My letter to Mayor Mitch Landrieu concerning the proposed smoking ban... Mr. Mayor, For God’s sake please do not sign this smoking ban into law! I am a non-smoker, a tour guide, a teacher and a former candidate for city council. We have met a few times. I urge you NOT to pass the ban. Several of my non-smoking friends agree. I will list my reasons quickly and simply: Common sense…you DON’T go to a bar to be healthy. The deleterious heath effects caused from drinking FAR outweigh those supposedly caused by second hand smoke. Not that we are on a slippery slope but one can see how ridiculous it would be to ban beer at a bar because of its adverse health effects Loitering: People exiting bars will go from one illegal situation to another: loitering. Many bars prohibit gathering outside the bar. Noise: neighbors will throw fits because of the constant opening of the doors and the likely loud drunken speech of those now “loitering.” Trash: those who go outside after smoke after a few beers are likely to be less responsible about cleaning up after themselves. Tourism: part of what tourists love about how our city is how we are our own people and buck many of the trends of the rest of the “uptight” USA. I don’t think people COME here because they can smoke in bars but as a tour guide since 2000 I know dman well they really appreciate it! Patriotism: this ban will make it illegal to smoke in private clubs…such as the VFW. Men and women who put their lives on the line to secure our freedoms will now be told they can’t smoke in their own club. If you MUST pass this ordinance to assuage the false altruism of a few people with nothing in their lives to make them feel important consider this clever way to support the free market, personal choice and support all of the bars and venues that generate this city so much of its revenue…a SMOKING LICENSE. Every bar has a liquor license. Several add on to that a 24 hour permit, a live music permit, etc. Charge $1000/year to add a smoking permit and let every bar owner decide for themselves because they know their clientele better than any city official or supposed do-gooder with a false cause. This will not only be a huge windfall for the city’s coffers but prove to all the misguided people that proposed the ban how little their opinion is valued, wanted or needed. When nearly every bar in the city ponies up the fee for the license that should end the argument once and for all and probably make national news! In summation, as a non-smoker I beg you…please…do NOT pass this smoking ban. if you strike it down you’ll be the most popular mayor in the history of New Orleans!!! Sincerely, Charles Patrick Duffy III
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:32:04 +0000
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