Why Illinois Shouldn't Lift the Smoking Ban

The Illinois House just opened the door for smoking to return to some bars and casinos. Um ... way to go?

For years now, we've had the privilege of clean air. But a few bar owners start flailing their arms about sales declines and the House wants to back up the toxic sludge truck to our collective esophagus.

The owners say revenues dropped since the law went into effect in 2008. Gee, was anything else going on around that time? Oh yeah. The recession. Everybody is getting slammed by this thing. It has nothing to do with smoking.

I have friends who smoke. I love them, but they are incredibly dumb. They're so addicted to those little cigarettes, they voluntarily stand out in the howling Chicago winter wind so they can satisfy their urge.

If you want to increase sales, just hand out liquor licenses to anyone who asks. McDonald's. Little kids' lemonade stands. Whatever. Instant cash.

Legalizing smoking in bars will make me and my healthy-lunged colleagues ditch out early. So you're losing money either way.

Are you listening, Gov. Pat Quinn?

My brother once put it this way: "You don't have a peeing section in a pool. Why do you have a smoking section in a restaurant?"

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