Alan Day Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 (edited) I have never smoked,but as a musician I have breathed in a considerable amount of cigarette smoke.Some pubs I have played in, if you stood up to sing it would be difficult to see across a small room to the far side.As a non smoker I have never objected to smoking ,although I cannot stand the smell and cigarette buts in an ashtray smouldering I cannot think of many worse smells (except for the perfume in my box).People who have stopped smoking are the normal ones to complain they realize how annoying it can be, can start to smell nicotine on their clothes etc. while smokers are happy to go on smoking and puffing their smoke on us who hate it.Surely it is time to stop smoking in public places,for smokers to smoke where it does not effect other people and for us musicians to play in public without our health being in danger. Al Edited June 20, 2004 by Alan Day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Newman Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 (edited) Alan It's probably a matter of time. Years ago, my wife stopped playing in a popular jazz band because of the second hand smoke in bar venues. In 1999, the Capital Regional District in Victoria enacted a bylaw that prohibits smoking in all public places, including restaurants, bars, bingo halls, and casinos, in workplaces, and educational institutions, including school-yards. The ban was supported by the Worker's Compensation Board because of the effect of second hand smoke on employees, and later extended to the rest of the Province. There was a hell of a fuss. At first, many bars refused to conform. They claimed they would go out of business. It's all settled now, and to my knowledge, no bars or pubs went out of business for that reason. Some say business has actually increased. I understand that many other places in Canada and the States have similar bans, with similar results, and that even Ireland may implement no-smoking bars. Molly is now into traditional music, not jazz. We play a lot of music together. For me, that was one lasting positive effect of the old bar-smoking days. Edited June 20, 2004 by Rod Newman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharron Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Well Alan after just getting back from Ireland.......I have to say that *revenge is sweet* The no-smoking really has taken effect. Pure bliss to go home from pubs not stinking of smoke. Being able to smell the polish as you walk into the bars......no stale tobacco smells. The outside of these venues are however full of people desperate for a smoke. I even saw one guy jokingly trying to give his friend a drink through the ornamental bars of the window while they had to be outside for a smoke. I repeat again Revenge is sweet........oh yes indeed Sharron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart estell Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 I'm somewhat torn on this issue, even as a non-smoker, I think largely because the liberal (with a small "l") side to my politics resents state interference - and lord knows there's plenty of that these days. But I can't deny it would make for much more pleasant evenings of drinking/playing - the thing that annoys me the most about really smoky venues is less the health issues, but more the sure knowledge that the top end of my vocal range will be completely unavailable to me for most of the rest of the next day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharron Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Well Stuart it is the health concerns that bother me. I don't like the smell or effects of smoke either, yet I still go to sessions. The BIG thing for me though is that I would probably go to more if I knew there wasn't a problem with smokers. I hate the first part of walking into a pub and hardly being able to see my way in, the breathing part though is the hardest........trying not to The really disgusting thing I *have* to do though is the next day when I play my fiddle I have to breathe in the awful smell. Yes I do try and air the isntruments and cases too......but nothing gets rid of the smell. So I still say that for me revenge is sweet to see the tables reversed and it isn't me now that has to go outside for fresh air or leave early because my eyes, nose and lungs just can't stand it anymore. Bring the no-smoking to the UK ......please..... Sharron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Hi, We have no smoking laws in Ohio and though they were fought at first, now nobody thinks much about them. People who smoke just go outside for a few minutes. I'm not sure about bars as I don't go to them. Have to check out if they have the no smoking also. The fun part is at work. I have a coworker who smokes and we take breaks together. If it wasn't for these breaks, I wouldn't stop working. I call it going out to watch Alice smoke. People can't understand this as I have asthma. I am not smoking and I enjoy being with my friend when we are outside and the smoke blows the other way. But I don't go when it is raining and she goes where all the other smokers go. The place is disgusting and reeks of smoke. I am sorry that some of you are subjected to the smoke. Now that we no longer are, I really notice the smoke when I am subjected to it. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted June 21, 2004 Author Share Posted June 21, 2004 I agree with you Stuart as regards laws for this that and the other and they would not be required if people acted responsably ,but they do not.Smokers are now in the minority and smoking in a bar or a restaurant where there are non smokers is anti social ,but this is totally disregarded and only laws will make those people be sociable. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Weinstein Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 North Carolina is going to be somewhere on the tail end of any place in creation as far as banning smoking in bars... However, my favorite folk venue (and the home of a once a month Irish session) is the Six String Cafe and Music Hall, which has been smoke free for its entire life. Which is good, because I'm not particularly willing to carry home a bellows full of smoke from a session... --Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellowbelle Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 (edited) If I'm not mistaken, one of the influencing factors in my daughter's decision to socialize more with her 'musical family' than with the 'theatre guild family' at college is the smoking/drinking issue. Musicians drink, thespians smoke! This is just a generalization, of course...there are abstainers of one or the other or both, in both groups. But, I think it is true that musicians are more aware of what their windpipes, etc., must deal with. edited because I can't spell. Edited June 21, 2004 by bellowbelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquarussell Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 I'll jump in here, even though this subject doesn't seem to be generating any controversy. I am against smoking. I used to support the right to smoke, on the theory that it was the smoker who suffered, and none of my business. No more. Most of my life, I have owned old British cars. I have walked a lot of highway because of that, and everywhere I went, buts. Endless cigerette buts. If the right to smoke somehow includes the right to use the whole earth as an ash tray (and it seems to be that way), then I don't support smoking. We have a no smoking ordinance here in San Diego California. The bars are doing fine. And the music is still going fine too. Even the smokers seem to be doing fine. Oh, and in my family, of my generation I am the only one who doesn't smoke. I'll be able to trade in my Jackie, when the time comes, and say "From a smoke-free home"! There, concertina content. Sorry for the rant. I'll go back to eating my sardines now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 [snip] ... I'll go back to eating my sardines now. I had sardines for my tea, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 I'll jump in here, even though this subject doesn't seem to be generating any controversy. I must admit I've been wondering if there are any smokers here on C.net who are suffering silently through this "discussion". Not that it isn't important, just that it seems to be controversial in a non-concertina sort of way. If this continues, we might well start Topics on health care, retirement benefits, free trade, upcoming elections, etc., subjects which are also of great concern to many concertina players, but not really because they play concertina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Mills Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 If this continues, we might well start Topics on health care, retirement benefits, free trade, upcoming elections, etc., subjects which are also of great concern to many concertina players, but not really because they play concertina. Interesting notion. Is it different if you add the word "concertina" in a subtitle, as in: Cheers For Frederik And Mary!, no concertinas, but so what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBits Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Here in Maine you can't smoke in pubs, restaurants or any public places. They phased the laws in gradually starting with the restaurants. It's wonderful to be able to listen to music for the evening and not be stinky when I get home. . . except for the Guinness on my breath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Is it different if you add the word "concertina" in a subtitle, as in:Cheers For Frederik And Mary!, no concertinas, but so what? Only in that I didn't expect it to generate a lengthy debate. But then, I expected this Topic to do just that, and so far it hasn't. I'm not complaining, just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 (edited) I must admit I've been wondering if there are any smokers here on C.net who are suffering silently through this "discussion". Yes they're are. Mostly likely they've learnt from experience that it's better to remain silent. Whilst some smokers are irresponsible, it is unfair to generalize that all smokers are irresponsible. To remove the smell of smoke from your insturment or instrument case, wrap well in newspaper and leave for a week. Repeat the process until the smell is gone. Cheers Morgana [Edited to correct spelling errors ] Edited June 22, 2004 by Morgana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 I have a 1934 anglo that was used professionally. It must have seen many a smokey nightclub. When atmospheric conditions are right I could close my eyes and my nose would swear i was playing a smoked ham! I can only wonder what shape the former owner's personal bellows (lungs) were in. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azalin Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 I've been to Ireland a few times and I too, like Sharron, think revenge is sweet ;-) Since I mostly play whistle (up until four days ago, that is) it's even harder to handle the smoke, sometimes I'd go coughing for a while and had to stop playing. I'm sure the province of Quebec, where I live, is going to be the last province in the country to go non-smoking, but I'm sure it will happen at one point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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