When I quit smoking six months ago, I didn’t gain 20 pounds, start sticking pens in my mouth or pick up any other habits recent quitters normally adopt. But I did become a hypocrite.
The non-smoking me is disgusted by clothes worn to bars that reek of Marlboros the next morning. I’ve become keenly aware of smoke lingering in the air of restaurants while I’m eating. And I internally pity those who have a habit I had for over a decade. (Self-satisfaction is as addictive a drug as nicotine.)
But I’d sooner eat a pack of Camels than support a smoking ban in bars. Bars, by their nature, are houses of vice. That’s why they’re so popular. And to those who’ve never smoked, there’s nothing quite like a cigarette alongside a cold beer.
As a recent non-smoker, I’ve enjoyed following the political maneuvering within the City Council regarding public smoking. I agree that non-smokers shouldn’t be subjected to smokers’ vices. But I don’t support Ald. Ed Smith’s (28th) proposed ban on smoking in virtually all public places.
I also think that bars are distinct venues in our culture–especially in Chicago–and should be regulated distinctly, which coincides with a Ald. Burton Natarus’ (42nd) proposal to exempt free-standing bars from a ban.
When we patronize drinking establishments, we’re accepting the fact that we’ll be exposing our bodies to noxious elements like alcohol, smoke and Axe Body Spray. We’re all adults, the bouncer confirms that at the door, and as such have the capacity to decide for ourselves which types of environments we’ll experience.
A sweeping ban on smoking would–literally–change the atmosphere of my favorite taverns. And even as a non-smoker, I’d be a hypocrite if I said that was a good thing.
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chrismcnamara@hotmail.com
