Clearing The Air

The repeal of prohibition brings back customers and profits to one local bar....

Many know that Hennepin county commissioners voted in December to relax the smoking ban, to exempt traditional bars and private clubs from the draconian smoking bans.

The exemption took effect January 3, 2006, so I decided to step outside and see if any non-smokers were being rushed to the hospitals.

I visited Al's Liquors of St. Louis Park, MN and inquired how business was going since they were now allowed smoking......the huge smiles on the faces of the employees told me all I needed to know. I also visited a couple of fringe Hennepin county establishments who were also hopeful that the good old days of profitability would soon return.

When you allow businesses to make decisions all by themselves they usually can figure it out. And I'm sure that non-smokers can figure out, all by themselves, that if they don't like smoke they should avoid the smoking bars.

Common sense and the free market is a beautiful thing....but don't expect MPAAT or the non-profits with all their hundreds of millions of dollars to understand either. Now if only the local politicians would stop pandering to these special interest non-profits perhaps they could get some real work done....and so could I.

posted by marcus aurelius @ 3:47 PM