It is now crystal clear that our beloved law makers from Indiana managed to catch quite a bit of heat when they introduced a smoking ban that they recently passed. They caught some of us by surprise and others unshaken as they expected it anyway. The bill was essentially a big compromise, prohibiting and banning smoking in most public places. Though bars have not been immediately affected by the bill, they are required to be smoke free within a year and a half. Retail tobacco stores, private clubs and hooker bars are the only establishments that were spared.

As expected the bill became controversial almost immediately it was passed. It drew lots of praise and criticism from both ends of the spectrum. Those who supported the bill said that they were enacting measures and effective means of protecting patrons of establishments and workers from dangers of second hand smoking. Most workers and non smokers who work with smoking colleagues are often exposed to tobacco smoke daily from their friend and colleagues who smoke. Though establishment patrons may choose to stay in non smoking areas, they cannot avoid the ill effects of second hand tobacco smoke as it is airborne. At the end of the day therefore non smokers become sick or rather become susceptible to conditions like lung cancer brought about by tobacco smoke.

Critics of the bill, however, are very concerned for the ability of restaurants and bars to keep up with the bill. They claim that it would be difficult for such establishments to observe the bill and remain afloat once the bill goes into effect. Troubled economies and the concern of chain smokers are but among the main reason they cite that as enough to hold off the ban. In a way they are actually right. Most chain smokers often resorted to their favorite smoker friendly bars and restaurants to quench their tobacco thirst. For these establishments to go smoke free, it would mean having to surrender thousands of their customers which in turn calculate to huge profits. The critics also argue that a business whether a bar, a restaurant or a cafe is a private establishment and the law require such establishments to be smoke free zones is infringing the right of the owner to conduct their establishments as they think appropriate.

There is no doubt that in the eyes of several smokers, the bill is trying probably more than any other bill to be a compromise of sorts. It will of course cause more harm than good to the smokers once it comes to enactment as it is a hard task for a smoker to hold his or her horses and restrain from smoking when the urge comes on. For businesses that are still struggling, the bill will be a double blow as smokers are a significant part of the customers that kept their businesses going. Well, time will tell. Till then the best that smokers can do is to hope for the best but expect the worst. What is interesting is to determine how the future laws will reflect smokeless e cigarettes and potential bans.

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