  My guess is that you'll be dining splendidly in a restaurant missing customers (the papers will report the loss when the restaurants complain) but you'll win out on this one, because somehow, my feeling is that you shouldn't have an odor that is noxious to you while dining out.  Besides- take out works for us, and I'm going to learn to cook.

Las Vegas put a law similar to this in effect the first of the year...anywhere that food is serverd there will be no smoking in the building...except the casinos, and then I think there is no smoking allowed in the eating areas of the casinos.  Sounds good to me!

It is about time... I can relate.  It is bad enough when all the smokers are at the entrance of the building inhaling their cancer, I have to hold my breath as I walk through it.  Good for NH.

Open Mortgage, trust me- the smokers are holding their collective breaths also, as you pass.  Condescension is palpable, and as unattractive (nah- more so) than smoke.

Minnesota just recently did the same thing...and I agree, this is a positive change to keep smoking away from those that don't wish to smoke (or inhale).

Best of luck to you!

Beth

Laurie, condescension never killed anyone.  Having lost a loved one recently to Lung Cancer it is difficult to contain my disgust with this horrible dependency.  And I have smoked during certain periods of my life.

William, with all due respect (and I mean it) condescension keeps overweight people overweight on occasion, smokers rebellious with the smug attitude critics perpetuate (all of the time), and people like yourself offended.  Ever heard of an alcoholic that recovered under a program of "condescension"?  I doubt it.  Consideration is much more effective.  Perhaps you should rethink the approach before imposing it on others.

Here is Washington State that law passed years ago.  I love it.  I'm sure it will also deter people from starting to smoke as well.  Good for everyone!

Laurie, keep in mind, condescension was your terminology.  I do not perpetuate condescension, but I am also not thrilled with the concept of pointing the finger at others.  As a society we slip further and further away from the principles that this nation was founded on and closer and closer to socialism.  We take less and less personal responsibility for our own circumstances in life, and as is the case with smoking, we too often expect our peers to concede to our weaknesses even when we are exposing them to harm.  If you were to walk up to your local Wal Mart and see a bunch of drunken college students urinating around the front door, what would your reaction be?  Condescension would probably be the least of their worries.

William, you are understandably viewing someone important's passing with an eye toward the cause.  I understand completely, BELIEVE ME.  We know, as smokers, that our lives are in the balance with the habit, and it SUCKS.  On the other hand, the headline on the news last night was, "Your computer's copier could be doing more damage to your lungs than cigarettes!"  True story- compelled my dissension with your VALID post.  Please know that I am terribly sorry for your loss, and that every day, smoking concerns me.  My reaction to a bunch of drunken whatever's doing whatever would be, "Could you move, please?"- but I don't shop at WalMart.  Target's my "cure".  The point being I'd be more concerned about which of them is driving after I make my purchase than "Whose fault is this?"