Minnesota bars beat smoking ban

[shain from kane]

By GREGG AAMOT
Associated Press Writer
http://www.bnd.com/news/weird_news/story/274301.html

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. --All the world's a stage at some of Minnesota's bars. A new state ban on smoking in restaurants and other nightspots contains an exception for performers in theatrical productions. So some bars are getting around the ban by printing up playbills, encouraging customers to come in costume, and pronouncing them "actors."

The customers are playing right along, merrily puffing away - and sometimes speaking in funny accents and doing a little improvisation, too.

The state Health Department is threatening to bring the curtain down on these sham productions. But for now, it's on with the show.

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"They're playing themselves before Oct. 1. You know, before there was a smoking ban," owner Brian Bauman explained. Shaping the words in the air with his hands, like a producer envisioning the marquee, he said: "We call the production, 'Before the Ban!'"

The smoking ban, passed by the Legislature last year, allows actors to light up in character during theatrical performances as long as patrons are notified in advance.
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About 30 bars in Minnesota have been exploiting the loophole by staging the faux theater productions and pronouncing cigarettes props, according to an anti-smoking group.
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One bar on northern Minnesota's Iron Range, the Queen City Sports Place, calls its nightly smokefest "The Tobacco Monologues."

Proving anew there's no business like show business, Anderson said her theater-night receipts have averaged $2,000 - up from $500 right after the ban kicked in. Similarly, Bauman said revenue at The Rock dropped off 30 percent after the ban took effect, then shot back up to normal once the bar began allowing smoking again.

He and other bar owners said they plan to continue putting on theater nights.

"There's no question we were struggling," he said. "And we are extremely nervous that this is going to go away, and we will be back to the way it was."

[TahitiNut]

1. Karaoke! and Kabuki! Coming to an America near you!

:silly:

[Snarkturian Clone]

2. Good for them.

Good for freedom AND the Arts.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

3. Even though I favor forbidding smoking in closed public places...

...I gotta applaud the guy's creativity and chutzpah.

"They're playing themselves before Oct. 1. You know, before there was a smoking ban," owner Brian Bauman explained. Shaping the words in the air with his hands, like a producer envisioning the marquee, he said: "We call the production, 'Before the Ban!'"
:rofl:

[Javaman]

4. Thank god!!!

now they have a place were they can both ruin their livers AND their lungs.

You know that is just soooooo important in the grand scheme of things, you know?

:eyes:

[Mojorabbit]

5. Yes thank god

they have the freedom to do that. I am all for personal freedom. I cannot stand nannies who want to tell adults what they can and cannot do.

[depakid]

9. No, what you hate is that others (in this case non-smokers and workers) have rights

rights that conflict with your own right to do as you please.

You think you should be able to do what you like, irrespective of the consequences to others. Most adults realize that their rights end where others' noses begin.

People who don't grasp that very basic notion are childish, and like unruly children, they often DO need nannies.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

10. Funny

I thought most adults realize their rights end where someone elses property begins

[depakid]

11. Once again, that's a childish outlook

Contrary to libertarian dogma, one does on one's property also affects others' rights.

Exposing workers (or guests) to carcinogens on your property -whether secondhand smoke or organshophate pesticides -it isn't any different, though one suspects you'd find some difficulty in defending the latter.

[Mojorabbit]

12. No, it is like

the nannys on the other side who want to tell a woman what to do with her body. We have them on our side too. Think they know best what every one should do. There are reasonable limits but these people go way over them.

[depakid]

14. "There are reasonable limits"

Stepping outside for a smoke would be a reasonable limit -I could even see properly ventilated smoking rooms (they actually have one at the Atlanta airport, so you don't have to keep going through security to go outside and have a smoke -not that it's all that well ventilated).

Things like these are how one balances out rights between those who'd like to enjoy their meals without having to smell cigarette or cigar smoke or workers who are pretty well limited to the bar and restaurant trade-and those who happen to smoke themselves.

It also levels the economic playing field by having everyone on a common standard, where there's no competitive advantage one way or another.

[Mojorabbit]

17. I agree totally

but that is not what is happening nor what is being advocated by some here. And yes the Atlanta airport smoking area is totally not well ventilated. LOL

[dysfunctional press]

20. no- a reasonable limit would be to allow property owners to make their own decisions on the issue...

for their own establishments.

[taterguy]

13. This is about preferences not rights

There is no "right" to breathe pristine air.

Maybe there should be but in case you hadn't noticed all sorts of voluntary activity that fouls the air is permitted.

Smoking just happens to be an unpopular activity that pollutes.

[depakid]

15. That's a nihilist argument

and a slippery slope that you really don't want to touch.

[taterguy]

16. Why can't I touch it?

Please explain oh enlightened one.

And merely pointing out the obvious isn't nihilistic at all.

[depakid]

18. You want to be defending the "rights" of companies noxious emmissons?

Want to repeal or gut the clean air act? -or similar state rules and regs?

Maybe so- but then again, no one ever accused big "L" libertarians of being rational.

[taterguy]

19. No, I'd like to deprive you of being able to take trips in automobiles that I disapprove of

Did you drive a car today?

If so, what about my right to breathe clean air?

[shain from kane]

6. The gene pool will be rid of these people, but you will continue to evolve, Javaman.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

8. Love the smeel of eugenics in the morning n/t

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

7. Hmmmm

Their <--- Lives X
Their <--- Lungs X

Your <--- Business ?