OKC City Council Passes Anti-Tobacco/Vaping Ordinance

[BoulderSooner]

Exactly. Many are not aware that wherever smoking is allowed in public, so is MMJ. (OAC 310:681-2-11(a).
In other words if smoking tobacco in a bar is legal so is the smoking of MMJ.

i don't believe this is correct MMJ is banned in public city wide ..

cities were/are allowed to regualte MMJ smoking in public

[Jersey Boss]

i don't believe this is correct MMJ is banned in public city wide ..

cities were/are allowed to regualte MMJ smoking in public

310:681-2-11. Restrictions on Smokable Medical Marijuana and Medical Marijuana Products
(a) Allsmokable,vaporized,vapableande-cigarettemedicalmarijuana and medical marijuana products ingested, smoked, or consumed by a patient license holder is subject to the same restrictions for tobacco under section 1-1521 et. seq. of Title 63 of Oklahoma statutes, commonly referred to as the “Smoking in Public Places and Indoor Workplaces Act.”
(b) Allsmokable,vaporized,vapableande-cigarettemedicalmarijuana and medical marijuana products consumed or smoked by a patient medical marijuana license holder shall not be smoked nor consumed in the presence of a minor under the age of eighteen (18).

Unless the city has the authority to make changes to the Smoking in Public Places Act it does not have that authority.
Does the city have the legal grounds to enforce more stringent laws than the Smoking in Public Places Act?

[Libbymin]

I simply can't believe in this day and age -- where tons of other states (and many countries) have already very successfully dealt with this -- that Oklahoma allows smoking in bars and 21+ places.

In fact, the state specifically won't allow cities to ban it on their own.

The lobbying agencies for bars and restaurants swear up and down it will hurt their business but that absolutely has not been the case elsewhere.

This issue has been settled a long time ago but like almost everything else here, we are 20 years behind the times. And that's due to our state legislature, of course.

In fact, I think it would actually help most bars in Oklahoma. There are bars in this city that I just don't have an interest in going to anymore simply because I hate coming out smelling like cigarettes and I know a LOT of people are the same way.

On an unrelated note, if you ever go to Japan, their streets are almost completely free of any kind of trash and they don't allow smoking on the streets except in very specifically marked areas, but the restaurants still allow it so it can be very smoky when you eat out. I loved a lot of things about Japan but that definitely was not one of them.

[Pete]

^

In cities and countries where smoking has been completely banned, they've seen increased business in bars and restaurants.

There is, however, usually a short-term dip for those who had previously allowed smoking.

[ctchandler]

^

The military used to issue free cigarettes to military members!

It's how my dad got hooked, although through a ton of effort he finally kicked the habit in his 30's.

As I said, it's a horrible addiction and I have sympathy for anyone who is trying to quit; it's obviously incredibly hard.

Pete,
When was your dad in the military? I joined the Navy in 1960 and there were no free cigarettes. One exception was c-rations. There were packs of cigarettes in them but the only folks that got them were in war zones (Viet Nam).
C. T.
p.s. Not taking sides on this, just my personal experience.

[bombermwc]

I'm sympathetic, but at the same time, we're increasing the availability of and exposure to strong beer and alcohol like crazy, and promoting its use even more. Alcohol is every bit as dangerous if not more, and can in fact kill someone trying to stop (not something that tobacco does). Billions are thrown down the tubes in the addition and recovery industry (somewhere north of $35 Billion a year last I saw).

So from a workers right issue, or a public nuisance, I'm there. But because it encourages smoking or addition? It seems hypocritical.

The difference with alcohol is that if you're consuming it at the next table over, it doesn't impact me. With smoking, i can't go into a bar or be around you when you're smoking without dealing with the affects of second hand smoke (and to be frank, the stank you reek). I shouldn't have to be exposed to carcinogens because you have an addiction. Ever looked at those ceiling tiles in bars? That brown sticky tar crap is what's in your lungs and i dont want it in mine.

We get equipment back from employees that are smokers and we just have to throw it away because of the sticky and the smell. It's disgusting.

I'd love to be able to go to a bar and not come out smelling like butt. Casinos are just as bad. You can't walk in somewhere without being exposed. As someone else said, this is a worker's right too. We might spend an hour or two somewhere, but the staff works in bars/casinos/etc for hours every day.

You ask about a cigar bar....buy em there, smoke em at home.

[jerrywall]

The difference with alcohol is that if you're consuming it at the next table over, it doesn't impact me. With smoking, i can't go into a bar or be around you when you're smoking without dealing with the affects of second hand smoke (and to be frank, the stank you reek). I shouldn't have to be exposed to carcinogens because you have an addiction. Ever looked at those ceiling tiles in bars? That brown sticky tar crap is what's in your lungs and i dont want it in mine.

We get equipment back from employees that are smokers and we just have to throw it away because of the sticky and the smell. It's disgusting.

I'd love to be able to go to a bar and not come out smelling like butt. Casinos are just as bad. You can't walk in somewhere without being exposed. As someone else said, this is a worker's right too. We might spend an hour or two somewhere, but the staff works in bars/casinos/etc for hours every day.

You ask about a cigar bar....buy em there, smoke em at home.

Not the issue I was discussing, since I mentioned the second hand smoke issue, so not sure what your point is.

As for the cigar bar or lounge... why the heck should it matter to anyone else? If I choose to hang out in the back room of the tobacco exchange on Memorial with a few friends and associates smoking cigars, we're all adults, and we all chose to be there. We all need our third spaces, and as a non drinker, this is one of my VERY FEW alternatives.

I'm sure things like this will convert into some sort of "private" club with a nominal membership fee, until someone bitches and sues those out of existence too.

[Pete]

^

It's a workplace issue.

People have to work in those businesses and yes, it is a free country, but you could say the same thing about coal mines and other hazardous workplaces which are heavily regulated to safeguard the people who work there.

[catch22]

Perhaps I am an outlier but I don't mind cigarette smoke at all, in fact in limited doses I actually enjoy the smell. I have never even touched a cigarette in my life much less ever even smoked one.

[Thomas Vu]

In fact, I think it would actually help most bars in Oklahoma. There are bars in this city that I just don't have an interest in going to anymore simply because I hate coming out smelling like cigarettes and I know a LOT of people are the same way.

On an unrelated note, if you ever go to Japan, their streets are almost completely free of any kind of trash and they don't allow smoking on the streets except in very specifically marked areas, but the restaurants still allow it so it can be very smoky when you eat out. I loved a lot of things about Japan but that definitely was not one of them.

In japan you also have marlboro reps handing out free packs. Having said that, I still miss Japan.

[jerrywall]

In japan you also have marlboro reps handing out free packs. Having said that, I still miss Japan.

It's been a while since I've seen it, but I used to see the same thing here... especially at bike nights and such.

[Pete]

^

Getting and keeping people addicted to your product is huge business.

[bombermwc]

^

It's a workplace issue.

People have to work in those businesses and yes, it is a free country, but you could say the same thing about coal mines and other hazardous workplaces which are heavily regulated to safeguard the people who work there.

Exactly. The staff shouldn't' have to put up with it just to work there. And don't start on "they don't have to work there" because that's extremely weak. Maybe that's true for a cigar bar in OKC, but if you're a bar or casino out in small town Oklahoma, that is probably one of the few available jobs. And the manager level at a casino is one of the very few better paying jobs in those areas. The trade-off is the disgusting sticky/smokeridden filth of the air they work in and it doesn't matter how good the air handling is, it's still crap. And ever notice how you have to walk through the gaming floor to get to ANYTHING at a casino? Yeah, that's on purpose and you can't avoid it.

[Plutonic Panda]

I can see the reasoning behind prohibiting smoking on public grounds and city parks but not private businesses.

If a place allows smoking don’t work or go there. Why is that so hard? I am not a smoker myself but I don’t mind being around it.

[bombermwc]

I can see the reasoning behind prohibiting smoking on public grounds and city parks but not private businesses.

If a place allows smoking don’t work or go there. Why is that so hard? I am not a smoker myself but I don’t mind being around it.

I guess you missed that last part about why "dont work there" isn't a good reason? Don't go there is easy to do as a consumer....in most cases. But if i want to go to a bar with my friends and have a drink, oh well i guess i have to get cancer that as part of it. What a price to pay for a beer. Same goes if i want to go have an evening with friends at a casino. Personally, i do choose not to do either partially BECAUSE of the smoke. It was also a contributing factor in me changing jobs as casinos were clients and I had zero desire to go there. I didn't want to be in the smoke or come out smelling like butt.

Sometimes, public health outweighs what the private business is able to do. We've already made that decision in the U.S. and that it's ok for the government to regulate those things. This is just continuing that regulation to a more common item. We can drink alcohol, and we regulate it and put laws around it for the greater public good (no drunk driving). Preventing second hand smoke is simply a continuation of that same concept to protect the non-partakers of having to directly deal with it as much as is reasonably possible.

Not im sure someone will come up with ridiculously specific case of where the comparison falls apart or doesn't cover X or something. But the intent is clearly spelled out there and those arguments typically fall of deaf ears when the legislators make their votes.

[EBAH]

I'm a cigarette smoker and occaisional marijuana smoker and I HATE smoking inside of bars and restaurants and would love for it to be outlawed. It's 2020 folks, and we know exactly how awful it is now and it's just a stupid thing to force workers and other patrons to put up with it. Not to mention, I have no problem smoking outside and I love the added incentive for bars and restaurants to build more outdoor spaces.

Now, I think that the "Smoking medical marijuana is treated the same as smoking cigarettes in public" part of our states law. It's honestly one of the most progressive parts of Oklahoma's law. It isn't a shameful act, at least not any more than smoking cigarettes. It's also changed how bars can be experience by various friends of mine that are not drinkers but do smoke weed. It's a nice thing to be able to smoke pot at bars that allow smoking and feel fine about it. It's not even allowed that way in Colorado or California and it's a pretty unique positive for the nightlife community.