Next week, the bowlers in my league will find the following letter stapled to their league sheets:

Dear Friends:
   
Last summer, I was diagnosed with chronic and irreversible sinusitis. Three different doctors, including a respiratory specialist, agreed that my condition was most likely caused by excessive exposure to secondhand smoke.

Since then, I have tried six different prescription medications in an effort to control the symptoms. Desloratadine, mometazone and methylprednilosone were all ineffective.  Pseudovent, azelastine and ranitidine were moderately effective but caused serious side effects. For several years, I have ignored my doctors’ advice to avoid smoky environments. Now, because my symptoms are worsening and neither the state legislature nor the bowling industry is interested in addressing the problem of secondhand smoke, I have no choice but to resign effective at the end of this season.

Election of officers will take place at the banquet on April 21. Please think about who you would like to take over my duties.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you as secretary-treasurer for the past eight years. I will miss you.

I have always believed that smoking and non-smoking bowlers could and should peacefully co-exist. While there are states that have passed laws (mine included) taking smoking out of buildings, many have not. I am certain that most smokers are reasonable and know that their smoke can have a negative affect on others. The idea of well ventilated designated smoking areas is not new and should be considered even in those states that still allow smoking in commercial buildings. Most smokers would not mind and see it only as a minor inconvenience if an inconvenience at all. Smokers who would be opposed to smoking areas should consider that there will probably come a time when their ability to light up wherever, whenever may be lost if they are not willing to compromise to some degree. The facts are in. Second hand smoke is indeed harmful. More so to those who already suffer respiratory ailments. It is a shame that bowlers such as websurferdude feel they have to abandon the sport of bowling because their health can not tolerate the smoke filled environments.

Here in Virginia, the answer is likely to be when the penalties are the same as being caught selling alcohol to minors.

The chain proprietors in this area are fearful of revenue loss which is why they will not go smoke free unless ordered to do so by lawmakers.  And since Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, local jurisdictions do not have the authority to act on this.  Smoking bans to protect workers have come before the Virginia General Assembly but failed due to concerns from business owners about revenue loss.

To the OP ... I'm sorry to hear that your medical conditions have put you in this position.  I can't begin to tell you how many league members have quit because of smoke-filled centers.  I don't know in which state you reside but perhaps you could contact your elected officials to explain what is happening and have them lobby for smoking bans in public places.

Good luck to you and I hope you are able to return to the sport of bowling very soon. 

 

I live in Michigan.  We have the same situation here that you have in Virginia.  There are local smoking bans, but they can't include anyplace where food or liquor is sold because the legislature says so.  Our state House of Representatives passed a statewide smoking ban bill in December, but the Senate assigned the bill to a committee whose chairman will not even allow the bill to receive a hearing.  If the bill doesn't pass during this legislative session (and it won't) it might be considered again during the next session, but any legislation that passes then wouldn't be effective until 90 days after the end of the two-year session, meaning that the soonest we might have a smoking ban in Michigan is March 2011. 

Thanks for your good wishes. 

Like the OP, I'm originally from Michigan and remember those nights of full houses (60 lanes in my case) of smokers. 

Having said that, I have seen both sides of this coin.  I was in California when their smoking ban took effect in the mid-90s, then moved to Virginia (in Love2Bowl's jurisdiction, no less) in 2003.  My only means of escape would be to bowl in Maryland, which also has a smoke-free environment. 

California proprietors lost a little business in the beginning from die-hard smokers, but the die-hard bowlers (at least in SoCal, where it's easier to step outside to smoke) have dealt with it.  What they gained later on are the non-smokers who avoided bowling "alleys" like the plague because of the smoke and who now could come into a bowling "center" and not leave smelling like an ashtray. 

I bowl two leagues, one a men's league and one a mixed league.  In the former, it depends on who our opponents are as to whether or not I go home with the odoriferous emanations of a cigar bar (I do have one smoker on my team, but he's considerate about it).  In the latter, same thing times three, depending on who we bowl (add Mrs.-Me and her daughter to the car on the way home).  When we were asked by the other league in the house that night about having a "smoke-free" night, I ran it by my bowlers and the first two teams I spoke to essentially said "Not only no, but @#$% no."  So much for that. 

If I thought I could get a proprietor "inside or near the beltway" (no offense, L2B) to support a non-smoking league, I'd work to build one.   

 

Mike300Smith:

If I thought I could get a proprietor "inside or near the beltway" (no offense, L2B) to support a non-smoking league, I'd work to build one.

Mike ... none taken.  If the start was late enough, like 7 or 7:30, I'd consider driving to Annandale or Falls Church (when it re-opens) for a non-smoking league.

The issues that I shared with you in private EM continue to surface on Thursday nights here, for which we started complaining about five to six months ago.  it's clear that the proprietors don't want to do anything about it and it is to the point that I am giving serious consideration to not returning to my leagues in the summer and fall unless we can find some legal precident to force the proprietor to take care of the issue before someone gets hurt.

Back to the smoking issue ... I find it amusing that bowling centers are often called "family establishments" yet they allow the heavy proliferation of smoking with children present.

 

cheers 

Unfortunately, in your situation (and ours lately), it's going to take someone getting their knee clipped by an unruly kid and filing a lawsuit in order to wake these proprietors up.  In my case (AMF), we have anywhere from one to three "shift leaders" on any given night, but no "management". 

I usually announce my high-game winners to my side of the center (high side).  One night, I nearly got clipped by one of these kids whose parents could give a hang less.  I got just angry enough to go to the mic, turn on BOTH sides of the house (since it was THEIR kids terrorizing OUR side of the house) and said as firmly as I could (in a TV-type voice) "It's 8:15 p.m.  Do you know where YOUR children are?"  I stopped myself just in time from saying, "If not, FIND OUT!" 

Back to smoking ... when will proprietors be willing to go smokefree?  If it's the same way here as most other states, when the local or state government FORCES it on them, and not until. 

Sad but true. 

 

Mike300Smith:

Unfortunately, in your situation (and ours lately), it's going to take someone getting their knee clipped by an unruly kid and filing a lawsuit in order to wake these proprietors up.  In my case (AMF), we have anywhere from one to three "shift leaders" on any given night, but no "management". 

I usually announce my high-game winners to my side of the center (high side).  One night, I nearly got clipped by one of these kids whose parents could give a hang less.  I got just angry enough to go to the mic, turn on BOTH sides of the house (since it was THEIR kids terrorizing OUR side of the house) and said as firmly as I could (in a TV-type voice) "It's 8:15 p.m.  Do you know where YOUR children are?"  I stopped myself just in time from saying, "If not, FIND OUT!" 

Back to smoking ... when will proprietors be willing to go smokefree?  If it's the same way here as most other states, when the local or state government FORCES it on them, and not until. 

Sad but true.

 

Oh, what I would have given to be there had you actually finished that sentence ... (you really should have) 

I'm about ready to put a similar letter in my league envelopes next week that states, due to the hazardous environment children running around the center and the center's lack of desire to manage their own center as well as a "family establishment" allowing the high proliferation of smoking with children around, I will not return to the league.  There's only so much that I can take ...

And, for the record, I have no problems with children; I am an uncle four times over and a Godfather to one of them.  But there are places that are not appropriate for children and, just as important, parents need to be wary of their kids at all times.

 

cheers 

I feel you, man ... father of two, stepfather of three, grandfather of four, uncle of way too many ... bring them if you must (I want to bring kids along in this sport if they're so inclined), but if you must, supervise them as if their lives depend on it (because it just may in this world we live in).  Don't pretend they're not there.  If they're acting up, deal with it -- don't wait until someone ELSE calls your kid out for his or her misconduct to get indignant. 

But back to smoking ...

 

 

Mike300Smith:

Like the OP, I'm originally from Michigan and remember those nights of full houses (60 lanes in my case) of smokers. 

Having said that, I have seen both sides of this coin.  I was in California when their smoking ban took effect in the mid-90s, then moved to Virginia (in Love2Bowl's jurisdiction, no less) in 2003.  My only means of escape would be to bowl in Maryland, which also has a smoke-free environment. 

California proprietors lost a little business in the beginning from die-hard smokers, but the die-hard bowlers (at least in SoCal, where it's easier to step outside to smoke) have dealt with it.  What they gained later on are the non-smokers who avoided bowling "alleys" like the plague because of the smoke and who now could come into a bowling "center" and not leave smelling like an ashtray. 

 

 

I too am originally from MI, where I grew up, and well remember having to change clothes everytime I came home from the bowling alley.  I am now in CA, and enjoy the smoke free environment (though, as you point out, it's much more pleasant for the smokers to step outside here is S. Cali. than in MI).

 

If I end up moving to a state that doesn't ban smoking indoors, I will probably keep bowling and deal with it, but I'm certain that I won't be able to convince my wife to continue to bowl with me.

 

I think that bowling alleys in states that don't have indoor smoking bans are looking at the problem backwards.  They are worried about how many smokers might leave if they made them step outside, but they don't realize how many non-smokers might very well return if they found out an alley was smoke-free (or even had a couple of smoke-free league nights).  Just look at the shift that most restaurants have gone through.  When I was a kid, the non-smoking section was tucked away in a corner somewhere, and consisted of just a few tables.  Now when I go back to MI, the non-smoking section is usually 50-75% of the restaurant.

 

So when you look around your leagues, and see that there are a high proportion of smokers bowling...ask yourself...is it just that smokers like to bowl, or is it that many of the potential non-smoking bowlers got tired of coming home smelling like smoke and are no longer coming? 

I smoke,,a Pipe,let's say that first and in Virginia

 

I too suffer from sinusitis,however it has a name,Chemical Sinusitis,as I worked for 29 years with various industrial chemicals.

 

How about a ban on Perfume,Aftershave ,Ball cleaners,new skin and Isopropyl alcohol, they cause quite a discomfort to me when encountered.

 

 

I have no problem with smoking areas in Bowling Centers or any other place. I have no problem if the Owner of his Center ,restaurant or other decides his business model shall be a smoke free one.

 

 

I do have a problem with Gov't sanctioned Bans forced on business owners and citizens by law. It should be the Owners right to establish who and what he want to sell his product to. We as consumers should have the choice to decide what business we spend our dollars at.

 

 

 If your really concerned about your and others health maybe we should take a close look at beer consumption during Leagues. That 3 or 4 glasses of beer will do more harm quicker then second hand smoke,,where's the out cry on this. What we really need is to ban the beer,yes the smell brothers me,it gets in my clothes also,how about a beer drinker section?

 

 

Air systems are not easy to install and maintain in older buildings where positive and negative air flows are to be maintained,not to mention the extra expense dealing with the exhaust of heat or AC to maintain this "smoke free environment"

 

 

What I'm saying is it should be the Owners right to decide whether or not his business is "smoke free" or not. Not the Consumer or Gov't.,let the dollar talk,either he will close his doors or be a success,but let him decide. Sam

Lets move the toilets outside they stink.  How about other drugs, pot maybe yea lets legalize pot..... 

samsmith:

What I'm saying is it should be the Owners right to decide whether or not his business is "smoke free" or not. Not the Consumer or Gov't.,let the dollar talk,either he will close his doors or be a success,but let him decide. Sam

 

 

I actually agree with you here.  Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to actually happen.  I've long wondered why there isn't a smoke-free casino in Vegas, or smoke free restaurants in states without indoor smoking bans.  I imagine that most business owners are simply afraid that if they try to operate a smoke-free establishment, some smokers will sue them for discrimination.  Even if such suits were resolved in the business's favor, it would cost them in legal fees and the like.

 I wonder what would happen if a state, rather than passing a ban on smoking in all businesses, passed a law shielding business owners from discrimination claims if they enforced a no-smoking policy.  Perhaps then, owners would actually be free to operate their business in whichever way they thought would appeal to the most customers.

Yes I agree,,Try being a Pipe Smoker in a World of Cigarette Smokers,,talk about discrimination,,,LOL,,

It brothers me when I see people so freely give up "freedoms or rights", The poor man who buys a house then a Homeowners Association tell him what he can and cant do on his little chunk of Earth.The Businesses required to accommodate consumers where the free market should decide.the list is endless.

Our Center has a smoking "section",,it was done by "popular vote" and those of us who smoke have no problem with it.But don't fool yourself,,a smoking sections sorta like a "peeing section" in a swimming pool,it's going to migrate to the other end no matter what you do :)

Mike300Smith:

I feel you, man ...

 

Mike ... sent you EM, it only gets worse.