I think this should be left up to the businesses.I do smoke and have for a long time.I dont go to bars or anything like that so the beer gardens dont interest me.The thing that gets me is they are so concerned about the smokers,well what about all the drunks driving after leaving the bar.They are going to kill an innocent person before the smoke does.I wish i could ban all the bars from drinking.You know it works both ways and neither one of them are good for you.How would all of the bars like to lose there business because they can no longer serve beer.To me this is all a crock.Where is our freedom? Seems to me the government is controlling everything we do.

I agree with the statement made by the person that posted the previous comment
....that we have too much government involvement in our daily lives.

Sadly, I found out the hard way that smoking is the excception to government regulating our daily lives.

First, let me assure you that this is not a "booo-hooo poor me" thing! As several years of smoking, and friends / employers, etc. warming me....my entire life is now controlled by my health. I take several types of medication, four inhalers three times daily, on oxygen 24 hours per day, and hooked up to a CPAP machine at night so I keep breathing while sleeping....have lots of trouble even signing my name due to extreme tremors in my hands, etc., etc.

Yes, "all" attributed to several years of smoking!!

My point? This is the one time that I am very very much in favor of the government stepping in to further regulate our smoking addiction.

I say the above totally because I sincerely do not want to see people's lifes RUINED over a addiction to smoking. TRUST ME....it is not worth it!
And NO your lungs do not heal up and your breathing improves. Once the damage is done it is done!!

Thus when I see people complaining because of the new smoking law, and some stinky bars on South Main complaining about government control, etc., my reaction? If is prevents just ONE person from ruining their health it is worth it!!

In closing, I am sure what I have written will result in some remarks thrown at me....I'll make a deal with those people who make the remarks.....
stop by and I'll show you all the medication I MUST take daily, and ride with me to Omaha for my quarterly appointment with my pulmonary/lung doctor...and YOU DECIDE if you want to live YOUR LIFE the way I MUST now live my life....a deal??

Thanks for listening!!

With all due respect, to equate the damage that second hand smoke can inflict to the damage that drunk driver can inflict is just ignorant. People are not supposed to drink and drive BECAUSE it is a danger, likewise, people will not be allowed to smoke inside public establishments BECAUSE it is a danger. The difference between smoking and drinking are vast, while I do agree that drinking an absurd amount of beer (or any liquor) is damaging it's really unfair to draw a correlation between to the two, as it just doesn't exist.
Perhaps one should comment with reason rather than emotion. It's happening, so your just going to have to get over it. Most smokers don't want to make other people uncomfortable or displeased and they are happy to stand outside for the 4 minutes it takes to smoke a cigarette. Hopefully the state will be doing you a favor and you'll quit smoking, it's best for everyone.

I think this might be a good idea. Yes, it is a sign of the government stepping in majorly, but it might be for the better. I know of many other businesses in town that have become smoke-free just this year. Nye Senior Services has made their West 23rd Street campus entirely tobacco free. I think this is a good step for people who do not smoke, and don't want its ill effects. It is unfortunate for smokers, because they are being drastically limited in where they can go and smoke. But this is what our country/state/city is coming to, so I applaud the businesses taking a first step.

You know the things are bad for you and everyone in the room. If you don't know enough to quit or at least smoke in private, then I am all for government stepping in.

I believe it should be a business owners choice who the opt to cater to. Just as it is OUR choice as consumers which businesses we choose to patronize. There are too many things we inhale that noone thinks of- ie air freshener, hair spray, daily cleaners and perfumes, which are also harmful to our respiratory systems- and yes there are studies to prove that they all can cause cancer and other diseases of the lungs. We all have choices- we should all be able to utilize that freedom.

It's about time bars around here are going smoke free. If I want to go out to a bar or resturant I should not have to go home and reek like an ash tray. I have been to several bars in other states that are smoke free that have patios for the smokers, that way all can enjoy the night. Kudos to those establishments going smoke free before the law takes effect.

Yes, the Gov't sure does control everything we do. It didn't used to be that way years ago, but little by little, we give up our rights, sometimes without even realizing it. You know why, it's because whenever "they" come up with something stupid, no matter how dumb it is, some people will go along with it, thinking it's a good idea. The best "good idea" , is to let people make their own choices. You don't want to smoke, don't do it. You don't like a smoke filled bar, stay out. There are already places that are smoke free, utilize them.

Hey Joe S.:
I confess. I typically find your comments arrogant, narrow-minded and selectively uninformed.
However, your post on smoking is certainly enlightening. I have the utmost respect for your "confession". Smoking is without a doubt the stupidest habit that there is. I also am an ex-smoker, albeit some 30 years removed.
Is there anything more despicable than the parent who smokes in his/her car with children locked inside that rolling coffin? Makes me puke.
As far as the moronic arguments presented in pro of smoking, you are all morons. Personal rights are, and always have been, limited to the extent that they infringe on the rights of others. Smoke if you must. Kill yourself if you must. Eat all the grease, fat, and mayonnaise that your cholesterol-laden heart desires. But do it on your own. Do it to yourself. Leave everyone else alone.
The FAA has a curious slant to their rules. The regulations for a solo pilot suddenly become much more stringent if he carries passengers. Wanna kill yourself? You go, boy. But don't impose your stupidity on others.
Same for smoking.
Props to you, Joe S., my new best friend.

i will laugh when taxes go up from people not smoking as much due to the restrictions on them. and i will look at the people who wanted the ban and say your fault that taxes are going up form lack of cigarette sales so don't complain about it you wanted it.

Kudos to you Jake! That's exactly what will happen. I am a smoker and in the process of quitting. However, You are right, when the monies aren't there, the taxes will go up and we will hear them all complain. I feel the government has already infringed on enough..we are paying for this ridiculous bailout, excess taxes on cigarettes, excess taxes on our gas amongst numerous other things to numerous to mention. The government can't even control their spending, so I guess they feel proud they can control us. Hope they are happy too. Even if one does give respect to the non-smoker (which I do) we get nasty looks from the non-smoker. Come on-its our life-not yours! I'm outdoors for God sake!

I am a smoker & I have CHOOSE to not go to places that do not allow me to smoke. Come June I will probably not patronize the bars that do not have a special place for "THE SMOKER" or sit in a restaurant where I will not not be welcomed because I want to smoke. Pretty soon the government will be telling us we can't smoke in our homes. I want to Thank The Corner & Doe's for thinking of us that do smoke. Hat off to you guys!!!
Remember.... my cigarette taxes pay for alot of things. Lincoln's Devany Stadium for one.

I want to say, to, that we let the government too much into our lives!! That's how Hitler got into the German's lives, by using their downfals to bring them up and dilussion that "he" was the cause of the good!! Can't we just make our own choices? What about all the fat people out there and the extreme rise of type II Diabetes? What are we doing about that? Don't you think that their weight affects airlines that are onlyto carry so much weight? I applaud the previous writer that if you want to eat yourself to death, so be it, but I can tell you that it takes more money to keep a diabetic overweight person alive in hospital than a smoker!! Maybe we should put a ban on being over weight? Or would that be rude? Smoking a bad habit and so is feeding your face to being over weight as well!!

Wow !!! Comparing smoking laws to Hitler!
If there is an overweight person next to you - can this person cause harm to your health? Can their obesity germs crawl over to you and infect you with fatness? Hmmm - let me think on that one. But I do believe that sitting or living in the same proximity as a smoker can and does cause you damage. I do believe it's called cancer. If someone wants to smoke - that is their privilege. It is their right to do what they want to their body - regardless of how others feel about it. But when someone inflicts damage on another person - the government should step in and regulate the situation. This is assault with a deadly weapon. It's been against the law for a long time now.

To Deb says: I saying that we let our government rule everything, then what stops them from telling us to do what we want in our own homes? And yes, beign fat is a problem in our country. Type II Diabetes is on the rise, especially in children, do you hear the government tellyou that youcan't feed your face with the "make is alarge at McDonald's" No, it might be rude or inconsiderate. Well, if you want to be over weight, fine, but if i or anyone else wants to smoke, then fine, too. I dont see anyone putting on a mask, when they stand by the gas pumps that put off deadly fumes all the time!! So, if your going to open your mouth, then read between the lines. Hitler put his personal view along with a few others and put in on the majority. I think we need to start thinking for ourselves and not let the government rule everything. But maybe I should start a campaign about not allowing the fattening foods in all the grocery stores, because it's killing the cost of health care to keep a person with Diabetes II alive a lot hard and costly than a smoker? Let's see, arthritis, CHF, Pulmonary fuction problems, gastric problems, urinary problems, constipation leading to bowel obstruction, breathing problems due to excess body weight upon the lungs and heart. Thick blood, which clogs arteries-because the glucose builds up in the blood, knee replacements due to excess weight, lack of oxygen to the brain, because of thick blood, which leaves more chance of stroke!! Do you want me to go ON? Oh yeah, back surgeries because the spine can't handle the excess weight and then the person ends up with usually pneumonia because they can't get our of bed or sit up for along period of time. So, let's look at all the facts and figure neither one of them are healthy for us, but it's only the smokers that are attacked, aren't they?