There are plenty of laws on the books regarding the abuse of alcohol and the punishment is meted out when you get caught doing it or if it causes you to commit another crime.  Too many people do not drink responsibly and there is no such thing as smoking responsibly.  We have become a nation of whiners about 'our rights' to do this or that but the truth is that smoking is a choice, maybe a privilege, but not really a 'right' in the legal sense.  Even if you viewed it as your right, how then does your right to smoke trump my right to not breathe your fumes?  I do not advocate banning alcohol, tobacco, or guns, I just wish people would realize that limits and regulations are for the betterment of society (meaning everyone) not to punish you.  I am very thankful that in December I will no longer have to consider if a restaurant is smoke free and I am looking forward to the day!

Good comment, Sandi.  Dan Casey wrote a nice piece on this that was published in today's paper.  There is no constitutional right to smoke cigarettes in a public place.  And I don't buy the slippery slope argument one bit (what's next, drinking, eating too much, talking too loud?).  Smoking is sui generis.  Even a "responsible" smoker cannot help exhaling noxious smoke that drifts into the faces of nonsmokers.  The act of smoking is something I've never understood, but if people want to do it in private, fine.  Just not in my face, thank you.  Applause for the General Assembly for finally getting into the 21st century on this issue. 

 Do you know how many people drink irreponsible everyday? More than you can count.. I think at this very moment, there is a child out there is being abused by her drunk  father/mother. or how many people got DUI?

And yes, you can smoke responsible.. you go outside like many smokers do (or ventilated room) Smoking irresponsible is just as high  as drinking irresponsible. Except I wonder how many people died of DUI, abuse from alcoholism, etc. than people who died of lung cancer and other lung disease.

But anyway.. I just see smoking and drinking in the same category, that's all. Except drinking does cloud your thoughts. Personally, I feel that if people really have a problem with smokers in a ventilated room or anywhere in general.. just banned the thing.

You Nailed it. Some of these guys forget that no one forced them into a smoking restaurant. The smoking ban makes as much sence as all the smokers getting together and demanding a law requiering all restaurants to have smoking rooms.

I am trying to help free market forces work in keeping a smoking option open to customers. I am doing this by trying to make it easier for smokers to find smoking restaurants. This will help to keep the dollars going to these restaurants that go the extra mile for them. Logging on to my website will give them a list of smoking restauartnts. www.smokefreelyva.com   I am in need of help from the public to make this work. It is already working well in some parts of the state. But I'm not doing very well in the western part, ie Roanoke. Please help by reporting smoking restaurants to me. list@smokefreelyva.com Please tell your friends. Thanks