I Fought the Law, and the Law Won
It took a law here in San Antonio to make all the restaurants non-smoking.
New York city is banning trans-fat.
Marin County, California has fragrance-free seating in restaurants.
The list is endless.
But do we need laws for this? Long before the smoking ban, many of the restaurants we frequented were already non-smoking. One didn’t even allow smoking on their patio. And those who didn’t like it went somewhere else, I suppose. Others of us like the restaurant more for it, and told them so.
Since the law went into effect, I went to one restaurant that had a smoking section. In compliance with the city ordinance, it was separate from the main area, there was a door between the two areas, which they left open. I was seated 30-40 feet from this door but could still smell the smoke. Very shortly, I had a migraine. On my way out, I informed the manager of the problem. He didn’t seem very concerned, he was following the law. That was my last visit to that restaurant.
I believe we need to ask for what we want from businesses we frequent. Don’t want trans-fat? Tell them so. Or as a former co-worker put it, “Vote with your feet!”
