Letter: Don’t blame bars for toothless smoke ban

Terry E. Peele

Monday, Oct. 8, 2007 | 7:16 a.m.

Micki Miller, in her Oct. 5 letter to the editor, writes that she went to a "bar/restaurant" wishing to converse over a drink and play some video poker without breathing toxic fume from smokers. She complains that smoking still existed in the gaming area of the bar/restaurant she chose. She wonders how the will of the voters can be so blatantly snubbed.

The law she is referring to, Question 5, was poorly written. Ms. Miller seems to have forgotten that the law only prohibits smoking and dining in the same area. Taverns that chose customers who smoke over those who eat can still allow smoking. If Ms. Miller's desire was to converse and play video poker, she should have chosen a tavern that still serves food in the gaming area.

The fact that the establishment she chose has the bar walled off from the restaurant meets the requirement of the law. Ms. Miller would still have had to contend with smoking even if the bar had chosen to not sell food in a to-go manner. By selling food to-go it appears this establishment has found another loophole in this Swiss-cheese law.

Did the 54 percent of voters who approved this law really know what they were getting? From the letters now appearing in the paper, it seems a majority of that 54 percent believed it would ban smoking in all places where individuals gather. If that is what the voters really want, they should approve a law with teeth, not loopholes.

Terry E Peele, Las Vegas