Smoking in private clubs can be banned, too

[The Straight Story]

Smoking in private clubs can be banned, too
By Peter Reuell / Daily News Staff
Thursday, March 23, 2006 - Updated: 01:27 AM EST


Eagles, elk and moose, to name just a few, could soon find themselves on the sidewalks of MetroWest.

But it is not because sprawl is encroaching on natural habitat, it is because the state’s Supreme Judicial Court yesterday decided local health authorities can restrict smoking inside private clubs.

But while local health officials hailed the decision, some club members complained the ruling unfairly imposes restrictions on groups that have never been open to the general public.


"From a public health perspective, it really levels the playing field," Marlborough Board of Health Administrator Bob Landry said. "We’ve regulated activity in private clubs for years, because we permit their food, so the suggestion we don’t have any authority there has always been a little flimsy, I thought."
But to George Snow, commander of the Holliston Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, such restrictions all but eliminate the privacy afforded members of such private clubs.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=88581

[Kingshakabobo]

1. LOL. "Marlborough" Board of Health ... n/t

[High Plains]

2. Why don't these people just fuck off?

It's a private club for God's sake.

[Scout1071]

3. I don't smoke (anymore), but this is effin' ridiculous.

I just quit 2 months ago and appreciate the non-smoking areas more now, but it's a private club! They have every right to have a smoking club if they want to have one. Leave it up to the members.

[Katherine Brengle]

4. Oh jeez...

I am all for the smoking bans in general--even in bars--but this is taking it a little too far.

Don't members vote for stuff in these kinds of clubs? So, ostensibly, members who wanted a smoking ban could enter the idea into discussion and have the other members vote on it?

That would be like telling people they can't smoke in their own homes if they have company--that's just nutty...

[Sgent]

8. I agree with your thoughts

but don't see the difference (personally) between a private club as you ennucaited, and a bar owner who decides what type of customer he wants and thus allows or disallows smoking.

That being said, the private club owner has a stronger case (1st ammendment freedom of assoc), but we'll see.

[Kingshakabobo]

9. Yes, but they are not exempt from public health laws....

food prep, fire codes etc.

Also, I don't agree that those places are so "PRIVATE". The local Moose and Elk clubs where I grew up were all open to the public for functions such as bingo etc. My mon, who died of lung cancer, used to play bingo in those places and she wasn't a member.

[Katherine Brengle]

10. Good points...

I used to go to concerts at the Elks building in my hometown when I was in high school...

[400Years]

16. next step, banning smoking in your own home

[Kingshakabobo]

18. Ah, the old slippery slope argument. n/t

[Beelzebud]

20. A suberb of LA recently banned outdoor smoking.. I'd say the slippery

slope argument has merit.

[400Years]

22. yeah, no shit

some people will never get it.

[dogday]

5. It starts with something like smoking, you

know something most everyone can get on board with... But the question is where will it lead? Will it stop with cigarettes? I think not.....

[SoCalDem]

13. Every society "needs" scapegoats.. Smokers are a convenient

vessel in which to pour all the societal ills.. air pollution? smokers!..illness? smokers!..insurance costs?..smokers!....you name it? smokers..

Imagine a scenario like this.. new schools need to be built, but to do it, the state must raise taxes for everyone by 1%..OR they can add $1.00 a pack for cigarettes.. Since there are now more non-smokers than smokers, it's as easy thing to tack on $1.00 a pack...BUT when the $1.00 a pack does not get spent as allocated, and the schools still need more money,it's likely that taxes will still be raised, or disguised as "fees"...

Now change cigarettes for PIZZA, DONUTS, CANDY, CHIPS, SOFT DRINKS..

That's where it's headed...(and maybe should be....to be fair)

Clogged arteries are clogged arteries, and the obesity that goes along with junk food may actually be shortening the lives of our children MORE than tobacco use...and eating up valuable medical resources..

There are two groups of people who are convenient scapegoats..smokers and obese people..They are both "contributing" to a "health crisis" of sorts.. The odd thing is that smokers are a dwindling group and obesity is a growing demographic (in more ways than one)...

When societies feel "comfortable" picking on groups within, it's not long before "mob rule" takes root. A cigarette in hand or a donut in the hands of an overweight (by whose decree?) may become the yellow star of david of this generation.. It's OK to hate people if enough people say it is..:cry:

AND as the population "enlarges" and heavy becomes the NORM, how can insurance companies continue to use antiquated weight charts to dictate rates? Pretty soon, MOST people will be paying premium rates even though they are the NORM..

Making a whole segment of the population feel shame about circumstances they are not totally in control of (Frannkenfoods are everywhere), makes for a lot of frustrated angry people.. We don't need MORE of that..

[GreenArrow]

6. why not ban smoking inside private homes as well?

Ban everything!

[WinkyDink]

7. Is the product legal, or is it ain't?!

[Rainscents]

11. Oh, I can see, this smoking ban Will go all the way to............

Fed Supreme court!

[melm00se]

12. your home

next?

[SoCalDem]

14. It's already in effect for some workers..

Some companies have their employees randomly tested, and if nicotine shows up, they can be terminated.. even if they are tested the day after a family function that included smokers..and they are a NONsmoker..

[The Straight Story]

15. Well, don't repair people come to your home to fix things?

They could be exposed. Plus the cops might have to come there sometime, and since we never know when, it should be banned at home so they don't run the risk of immediate and certain death... :)

[Kingshakabobo]

21. Who is it that said.......

Who is it that said: "hyperbole and false analogies are the last refuge of an argument that has no leg on which to stand" ?

[The Straight Story]

24. Not sure, but was not me :) (nt)

[noonwitch]

17. I'll bet the motorcycle clubs are going to love this one

I can just see the poor health inspector that gets assigned to ticket the Renegades in Detroit, or some other similar group.

[Beelzebud]

19. We are moving to an America where NOTHING is private.

Thanks for helping to lead the charge, anti-personal liberties zealots.

BTW, I'm a non-smoker that thinks these public bans on smoking, in privately owned businesses, is an assault on our civil liberties.

[The Straight Story]

23. You are indeed right

Private is something which is slipping away real quick.

Wonder why? Myself I think it relates to those in power wanting to control us.

People scare of christians/religion? Well politicians nowadays are worse than preachers - they are making laws to control our behaviors left and right - because they see us all as 'sinners' and we need controlled.