No more smoking in Dominican businesses

[gmalet]

Dominican Today
Local - 13 March 2009, 11:31 AM

SANTO DOMINGO. - The National District Office of the Prosecutor Friday warned that bars, restaurants, discotheques and casinos that break the Law 48-00, which bans smoking in closed places, could face closing, a measure whose enforcement officials discarded during the holidays.

“Violators will be fined a sum equal to six minimum wages for each infraction, ranging from RD$26,790 to RD$44,160, depending on the type of business, aside from the penalties stipulated in the Penal Procedural Code, that establishes the closing of locales," it said.

The warning came yesterday Thursday while inspectors of the Office of the Prosecutor’s continue visiting those businesses to verify compliance with the Law.

It also asks citizens to denounce any business that violates the norm.

[gmalet]

If they are going to clean up the air they need to start in the street. The fucking clunkers that cruise the streets is worse than the cigarette smoke.

[whatever]

This is coming from a country that gets alot
of $$$ and jobs from exporting cigars. How
do you say hypocrite on Spanish?

[Hemp]

Doubt they'll enforce it...sounds like another "wet my beak" tactic.

D.R. Politics......Yarn :sleep:

[steviewonder]

This is coming from a country that gets alot
of $$$ and jobs from exporting cigars. How
do you say hypocrite on Spanish?


Dominicans!:smoker:

[trEPP33]

What's wrong with the law? Quite a few states including NY and NJ have a law that bans smoking in indoor public places such as bars, stores, etc. I think it's a great idea and law.

[cainer]

What's wrong with the law? Quite a few states including NY and NJ have a law that bans smoking in indoor public places such as bars, stores, etc. I think it's a great idea and law.

Yes it is a great idea if its the only thing that is polluting the air. LIke another poster mentioned, start with the shit coming out of those cars and motos first, then worry about the smoking.

And doesnt Vegas still allow u to smoke in their casinos?(i havent been in a few years there) I can somehow accept resturants as a no smoking place but , bars and casinos having these no smoking laws will kill those places. They are dead as it is now, what will happen when the gamblers cant smoke? And we all know that over 50% of the people that gamble also smoke.

[trEPP33]

You have to start somewhere and this is a good place to start. Vegas does allow you to smoke and I doubt if they ever will change that. With all the oxygen they pump into those casino's I don't know that it's a problem.

The thought was that it would kill businesses like bars in NY and NJ but it didn't do that. They didn't lose any business at all because of those laws. People aren't going to stop drinking because they can't smoke in those places.

[tomgueguen]

That's a good thing, I hate when my clothes stink tobacco after getting out those places.

I hate also when the chica is smelling tobacco hidding her own natural perfume.

[wjscuba]

I own a bar in NJ. It did hurt business for about six months. Then everybody started to come back. I think the do need to start with the cars and the motos. It is amazing how bad the air is there even with the breeze from the water.

[prtyr2]

Yes it is a great idea if its the only thing that is polluting the air. LIke another poster mentioned, start with the shit coming out of those cars and motos first, then worry about the smoking.

And doesnt Vegas still allow u to smoke in their casinos?(i havent been in a few years there) I can somehow accept resturants as a no smoking place but , bars and casinos having these no smoking laws will kill those places. They are dead as it is now, what will happen when the gamblers cant smoke? And we all know that over 50% of the people that gamble also smoke.

It has nothing to do with pollution. It has to do with not subjecting people that do not smoke to cigarett smoke. I travel a lot and usually will try and eat at the bar of whatever restaurant I am at. The amount of smokers that will be having a conversation with someone and then turn their head over their back to blow smoke., . . . .. you know it would be rude to blow smoke in the face of the person they are speaking to. . . .so better to blow it in the direction of someone they don't know that will now find it hard to enjoy his 50 dollar steak at smith and wollensky;-)

DR is not bad for smoking. . . .buenos aires? Yikes. . . .. . come home after a night on town smelling like an ash tray. . . . they need the law. . . .

[prtyr2]

You have to start somewhere and this is a good place to start. Vegas does allow you to smoke and I doubt if they ever will change that. With all the oxygen they pump into those casino's I don't know that it's a problem.

The thought was that it would kill businesses like bars in NY and NJ but it didn't do that. They didn't lose any business at all because of those laws. People aren't going to stop drinking because they can't smoke in those places.


True. Not only that. . . .I have many friends that would never go to concerts at clubs and bars because they can't handle the smoke. I have an ex wife that had severe allergies and asthma. These people can now go to bars. So if the bars lose a few customers, they may also gain a few.

I know of a few friends that will now go to bars and clubs but don;t know a single smoker that stopped going.

[Si_Poppi]

It has nothing to do with pollution. It has to do with not subjecting people that do not smoke to cigarett smoke.Exactly.

What the hell does a ban on smoking indoors have to do with motos, volcanoes, or the price of tea in China? :rolleyes:

[Don Tomas]

You have to start somewhere and this is a good place to start. Vegas does allow you to smoke and I doubt if they ever will change that. With all the oxygen they pump into those casino's I don't know that it's a problem.

The thought was that it would kill businesses like bars in NY and NJ but it didn't do that. They didn't lose any business at all because of those laws. People aren't going to stop drinking because they can't smoke in those places.

Casinos and oxygen is an urban myth.
http://www.snopes.com/luck/casino.asp

Businesses did lose customers slighty, of course the economy has been going downhill for awhile so you don't know who's to blame. Florida has the perfect law from indoor smoking. If over 20% of your revenue comes from food, no smoking. So bars are ok but places like TGIFs are not. I agree with people who want to eat without smoke, that's cool. But I know many people who only smoke when they drink.

You are willing to kill your liver, but you are worried about lungs. That's like someone who shoots heroin in the park but wears a condom to fuck...

As for jobs lost before the economy took a downturn, when they banned smoking in bars in Ireland in 2004 it was estimated over 2,000 jobs were lost in Dublin alone and many bars were forced to closed. It was estimated over 7,500 jobs lost throughout the country!

[Don Tomas]

That's a good thing, I hate when my clothes stink tobacco after getting out those places.

Yes because the smell of alcohol is so much better than tobacco...

[gmalet]

I love smoking, love smelling like an ash tray and love fucking whores.

[TropicBob]

How is this detined? Most of the bars in our beloved beach towns (Sosua, Cabrette) have only three walls with the fourth that opens up (not techinically enclosed)....will I be able to smoke my Aurora Golds while downing a Cuba Libre?

[yayow]

As for jobs lost before the economy took a downturn, when they banned smoking in bars in Ireland in 2004 it was estimated over 2,000 jobs were lost in Dublin alone and many bars were forced to closed. It was estimated over 7,500 jobs lost throughout the country!

There is an Irish joke in there somewhere, but being that St. Patrick's day just occurred I refuse to go there:rofl:!!

[carolinajack]

I'm not a smoker - so I was happy when they passed the laws here in NY(used to bartend too).

I do enjoy a good cigar every now and then if I'm having a good run at the track or casino; but tend to avoid chicas that smoke...

...with that said - like TROPICBOB I'm wondering how does the law apply to place's like Lou's Shark Bar; Cubre Libre; Merengue and so many others that are missing that fourth wall?

This reminds me of the helmet laws they were trying to enforce early in the year when PACOLOCO was there; he even had his rental confiscated. By the time I was down there end of February I didn't see a single moto rider with a helmet.

[prtyr2]

Uhm. . . .. I only drink when I am at a bar or club. never drink at home unless I have people over. Most smokers I know smoke every day and smoke 2 packs or more. Find me a smoker that can go 2 weeks without a cigarette.

So if I am in a bar . . .destroying my liver, the smokers are destroying their liver and their lungs.



Casinos and oxygen is an urban myth.
http://www.snopes.com/luck/casino.asp

Businesses did lose customers slighty, of course the economy has been going downhill for awhile so you don't know who's to blame. Florida has the perfect law from indoor smoking. If over 20% of your revenue comes from food, no smoking. So bars are ok but places like TGIFs are not. I agree with people who want to eat without smoke, that's cool. But I know many people who only smoke when they drink.

You are willing to kill your liver, but you are worried about lungs. That's like someone who shoots heroin in the park but wears a condom to fuck...

As for jobs lost before the economy took a downturn, when they banned smoking in bars in Ireland in 2004 it was estimated over 2,000 jobs were lost in Dublin alone and many bars were forced to closed. It was estimated over 7,500 jobs lost throughout the country!

[Jimbo44]

I'm not a smoker - so I was happy when they passed the laws here in NY(used to bartend too).

I do enjoy a good cigar every now and then if I'm having a good run at the track or casino; but tend to avoid chicas that smoke...

...with that said - like TROPICBOB I'm wondering how does the law apply to place's like Lou's Shark Bar; Cubre Libre; Merengue and so many others that are missing that fourth wall?

This reminds me of the helmet laws they were trying to enforce early in the year when PACOLOCO was there; he even had his rental confiscated. By the time I was down there end of February I didn't see a single moto rider with a helmet.

I saw 90 % of motos without helmets as weel, but in my 7 days there at the end of Feb. I did see 2 different policia stings on helmets, and over a dozen bikes being place up on trucks. I took this turn one late morning taking a chica back to her apt, and a bunch of moto concho guys started yelling, and i stopped and they warned me about the sting ou the road, Needles to say I put mine on and they were not kidding!!

[prtyr2]

Yes because the smell of alcohol is so much better than tobacco...

My ex wife had severe allergies and asthma. One day OUTSIDE at a softball game. . . .a guy maybe 20 feet away lit up a cigarette. .. . .wind carried some smoke over to us. . .. . an hour later I am taking her to emergency room.

I never had to take her to emergency room after smelling alcohol. . .. . well almost one night when she downed about 8 alabama slammers. . . . . .;-) But that had nothing to do with smell.

One night at comedy club we are crammed in at a table with a guy that is chain smoking. . . .or worse. . .he lights cigarrette and leaves it in ash tray where it burns down with all the smoke coming into my face and my ex wife's face. I kindly asked him if he was gonna light a butt to smoke it and not leave it buring in ash tray. He looked at me like many smokers do. . . . . .like why would anyone complain in a BAR.

So I guess my ex should never be able to go to a comedy club, Fridays, or any bar? How is that fair?

So after the guy just looked at me and blew me off. . . .I poured my beer into his ash tray. He was pissed. . .. . .he lit up again. . . .left it burning. . ..I poured more beer. . . . .he went to light up again and I said if he did I would put the cigarette out in his eye. . . . . . .. not sure how he did it but no more cigarettes for the rest of the show;-)

You want to inhale stinky super heated gas into your lungs. . . . .knock yourself out. Why should none smokers have to modify our behavior so smokers can smoke? We are supposed to not go to bars? Not eat at the bar in a restaurant? You want to smoke. . .. .go outside where it does not have a negative effect on anyone else.

[Hoseman]

I don't smoke but its sounds like too many Foreigners moving in the Country trying to change shit. I read Dr-1 sometimes and thats all those folks do is complain about how shit ain't like it is at home.They had someone complaining about people washing your car windows at the stop lights and was blaming it on the tourists what a bunch of hypocrites.

[DominicanBilly]

I own a bar in NJ. It did hurt business for about six months. Then everybody started to come back. I think the do need to start with the cars and the motos. It is amazing how bad the air is there even with the breeze from the water.

It would be a big start if they would ban importing 2 stroke motorcycles.

[TropicBob]

Maybe this is too simple of a solution, allow bars the freedom to post whether or not smoking is allowed inside. Then both smokers and non-smokers have a choice of whether or not they patronize a specific bar....sort of like a choice of either steak house vs. Vegetarian restrurants.

[prtyr2]

Maybe this is too simple of a solution, allow bars the freedom to post whether or not smoking is allowed inside. Then both smokers and non-smokers have a choice of whether or not they patronize a specific bar....sort of like a choice of either steak house vs. Vegetarian restrurants.

Not really. Lets say frank reyes is playing the jaragua and they do not allow smoking and Milli vanilli is playing Hard Rock and they do allow smoking. You going to see milli vanilli?

Unlike many other vices . . . .smoking has a detrimental effect on those around the smoker. It is not fair to make non smokers make a choice because of it.

Is it really that hard to go a few hours without a cigarrette? if frank reyes played a concert and they didn't sell beer, I would still go. I can live a few hours. . . . .or days. . . . or weeks without drinking beer.

Maybe when they decide to tacklle polution instead of banning 2 stroke motos and old piece of shit cars they should have half the roads allow 2 stroke motos and piece of crap cras and people can choose which roads to drive on?

[prtyr2]

Oh yeah. . . ..I am a BIG steak eater but if the guy next to me eats salad it has no effect on my meal or my health. In buenos aires I had a suede jacket made, not really expensive but it was about $400. The first night I had it I went to a club. Next day my jacket smelled like an ash tray. How is that fair?

I guess I either need to modify my wardrobe choice because some people feel the need to "party" in a place that smells like crap? or I need to continually get stuff dry cleaned?

[Don Tomas]

Uhm. . . .. I only drink when I am at a bar or club. never drink at home unless I have people over. Most smokers I know smoke every day and smoke 2 packs or more. Find me a smoker that can go 2 weeks without a cigarette.

So if I am in a bar . . .destroying my liver, the smokers are destroying their liver and their lungs.

Just remember it doesn't stop here:

One day they might take away something you like to do.

PS. They are my lungs...
PPS. Do you know how many carcinogens are in that BIG steak you enjoy? Far more then some second hand smoke.

[Don Tomas]

My ex wife had severe allergies and asthma. One day OUTSIDE at a softball game. . . .a guy maybe 20 feet away lit up a cigarette. .. . .wind carried some smoke over to us. . .. . an hour later I am taking her to emergency room.

I am not questioning your ex-wife's condition but if it's that bad how does she even go outside? One 2-stroke or truck passes by....

[JuanElGriego]

Smokers must HATE the winter.

You ever see them outside their places of work or outside a bar at night all huddled up and shivering like a muthafucka for those 5 minutes that they need to smoke that cigarette? :rofl:

[trEPP33]

Yep they look like flies around a piece of sH!t!

[prtyr2]

Just remember it doesn't stop here:

One day they might take away something you like to do.

PS. They are my lungs...
PPS. Do you know how many carcinogens are in that BIG steak you enjoy? Far more then some second hand smoke.


If something I like has negative effect on others then I am fine with a law restricting me from imposing my vice on others.

Your analogies are weak. if you smoke next to me. . . I am sucking in smoke that:

1- is bad for my health

2- smells like shit. . .ask an EX smoker

3- makes me have to get clothes dry cleaned

4 makes me pay for a chicas salon visit as she doesn't want her hair smelling like ash tray


If I eat a steak next to you. . . . .it does none of that.

If you would like a law that says I can not crow bar your mouth open and force feed you Bone In Rib Eye. . . . .I am cool with that law.

The law says I can drink as much as I want. . . . however if I get behind the wheel where it may have a negative impact on your health. . . . .I will be breaking the law.

[prtyr2]

I am not questioning your ex-wife's condition but if it's that bad how does she even go outside? One 2-stroke or truck passes by....

She wasn't dominican. Lived on long island and now lives in more rural part of florida. . .partly for her health. It wasn't always that bad. We were both in a band and she sang so there were times she had to be in smokey bars. . . . . .heavy use of inhalers and she would stay backstage most of the night.

heck even if you don't have asthma and sing. . . .smoke can be bad for throat. Of course some singers have that sound you get from smoking and that is cool as well.

[prtyr2]

Smokers must HATE the winter.

You ever see them outside their places of work or outside a bar at night all huddled up and shivering like a muthafucka for those 5 minutes that they need to smoke that cigarette? :rofl:

LOL. . . .. and if it was only 5 minutes. I have known many smokers that need at least a cigarette every hour. By the time they get their jacket on, wait for elevator, head downstairs, smoke the butt while shooting the shit with other smokers, wait for elevator again, and get back to their work. . . . .10 minutes minimum.

10 minutes that non smokers were actually WORKING. lol

I worked at one place where the boss was busting my balls for coming in late. I thought I had a good excuse;-) He never however bitched about the 10 minutes each hour another coworker spent outside smoking. Didn't seem fair. . . .if I came in late I wasn't getting paid. . . .. smoker did not punch out for the 10 minutes he was smoking.

So. . . .each time the smoker went out to smoke. I stopped working and read a magazine. A trade magazine related to my work. My supervisor would complain. . .. .lol. . .

I said you have 2 employees that are now not working 10 minutes every hour.

1- is outside smoking and shooting the shit

2- is inside reading a trade magazine to learn how to be better at his job


Supervisor finally got me fired. . .. . but not over the reading the magazine! In fact he was resigned to the fact I was going to read. . . .so I stopped reading the trade magazine and read a magazine on a different industry. He finally fired me. . ..and six months later I was in the other industry making 50% more money. . . . . . .I was still making SHIT but it was a start. . . . .

I am still in that industry and making a decent living. Supervisor is still doing what he did. . . . . . .making squat. The smoker . . . ..was let go shortly after I was and last I heard was all fucked up from drinking way too much and pain killers. . . . . .

[yayow]

The smoker . . . ..was let go shortly after I was and last I heard was all fucked up from drinking way too much and pain killers. . . . . .

You made some salient points in this post, except, that I don't understand him being fucked up from drinking way too much and pain killers... having anything to do with his smoking:confused:..... Kind of like your analogy from an earlier post when you talked about how you eating your steak didn't affect anyone else but yourself. Whereas the smoker doing his thing may have had adverse affects on you and others that didn't engage in that activity.

[prtyr2]

You made some salient points in this post, except, that I don't understand him being fucked up from drinking way too much and pain killers... having anything to do with his smoking:confused:..... Kind of like your analogy from an earlier post when you talked about how you eating your steak didn't affect anyone else but yourself. Whereas the smoker doing his thing may have had adverse affects on you and others that didn't engage in that activity.

Sorry wasn't trying to say that his drinking and pain killers had anything to do with his being a smoker. I have no idea what lead to him popping pills but he was always a pretty big drunk. Again not insinuating any correlation with smoking.

[greydread]

This whole thread is moot. Most Dominicans can't afford to smoke, anyway. I smoke and I don't mind removing my smoke from other people who are bothered by it. I don't smoke in vehicles, even my own and I don't smoke in other people's houses whether they smoke or not. I just think it's rude.

Now when they offer "non smoker" discounts for BBBJ I'll quit immediately.

[the_Jayman]

No more smoking in Dominican businesses

WANNA BET ? ? ?

[greydread]

I just got back from Santo Domingo and every place that had ashtrays still has ashtrays.

[eldorob]

I don't smoke but its sounds like too many Foreigners moving in the Country trying to change shit. I read Dr-1 sometimes and thats all those folks do is complain about how shit ain't like it is at home.They had someone complaining about people washing your car windows at the stop lights and was blaming it on the tourists what a bunch of hypocrites.

They are a funny bunch over there....

[greydread]

They are a funny bunch over there....

I was thinking anal retentive...

[mikelodge]

Yes it is a great idea if its the only thing that is polluting the air. LIke another poster mentioned, start with the shit coming out of those cars and motos first, then worry about the smoking.

And doesnt Vegas still allow u to smoke in their casinos?(i havent been in a few years there) I can somehow accept resturants as a no smoking place but , bars and casinos having these no smoking laws will kill those places. They are dead as it is now, what will happen when the gamblers cant smoke? And we all know that over 50% of the people that gamble also smoke.
Minnesota went smoke free a couple years ago and Wisconsin just passed it also. It really has not hurt my friends clubs in MN they just go outside. Many actually have patios with ashtrays and chairs.