asterism
Congress != Progress
Honest question. Did a lot of bars/restaurants go under because of smoking bans?
Depending on the definition of a 'lot', yes a number of places shut down especially in lower income neighborhoods where there would be a higher percentage of smokers. If the guys couldn't stop by the local 'pub' for a beer and smoke after work or just hang out there at night, they picked up a six pack or a bottle and went home to their own den or whatever. For a smoker, it is tough to just hang out and relax or have fun in places you can't smoke. It's just like people who really like to drink or who are addicted to alcohol aren't going to frequent places they can't get a beer or whatever.
The irony is that people who drink heavily are doing their bodies as much damage as tobacco does and definitely pose as much or greater risk to others, but there is rarely any call for bans on alcohol in restaurants or bowling alleys or sports stadiums or whatever.
But then a person having his one cigarette of the day will annoy a non smoker where a guy having his one beer that day generally won't annoy a non drinker. So I guess there is that.
The smoking ban is not to protect the health of the smoker, it's for the non smokers. The difference between alcohol and cigarette smoking is you can't get second hand drunk. Drinking only affects the users health and has no bearing on the people around him/her.
A good point. How much second hand smoke threatens the health of anyone?