Editor,
Not only was I a restaurant worker for 10 years, but I smoked for six of those years.
Therefore, I feel that I am authority enough to be able to enter the discussion on the proposed smoking ban for restaurants. Additionally, I have not smoked for long enough to support it.
That drinking and smoking are related is, unfortunately, true. Therefore, when smoking is taken outside while the drinks stay inside, drinking is inevitably slowed. This is a terribly important argument for the state that sees the most DWI-related incidents per year. If we cut the smoking out of our restaurants, we will certainly see a dramatic decrease in DWIs because people will pause more often while out drinking.
Service industry workers say that they will be taking home less in tips; I propose the opposite. Many of the people that now stay out of the smoky bars will once again return. Additionally, stepping outside to smoke is a much lesser burden than is having to sacrifice one's lungs to enjoy a night out. Frankly, the only courteous way to smoke when in the presence of non-smokers is to step outside. Smokers will realize this and we will not see a decline in their attendance.
I think that I speak for most non-smokers when I say, I am not asking smokers to quit smoking, just to quit doing it around me. We've got a year to think about this, but next November, we must cast our votes to cast out smoking.
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Luke T. Phillips
UNM student
Editor,
Not only was I a restaurant worker for 10 years, but I smoked for six of those years.
Therefore, I feel that I am authority enough to be able to enter the discussion on the proposed smoking ban for restaurants. Additionally, I have not smoked for long enough to support it.
That drinking and smoking are related is, unfortunately, true. Therefore, when smoking is taken outside while the drinks stay inside, drinking is inevitably slowed. This is a terribly important argument for the state that sees the most DWI-related incidents per year. If we cut the smoking out of our restaurants, we will certainly see a dramatic decrease in DWIs because people will pause more often while out drinking.
Service industry workers say that they will be taking home less in tips; I propose the opposite. Many of the people that now stay out of the smoky bars will once again return. Additionally, stepping outside to smoke is a much lesser burden than is having to sacrifice one's lungs to enjoy a night out. Frankly, the only courteous way to smoke when in the presence of non-smokers is to step outside. Smokers will realize this and we will not see a decline in their attendance.
I think that I speak for most non-smokers when I say, I am not asking smokers to quit smoking, just to quit doing it around me. We've got a year to think about this, but next November, we must cast our votes to cast out smoking.
Luke T. Phillips
UNM student
