[TheBagman]

All across the state of Minnesota bars are holding "theater nights" where all the customers are considered "actors".

Enjoy it while it lasts, the law will eventually get amended.

Smoking ban workaround catches on at bars across state

What started as a quirky idea to get around the statewide smoking ban appears to be spreading like wildfire.

Dozens of bars are expected to stage "theater nights'' this weekend in which patrons are dubbed actors. The law, which went into effect in October, permits performers to smoke during a theatrical production. "Two weeks ago, we had one bar doing this,'' said Mark Benjamin, a criminal defense attorney who launched the theater-night idea. He estimates 50 to 100 bars could be on tap for theater nights this weekend based on phone calls, e-mails and requests for the how-to-stage-a-theater-night packet that he's devised. And many bar owners are passing on the information quickly among themselves without getting in contact with him.

State Health Department officials didn't return calls Thursday, but said earlier this week that they are waiting for a state attorney general's opinion on the legality of theater nights. State legislators who championed the ban said last week that the loophole likely will be plugged and the bar theater nights will end.

But until that happens, Kenn Rockler, executive director for the Tavern League of Minnesota, said he's getting calls and e-mails from bar owners.

Lisa Anderson, owner of Mike's Uptown bar in Hill City, said that last Saturday she staged a "theater night" and packed in four times the usual crowd that has come in since the smoking ban took effect.

Anderson said she has been helping other bar owners who want to put on their own tobacco productions.

"I'm going to continue to do this,'' she said. "It increased my business.''

So will Brian Bauman, owner of The Rock nightclub in Maplewood, which staged a theater night Tuesday and nearly doubled the usual crowd.

At least 10 other bar owners wandered through his bar that night, taking stock of the event's success.

It won't work for every bar or restaurant because some are carving out a niche with nonsmokers, he said.

"We're a rock bar and the majority of the people who come here smoke,'' Bauman said. Until the state puts a stop to this, "we have every intention of doing this again. ...We have our karaoke night and we have our rock night. Now we will have our theater night.''

Mary Lynn Smith • 612-673-4788

[AnnonUSA]

The Smoking bans in NYC and New Jersey have been a great success. I've been in a number of bars and restaurants around the area, and in general, There are no less people in them, and for the most part they smell better and look cleaner and brighter because of the lack of smoke.

[FilLaB0NGo7]

I miss being asked "smoking or non-smoking"

[KO]

I dont mind it that much, as long as they provide a heated covered area to smoke in

[TheBagman]

I can't wait till they outlaw smoking on your own property, that way I don't ever have to walk into a smoky smelling house again. That way if I am ever picking out a house or a car I don't have to worry about smoke smell. Then we can start tasing people smoking in their own house and all these terrorists drug smugglers. Lock 'em up.

[ßü††|맧]

Let the Nanny State steamroll through.

[Slutter McGee]

Originally Posted by AnnonUSA

The Smoking bans in NYC and New Jersey have been a great success. I've been in a number of bars and restaurants around the area, and in general, There are no less people in them, and for the most part they smell better and look cleaner and brighter because of the lack of smoke.

I am sure thats true, but why does the government have the right to tell a private establishment they can't allow smoking. Its the business' right, and its your right not give them your business. If nonsmokers wanted to change things they should stay at home in protest. The free market would work itself out, and restraunts would start being smoke free in order to gain their customers back. But instead, people just let the government do all the shit for them. They trust in the government to make obtrusive laws that discriminate against everyone else. Hell, as long as its not them, they don't care. Fuck that. If a business owner wants me to be able to smoke in his or her establishment, they will gain my fucking business. Fucking ridiculous goddamn laws. WHERE IS IT GOING TO FUCKING STOP.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

[AnnonUSA]

Originally Posted by Slutter McGee

I am sure thats true, but why does the government have the right to tell a private establishment they can't allow smoking. Its the business' right, and its your right not give them your business. If nonsmokers wanted to change things they should stay at home in protest. The free market would work itself out, and restraunts would start being smoke free in order to gain their customers back. But instead, people just let the government do all the shit for them. They trust in the government to make obtrusive laws that discriminate against everyone else. Hell, as long as its not them, they don't care. Fuck that. If a business owner wants me to be able to smoke in his or her establishment, they will gain my fucking business. Fucking ridiculous goddamn laws. WHERE IS IT GOING TO FUCKING STOP.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

To be honest, I agree with what you and Bagman are saying here. Believe me, I think you guys know how much against Nanny politics I am.

But I must say, being a non-smoker, I have never really had a big problem with people smoking, almost all my friends smoked, and I hung around with them for years. Second hand smoke never bothered me much, until I began to see the difference in offices, and Bars where smoking was no longer allowed. I think a really big part of it is the huge amount of assholes that will smoke during meals, or at the bar, and think nothing of blowing the smoke in the faces of people that are bothered by it.

I admit I hate government intervention in matters like this, but as loud as the moaning and groaning was before this law took effect, it has had minimal or even positive effects on most establishments.

As far as regulation of private businesses, well that has been done and to some extent must be done. Would you like the places you eat in to circumvent health and cleanliness laws because they are privately held companies? And don't say you would stop eating there, because you wouldn't know...until you got sick or something.

I mean look at the shit that some of these places do with the safeguards and regulations in place...

[elroypornlab]

I don't care one way or the other but I believe a person has the right to poison themselves with whatever the wish you know like the constitution says I'm big in to civil liberty

[elroypornlab]

Well Annon put it a bit better

[Slutter McGee]

Originally Posted by AnnonUSA

To be honest, I agree with what you and Bagman are saying here. Believe me, I think you guys know how much against Nanny politics I am.

But I must say, being a non-smoker, I have never really had a big problem with people smoking, almost all my friends smoked, and I hung around with them for years. Second hand smoke never bothered me much, until I began to see the difference in offices, and Bars where smoking was no longer allowed. I think a really big part of it is the huge amount of assholes that will smoke during meals, or at the bar, and think nothing of blowing the smoke in the faces of people that are bothered by it.

I admit I hate government intervention in matters like this, but as loud as the moaning and groaning was before this law took effect, it has had minimal or even positive effects on most establishments.

As far as regulation of private businesses, well that has been done and to some extent must be done. Would you like the places you eat in to circumvent health and cleanliness laws because they are privately held companies? And don't say you would stop eating there, because you wouldn't know...until you got sick or something.

I mean look at the shit that some of these places do with the safeguards and regulations in place...

I am not completely against all government regulation of private establishments. In the restraunts, health inspections are necessary, because there is no way for a simple customer to make an informed decision on the health practices of the establishment. In the case of smoking, however, it is a situation that is made obvious to every consumer, They can make an informed choice as to where to eat based on whether or not smoking is allowed.

I think there is a big difference between the two situations.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

[AnnonUSA]

Originally Posted by Slutter McGee

I am not completely against all government regulation of private establishments. In the restraunts, health inspections are necessary, because there is no way for a simple customer to make an informed decision on the health practices of the establishment. In the case of smoking, however, it is a situation that is made obvious to every consumer, They can make an informed choice as to where to eat based on whether or not smoking is allowed.

I think there is a big difference between the two situations.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

Yes there is.

[taco]

The smoking ban in FL has actually worked out to my benefit. The bar loophole states that patrons can smoke if the bar makes less than 30% profit on food sales. Most bars either quit selling food, lowered food prices to decrease profit margins or in the case of one establishment the owner makes homemade platters and brings them in for the customers who chose to eat. But It is still bullshit. As far as smokers who blow smoke in the direction of non-smokers, I only do that to the idiots who sit down in the vicinity of obvious smokers and bitch about the smoke to their associates. I dont eat out at restaurants due to the smoking law, I think non-smokers should stay out of bars if they are that anti-tobacco. The line has been drawn.