Coming April 1, 2007- Clean air

I'm looking forward to April 1- CLEAN AIR!! Last night the Paducah City Commission passed a ban on smoking in all public places except tobacco stores, warehouses, and private clubs that don't admit non-members. This includes Restaurants, truck stops and bars which at one time there was talk of excluding some or all of them. This will be a blanket ban affecting everyone and will be strictly enforced- fines on businesses for the first three offenses of not enforcing the ban up to $250 the third time, the fourth time their business license can be suspended or revoked. The city tried for the last year to encourage restaurants to do this on their own, or find other solutions to remove smoke but very few did so the result was a total ban.

Now, I mean no disrespect to smokers and acknowledge their right to smoke- as long as they aren't hurting someone else which is pretty hard to do when smoking in a public place. I have friends who smoke; I don't ask them not to smoke in their house or car, and they are respectful enough not to smoke in mine. To those the idea of a smoking ban offends, I apologize, I just wish everyone was as mindful of their own health as well as the health of others. Especially those like me with breathing problems- a simple whiff of smoke can cause major problems!

So coming April 1, 2007 I will be looking forward to much cleaner air when I go out to eat in Paducah. Hopefully McCracken County will be next, then Marshall County but Marshall is so "Redneck" or rebellious in general I doubt it will do so unless somehow forced. Paducah passed the ordinance last night but decided to give businesses 6 months to prepare for the idea of having to ask people to put out their cigarettes. No more having to ask to be seated as far away from the smoking section as possible, or eating in a crowded restaurant on Saturday night, only to be seated in the only table we can get next to the smoking section.

On a funnier note- the last time we went on vacation in Florida, we went in an Olive Garden Restaurant and asked for a table in the non smoking section only to be met with a strange look from the hostess... "We don't allow smoking in this state" was the answer we got.... and a look like "What, are you guys from Mars?? DUH!!"

Of course We'll still be in the Non-smoking area until April 1, but come April 1, I'll be looking soooo forward to enjoying a good meal without smoke floating over from the smoking section!! NOW- if we could just get Cracker Barrel to do something about that danged air conditioner they run winter and summer!!! Yes, even in the snow!!