Da Coach says

[Soxy]

Huh.

 

Ditka tackles ban on smoking

Proposal's foes bring in Da Coach

 

By Delroy Alexander

Tribune staff reporter

Published July 13, 2005

 

Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka on Tuesday became the public face of the opposition to a sweeping new measure that would ban smoking inside almost all public places in Chicago, from bars and restaurants to train platforms.

 

Ditka, the founder of Mike Ditka's restaurant downtown, appeared at a City Council hearing to speak against the proposal on behalf of the hospitality, restaurant and liquor industries.

 

"Don't impose the will of the few on the lives of the many," said Ditka, who drew a strong reaction from the audience when he used an expletive to describe the proposed smoking ban.

 

Ditka's testimony stretched more than 30 minutes during a nearly 3-hour session, the first in a series of public hearings to discuss the latest anti-smoking moves that could result in some of the toughest prohibitions in the nation.

 

The former coach suggested the City Council should push to ban smoking entirely if it seriously wanted to address the health concerns related to lighting up a cigar or cigarette.

 

Later in the hearing, a Chicago woman who said second-hand smoke gave her throat cancer at the age of 37 spoke in favor of banning smoking in public places.

 

Ditka, who is often pictured smoking a big cigar, said any new measures restricting smoking in public places would hurt his business and other city establishments because high-paying customers who like to drink and smoke at the same time would avoid eating out altogether. A ban also would impinge on customers' right to choose what they do when they go out to eat, he said.

 

"If you take this revenue away from restaurants, you are going to lose a lot of jobs," Ditka said.

 

The anti-smoking lobby, which supports the strict new guidelines, was represented by Mary Rondoni, 39, a former Chicago bartender and waitress of 20 years. She said she believes second-hand smoke led her to being diagnosed two years ago with late-stage throat cancer, often seen in aging long-term smokers.

 

"I am a young non-smoker and had no risk factors in my family history," said Rondoni, who has had three surgeries so far during cancer treatment. "It is very likely my exposure to years of second-hand smoke brought this disease to me, and it will be years before I know if I am to survive."

 

Rondoni, now a spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society, called it shameful that, in her view, businesses continue to put profit before the growing amount of evidence of the harmful effect of second-hand smoke.

 

Rondoni's and Ditka's comments came after Ald. Ed Smith (28th), chairman of the City Council's Health Committee, introduced legislation that would ban smoking inside public spaces. The legislation also would force smokers who gather outside office doorways to be at least 25 feet away from any area where smoking is banned.

 

The only exceptions spelled out in the measure are for private homes, hotels and motels and retail tobacco stores.

 

Mayor Richard Daley has not taken a stand on the legislation. He has so far preferred to wait and see what, if any, proposals finally emerge from the City Council.

 

Critics have charged that the proposed legislation, as currently constituted, has little chance of winning the 26 votes needed to pass. Even some aldermen on the committee who support the legislation appear willing to look at fresh options.

 

"I think it's a little early for talk of compromise," said Ald. Joe Moore (49th). "But I am a realist, and three-quarters of a loaf is better than none at all."

 

The anti-smoking debate has been heated in several Chicago suburbs in recent years, with Evanston, Skokie, Wilmette and Highland Park among more than 1,900 municipalities nationwide that have some type of restrictions on smoking. Seven states, including California, Massachusetts and New York, ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

 

Proposals to tighten the prohibitions in Chicago as a whole over the years have failed to win council approval, including a broad ban, similar to the measure discussed Tuesday, which was proposed by Ald. Edward Burke (14th) in 2002.

 

In 1988, the City Council prohibited smoking in many indoor public places. But it permitted creation of designated smoking areas in buildings, including restaurants, and left bars untouched.

 

Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), owner of Ann Sather Restaurants and former chairman of the Illinois Restaurant Association, has been touting a restaurant-only smoking ban until 9 p.m., after which customers could smoke freely. Another idea being floated is a ban that would cover all restaurants, except establishments that obtain a special smoking permit.

 

llinois Restaurant Association President Colleen McShane said her group opposes any new measures but is open to a compromise. McShane would not endorse any potential alternative until she had a chance to check with her members.

 

McShane said the restaurant business is too important to risk jeopardizing with new smoking restrictions.

 

With about 210,000 workers employed in 6,000 eateries in the city, restaurant owners are Chicago's largest private employers, McShane said. "A $1 million loss in a hospitality establishment directly results in the loss of 34 jobs," McShane said.

 

Andrew Hyland, an associate professor at the University of Buffalo's Roswell Park Cancer Institute, said studies of New York's ban on smoking in restaurants and bars, first imposed in 1995, showed that 22,000 more employees now work in restaurants in that city, an 18 percent increase. He said his research was geared primarily toward the true economic impact of a smoking ban.

 

"Data from multiple, objective sources all indicate that the law worked--the air got cleaner, people supported it, and it was not bad for the hospitality economy," he said

[Soxy]

More Ditka quotes, per the Trib

Mike Ditka sounded off on the smoking ban Tuesday. Here's what he had to say:

 

On the effects of a ban: "You're going to erode the whole basis of your business. People are going to say, 'You know what, I can save $500. Let me cook a couple steaks on the grill, get my own bottle of wine for $49, and I'll smoke a cigar wherever I want to.' "

 

On the hypocrisy of the idea: "If it's a non-smoking ban, ban all smoking everywhere. In the house, on the street, everywhere. Get rid of it all ... let's go get 'em! If you want to do it, do it right."

 

On government intrusion: "I wouldn't impose my will on anybody, believe me. I can give up smoking cigars tomorrow ... today if I wanted to. But when I want to smoke one, I want to smoke one. That really bugs me when someone says, 'God darn you're in America, but you can't do this stuff.' ... These laws are laws that have been implemented after the fact by man, they're not naturally laws of God."

 

 

--Jimmy Greenfield, RedEye

[southsider2k5]

I really don't understand the arguement that if everyone bans smoking, it hurts revenues... If everyone does it, how does it hurt everyone? Do people just stop eating or something???

[Soxy]

I really don't understand the arguement that if everyone bans smoking, it hurts revenues... If everyone does it, how does it hurt everyone?  Do people just stop eating or something???

Because it doesnt' make sense. That argument is completely fallacious. The way that I look at it, some of my friends smoke--most do not. When they go out for a smoke the rest of us hang out in the establishment. They come back, we all have a good time and pay before we leave.

 

I live in New York state (as you all know) and the bars, clubs, restuarants are ALWAYS packed. And I've never seen anyone skip out on a bill.

 

And I can tell you I go out more often if only because I know I won't have to breathe the smoke--so the way I see it, there's an increase of people that go out instead of drink at private homes because of the no smoke. . .

[LosMediasBlancas]

I'm all for the ban. The 'smoking section' in restaurants is a joke, usually the divider is........two feet of space. You can't drink alcohol wherever you want and that doesn't bother those around you, why should smoking be any different?

[southsider2k5]

Because it doesnt' make sense. That argument is completely fallacious. The way that I look at it, some of my friends smoke--most do not. When they go out for a smoke the rest of us hang out in the establishment. They come back, we all have a good time and pay before we leave.

 

I live in New York state (as you all know) and the bars, clubs, restuarants are ALWAYS packed. And I've never seen anyone skip out on a bill.

 

And I can tell you I go out more often if only because I know I won't have to breathe the smoke--so the way I see it, there's an increase of people that go out instead of drink at private homes because of the no smoke. . .

 

Heck neither my wife or me are smokers, and ever since she got pregnant we have totally quit going to bars, instead going to places that have real non-smoking areas. We would probably go out more often if something like this were to happen where we live.

[Soxy]

Heck neither my wife or me are smokers, and ever since she got pregnant we have totally quit going to bars, instead going to places that have real non-smoking areas.  We would probably go out more often if something like this were to happen where we live.

Exactly!!!!

 

Why no one uses this argument I will never know. . .

[Queen Prawn]

Brian and I don't go out to bars or restaurants much either because of the smoke - we would likely go more often if there was a smoking ban in place. It's another reason I hate taking my mom out to eat - she's a smoker and insists on having one before and after eating. Because it takes awhile for me to finish a meal (side effect of braces), I end up inhaling smoke while I am eating.

[Steff]

I don't know why.. but I smoke. :puke

 

But I don't sit in the smoking section in resturants, nor do I smoke in my car, or in my house. Mainly just here at work or out at bars. So stupid to.

[Milkman delivers]

Ditka and this whole deal are making my job a pain in the ass. I work for the city, so I'm constantly getting complaints about this. It seems that people are specifically pissed off at Ditka.

[Soxy]

I don't know why.. but I smoke.  :puke

 

But I don't sit in the smoking section in resturants, nor do I smoke in my car, or in my house. Mainly just here at work or out at bars. So stupid to.

But, I bet that if you had to go outside to smoke at a bar or something you wouldn't ditch out on the bill. If I was a smoker I would be pissed that people would think that I would ditch out on the bill just because I have to go outside to smoke.

[Steff]

But, I bet that if you had to go outside to smoke at a bar or something you wouldn't ditch out on the bill. If I was a smoker I would be pissed that people would think that I would ditch out on the bill just because I have to go outside to smoke.

 

 

No way. As it is if we end up drinking after dinner I go outside or to the bar area. It's not that big of a deal. If they did this it would help nudge me a step closer to quitting.. maybe. Already there is no smoking along a lot of places downtown on the lakefront. We were down there for a boat ride Saturday and I didn't smoke from 9am to well after 4. Also couldn't smoke on Sunday at the race for most of the day (in the suite) and I really wasn't bothered.

 

It truly is the most stupid vice.

[The Critic]

Heck neither my wife or me are smokers, and ever since she got pregnant we have totally quit going to bars, instead going to places that have real non-smoking areas.  We would probably go out more often if something like this were to happen where we live.

Well, it IS nice to hear that the pregnant Mrs. 2k5 has given up the bar scene for a while......

[sec159row2]

this idea is unreasonable... how does the city expect to enforce this ban without any corruption? will they send out inspectors? they can't inspect every wooden porch how will they inspect every bar? what happens if they go into englewood bars and not gold coast bars??? this plan is just trouble waiting to happen... what's next ya can't drink beer in bars? if smoking is that bad for you WHY IS IT LEGAL AT ALL???

 

btw I'm a non-smoker

 

this will only hurt the city cause the smokers will go to the suburbs, and the corruption/payoffs will further tarnish the city...

 

what if a bar advertises itself as a "smoking bar" ya don't want to breath it.. stay out..

 

it is important to note that aldermen/alderwomen still smoke in their offices in city hall, and smoking in office buildings has been banned for a few years now...

 

aren't there more pressing issues facing the chicago city council

[Soxy]

this idea is unreasonable...  how does the city expect to enforce this ban without any corruption?  will they send out inspectors?  they can't inspect every wooden porch how will they inspect every bar?  what happens if they go into englewood bars and not gold coast bars???  this plan is just trouble waiting to happen... what's next ya can't drink beer in bars?  if smoking is that bad for you WHY IS IT LEGAL AT ALL???

 

btw I'm a non-smoker

 

this will only hurt the city cause the smokers will go to the suburbs, and the corruption/payoffs will further tarnish the city...

 

what if a bar advertises itself as a "smoking bar" ya don't want to breath it.. stay out.. 

 

it is important to note that aldermen/alderwomen still smoke in their offices in city hall, and smoking in office buildings has been banned for a few years now... 

 

aren't there more pressing issues facing the chicago city council 

It is easy to enforce--I've never seen any trouble with this in my time in New York. Nor do I understand how this would play into corruption.

 

And, given the rising cost of medical care, and it's effect on taxpayers, I would say that it IS a very pressing issue for the city and its constituents.

[sec159row2]

It is easy to enforce--I've never seen any trouble with this in my time in New York. Nor do I understand how this would play into corruption.

 

And, given the rising cost of medical care, and it's effect on taxpayers, I would say that it IS  a very pressing issue for the city and its constituents.

 

how does it play into corruption? you pay off the inspector...

 

medical costs... good point...

[GoodAsGould]

Da Coach had a little more to say than that...

 

http://collegehumor.com/?movie_id=165395

[Middle Buffalo]

Da Coach is also pro-drink driving and doesn't mind a little gum throwing (if that's what turns you on).