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Don’t forget your HazMat suit when going to some Pgh bars
by 15211Advocate ~ May 27th, 2008. Filed under: Latest News.Call 4 Action Investigates Air Quality In Smoking Restaurants, Bars
Undercover Tests In Allegheny County Find Hazardous Average Levels
WTAE News recently held undercover tests in Allegheny County and found Hazardous air quality levels. Read the full report here.
We find this report fascinating. Check out some of their findings:
EPA Air Quality Standards:
0-50 Good
51-100 Moderate
101-150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
151-200 Unhealthy
201-300 Very Unhealthy
301-500 HazardousCall 4 Action Test Results:
1. Don Pablo’s in Monroeville
Average: 55 — “Moderate”2. T.G.I. Friday’s in Monroeville
Average: 106 — “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”3. Rock Bottom at The Waterfront
Average: 155 — “Unhealthy”4. Dave and Buster’s at The Waterfront
Average: 262 — “Very Unhealthy”5. Bar Louie at The Waterfront
Average: 202 — “Very Unhealthy”6. Piper’s Pub on the South Side (*Smoke-Free)
Average: 27 — “Good”7. Casey’s on the South Side
Average: 829 — “Hazardous”8. Smokin’ Joe’s on the South Side
Average: 588 — “Hazardous”9. Shootz Billiards on the South Side
Average: 354 — “Hazardous”10. Eat N Park in Edgewood (*Smoke-Free)
Average: 13 — “Good”The outdoor air on E. Carson Street/South Side
Average: 14 — “Good”
So it’s clear that the hazard to the employees and patrons is very very real. We can only hope that for the state gets this ban passed with no exemptions… fast.
Thank goodness for Pipers Pub and EatnPark (and Fat Heads and Double Wide and all of the other Non Smoking Bars out there) for being responsible business owners. To get a list of non smoking restaurants and bars check out NoSmokeDining.org.
May 28th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I’ve long thought it necessary to distribute a letter, signed by patrons who feel the way we do, to all restaurants and bars who still allow smoking. The letter would simply state that the undersigned will not be back until smoking is banned on the premises. It’s time for anti-smokers to be as vocal as the smoking proponents — especially those who have fought so hard to defeat the county ban.
May 28th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
That’s a great idea Jack. Maybe we will put together some sort of online petition that people can sign and we’ll deliver to the specific bars and restaurants that are really bad with air pollution.
And you’re right about the non smoking majority to stand up and start to fight back. If there is one thing that speaks louder than words is CASH!
May 28th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
It’s simple, there’s non-smoking bars, there’s smoking bars. There’s non-smoking restaurants, there’s smoking restaurants. You have the choice to go to which ever one you want. If you don’t like a bar because it has smoking, or the air pollution levels are high, then DON’T go there!!! It’s as simple as that.
Same with the employees that work at these establishments, if you don’t want to be around it, then don’t work there! There’s “non-smoking” bars that I’m sure are hiring, and vice versa.
May 28th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
It’s simply obvious you’re a smoker.
I think it’s hilarious when a smoker says that it’s the CHOICE of the employee or patron to not go into or work at smoking establishment. Funny you bring choice up because when I’m sitting beside or near a smoker, it’s not my CHOICE to breathe the cancer floating in the air because of the cigarette YOU are smoking. So if CHOICE is your argument. You simply lose.
Do you not think it’s the owners responsibility to protect it’s employees and patrons? Do you not think that a HAZARDOUS rating should shut a business down? If it was asbestos that was detected you wouldn’t want them to just stay open you would want them to fix the problem. The issue really is getting BIG TOBACCO out of our public health law decisions and let common sense finally take over in PA.
Face it, a smoking ban will happen it’s just WHEN? Where is this petition?… I’ll sign it.
May 28th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
We all have our opinions on this issue. 15211.org supports a full smoking ban with no exemptions and we don’t hide that opinion.
We also avoid smoking bars and restaurants when ever possible. The problem is that out of the 90 some bars in the South Side (for example) there are only 3 non smoking bars. So when you say there are choices, the choices are slim pickin for non Smokers. Which really doesn’t make sense to me because non smokers are the majority, I think around 70% of PA residents are non-smokers. So it seems there is a loud minority out there who want to be able to smoke in local bars and restaurants.
I think all Jack is saying is that if we can put pressure on the smoking bars, like Redbeards for example, and get people to pledge to never spend another dollar in there until he voluntarily goes non-smoking, we would have a huge impact on his business and almost force them to switch over.
The fact is that smokers suffer no ill health when going into a non smoking establishment, what is so wrong with this? It can’t be said for non smokers going into a smoking establishment. Choices are choices and again, the dollar speaks louder than any words, so let’s mobilize.
June 1st, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I’m a former smoker formerly from a different community and have seen how the NO EXEMPTION ban as well as partial EXEMPTION bans have both worked and not worked. If I was smoking a cigarette, it’s YOUR choice on whether or not you sit next to me. If a bar allows smoking, it’s your CHOICE on whether or not you go there. Speak up by taking your money elsewhere.
I am all for a public smoking ban, but with bars being an exemption to this. That does not mean all bars would be smoking, as there are as previously stated many places that don’t allow smoking. If you enjoy those sorts of places, make your opinion heard by spending your money there. There’s enough bars in Pittsburgh where having Smoking or Non-Smoking competition is beneficial. If a bar allows smoking and you don’t like smoking, don’t go there! It’s just as rude for a smoker to light up at a non-smoking bar as it is for a non-smoker to pass legislation to stop smokers from smoking in “smoking bars”.
Again, it is a choice, and for someone to believe they are entitled greater rights in an establishment based on their smoking preference is pure rubbish.
It’s just as absird as it would be for vegans to push legislation to stop McDonald’s from selling double cheeseburgers. There are both vegan options at McDonald’s, as well as vegas restaurants.
June 1st, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I meant Vegan restaurants…
June 1st, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Alex, you are entitled to your opinion, but I have to dispute the parallel between McDonalds and smoking. You sitting next to a vegan at McDonalds and eating a Big Mac doesn’t harm them in anyway. You sitting next to someone in a bar and smoking DOES.
Oh and congrats on kicking the habit. It couldn’t have been easy.
MG
June 1st, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I’m not against tobacco, just the air pollution cigarettes and cigars create within a public enclosed space. There will never be a ban on chewing tobacco because it doesn’t cause public harm, only personal.
June 4th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Even though I’m a smoker myself, I actually don’t like smoking in bars. As any smoker can tell you, you smoke a helluva’ lot more cigarettes when you drink than normally and there’s been many mornings I’ve woken up with chest pains from smoking too many cigarettes the night before at the bar.
The other reason is actually a socializing factor. Since smokers are pretty much despised by just about everyone nowadays, it brings us closer in cities like NYC when all the smokers head outside for a smoke. I’ve made many networking opportunities just because I smoke in a city like NYC and everybody’s in close proximity whilst smoking.
But as for Pittsburgh having a smoking ban, I’d imagine we’ll be one of the last cities to enforce a ban. As long as you’ve got the aging blue-collar workers in this town there’ll just be an outrage about it in the meantime. I don’t see it happening here for at least another decade.