VI Smoking Ban In Restaurants Should Result In Health Care Savings

If they will now ban sahara dust and mango pollen I'll be in great shape.

...Hopefully similar results in the future of the Virgin Islands since the smoking ban laws were implemented last year...

Wow a year ago people could smoke in the restaurants in the USVI? Unbelievable! I am from CA where restaurants banned smoking in 1994. I remember very well because I was living in Paris at the time and was a smoker and when I came home to San Francisco I couldn't smoke which seemed weird since in France back then you could smoke in the banks. Even in a hospital a woman was smoking while tending to my broken leg after a snowboarding accident.

I travel a lot and it seems odd that only a year ago people smoked in restaurants in the USVI. I am so glad something was well in place in Puerto Rico when I moved here. I thought a lot more people would smoke here but really there are not that many. It's nice.

I think they should ban others from breathing in my smoke. After all, it's very expensive for me to purchase the materials it takes to generate all that smoke. Not to mention the high medical bills I have to pay to keep myself productively able to generate at full capacity. I got away from smoking in restaurants long ago because of all the second hand moochers in there sucking it all up before I got the chance to rebreathe it. I always thought it was a good thing that I always recycled.

Just having a little fun with the non-smokers; I know it's bad for me and bad for you and yadda yadda yadda, I just never wanted to be a quitter. lol

Oh, and don't always believe the statistics, they're easily manipulated. Being a smoker for 23 years I can tell you it's not the laws banning smokers that makes us quit near so much as it is the rising cost of a pack of cigarettes. I've paid so much in "SIN" taxes that I am now torn between how many people I'm killing with my second hand smoke and how many people I'd be killing if I quit and the government no longer had my money to use on Medicaid.

That's not your car exhaust I'm smelling is it?

Humor is a good thing!

Anyone know who I should report a restaurant to that allows everyone to smoke - at the bar in the restaurant - smoke is so thick at times you can't see (restaurant is on St John)

Thanks

Pia

Pia:

The number is 712-6230.

Good for you! Ticks me off when so many have adapted to the new laws yet some think they can just blatantly get away with it. Call and then keep following up and let the jerks get slapped with a nice big fine! Cheers!

Oh no, Pia. Where is this bar? Coral Bay? I think I know of which bar you speak. My feelings are torn on this matter.

My feelings are torn on this matter.

Just curious, but why torn?

Here is a recent article about a study that shows less heart attacks and asthma 6 years later after my home state , RI, implemented and

That assumes the VI HAS health care.

I find it hard to believe that banning smoking in restaurants has resulted in any measurable health improvements in the general population. The numbers show an improvement since 2005. OK What was the trend before 2005? The number of smokers has been decreasing for decades. Is this a case of just looking at a selected set of numbers. Spinning the numbers to justify an an agenda is the same as lying.

What do you do when the person smoking is VIPD?

the bvi first enacted the ban on smoking, within 50 feet of any public area a few years ago, and i was glad to see the smoking ban go through in the usvi as well.

i am not a smoker, and to come home with the smell of cigarette smoke in your sinuses, your hair and on your clothes made me imagine that i was pretty much forced to smoke when around any smoker.

at first, people defied it, now it's normal, thank goodness. i recall some diners being asked to leave a tortola restaurant by management after we complained and they paid us no mind.

i am sorry for any smoker, as i know it's a real challenge to quit.

but i never wanted to start in the first place, and now the law sees to it that get to quit involuntarily smoking. :$)

Iris...You politely ask him to stop...inform him he's breaking the law......and then ........turn around because your going to jail mon:-o

Here are some details of the USVI smoking ban: http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/smoking-ban-enforcement-begins-today-1.1102681#axzz1navKe0WE

It includes these rules:

"Smoking is not allowed in enclosed public places"

"An enclosed area is defined as a structure that has a roof and more than two substantial walls that have either no opening, or an opening that does not allow air in from the outside, or an opening that is less than 25 percent of the wall's surface area."

"Signs stating "No smoking" or showing the international no smoking symbol must be conspicuously posted at every entrance to and inside every public place and place of employment where smoking is banned. All signs must also contain the statement "IT IS ILLEGAL TO SMOKE IN THIS ESTABLISHMENT," along with a Health Department contact number to report violations."

We have many open-air (not enclosed) bars and restaurants, and in some cases, the owners choose to allow smoking, apparently legally. If somebody is smoking in that situation, you may want to check with management first, or look around for no-smoking signs to determine the policy.

I would prefer not to breathe second-hand smoke, even in an open-air setting, but the law is not entirely on my side.

I so agree with Anita.
A friend, who smokes, came with me to visit Tortola. I was asking a question at a taxi stand, I believe, and my friend was right behind me. My friend, who lit up a cigarette, was told you can't smoke here. My friend walked away with attitude, because where they live there isn't strict smoking laws.
I was pleased to say the least, because I'm not a smoker, never was, and the person told my friend move back and learned a lesson.

Smokers who want to feel good about their habit should watch the movie "Buena Vista Social Club." Those guys are non-apologetic!

I think everybody should watch the movie "Thank You for Smoking." I have it (I think!) if anybody wants to watch it.

I saw this today and it reminded me of the non-smoking ordinance here.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/27/minnesota-woman-claims-was-fired-from-job-for-smelling-like-cigarette-smoke/?test=latestnews

What are the rules here in the VI? I have noticed that they are not strictly enforced, especially in open air restaurants. In particular two that I frequent, Miriam's and Off the Wall seem to allow smoking anywhere in the restaurant. Does the 20 foot rule apply in these locations?

"- Smoking is not allowed in enclosed public places, enclosed places of employment, outdoor service or waiting lines and outdoor bus stations and public transportation platforms. Smoking also is prohibited within 20 feet of any of those locations.

- An enclosed area is defined as a structure that has a roof and more than two substantial walls that have either no opening, or an opening that does not allow air in from the outside, or an opening that is less than 25 percent of the wall's surface area.

- Smokers can light up on sidewalks, streets and beaches, as well as in parking lots, but only if they are 20 feet away from any entrance, exit, window, ventilation system or other openings of any public place or place of employment.

- For beaches and public parks, smoking must take place 20 feet from tents, booths, stalls, stands and benches. Smokers also must stand 20 feet away from bleachers and grandstands to smoke at a sporting or spectator event."

- An enclosed area is defined as a structure that has a roof and more than two substantial walls that have either no opening, or an opening that does not allow air in from the outside, or an opening that is less than 25 percent of the wall's surface area.

Some open-air restaurants, like Iggies on STT, are using that exemption to allow smoking (last year anyway, when I was there and the owner told me as much). Other such restaurants, like Pirates Tavern on STX, make smokers go 20 feet away. I assume Pirates Tavern is doing it voluntarily.

I believe Off the Wall claims exemption because it has a roof but no walls. I'm sorry for that since I've experienced first-hand second-hand smoke coming from the person sitting next to me at the bar, but that's why they allow smoking.

In every establishment there should be (by law) a "no smoking" sign distributed by the Department of Health which includes a telephone number to report violations. If it's not there you can find both the sign and the number on the DOH website. Restaurant/bar owners who are reported and found to be violating the law are subject to hefty fines but nothing will happen if they're not reported.

Anyone know who I should report a restaurant to that allows everyone to smoke - at the bar in the restaurant - smoke is so thick at times you can't see (restaurant is on St John)

Thanks

Pia

I smoke so am always looking for a nice place to enjoy a drink and a smoke. Where's that place again?

I am grateful that there are places that have exemptions to the ban.
Then there are always "the smoking police" out to give you or the places that have the exemptions a hard time.
Smokers have too few places to enjoy so Please let us do so in peace.
Like'd your humor eiplanner
But if it bothers you that much, Piaa, why do you go there?
There are certainly hundreds, if not thousands, of other places that you can go where you won't be bothered.

Jeeze, whose strong perfume of aftershave just about knocked me over?

- An enclosed area is defined as a structure that has a roof and more than two substantial walls that have either no opening, or an opening that does not allow air in from the outside, or an opening that is less than 25 percent of the wall's surface area.

Some open-air restaurants, like Iggies on STT, are using that exemption to allow smoking (last year anyway, when I was there and the owner told me as much). Other such restaurants, like Pirates Tavern on STX, make smokers go 20 feet away. I assume Pirates Tavern is doing it voluntarily.

But the law also says:
"- Smoking is not allowed in enclosed public places, enclosed places of employment, outdoor service or waiting lines and outdoor bus stations and public transportation platforms. Smoking also is prohibited within 20 feet of any of those locations."

Which would seem to cover even open air restaurants within 20 feet of service areas.

Below is from the Health Dept web site:

"Where is smoking prohibited?

The new law states that smoking shall not be permitted and that no person shall smoke in the following areas:

Enclosed areas of public places
(An enclosed area is defined as a structure that has a roof and more than two substantial walls that have either: (A) No opening; (B) Has an opening that does not allow air in from the outside; (C) Or has an opening that is less than 25% of the wall’s surface area

Enclosed areas of places of employment

Any outdoor service or waiting line and in, and within twenty feet from any point of any service or waiting line; and

Within twenty feet of all outdoor public transportation stations and platform shelters opened to the public

The Iggies owner said they allowed smoking because they didn't have "three substantial walls." I'm not an expert on the law, I'm just reporting the apparent reason that some restaurants have smoking.

Thank Goodness!

The Iggies owner said they allowed smoking because they didn't have "three substantial walls." I'm not an expert on the law, I'm just reporting the apparent reason that some restaurants have smoking.

I guess it is like all other laws, they don't get addressed until someone reports the violation. And many businesses avoid confrontation by not enforcing the law.

I smoke so am always looking for a nice place to enjoy a drink and a smoke. Where's that place again?

In the privacy of your own home or those of your friends who smoke.

Public places are subject to the rules of the Health Dept.