FREE ESSAY ON SMOKEY RESTAURANTS

SMOKEY RESTAURANTS

Smokey Restaurants
According to an article in Public Health News titled Number of 'Smoke-Free' 
Restaurants Soars, and published March 9, 1999, cigarette smoke contains over 4,000
chemicals 
and exposure to environmental smoke or secondhand smoke is responsible for 1,000
non-smoker 
deaths in Washington state each year. Listed below are some ideas that will help
eliminate the 
problem of cigarette smoke ruining many meals in restaurants. In the past few years some
public 
places have established their facilities as non-smoking out of respect of the customers
health and 
enjoyment. Some examples are public transportation and public federal buildings. The
customer 
respect issue regarding smoking needs to be adopted by all restaurants to avoid the
nuisance of 
stale tobacco smells and tastes. Once solution to eliminate this problem is to create all
restaurants 
as non-smoking. A second idea is to require all restaurants to install air
purifier/cleaners. Non-
smoking restaurants, enclosed smoking sections and required air purifier/cleaners offer
different 
ways to eliminate dining in a smokey restaurant.
Creating restaurants as non-smoking would avoid the problem of nicotine odors ruining 
many meals. The Onion, located in downtown Spokane, requires that all smoking be done in
the 
bar area. The bar is separated from the main restaurant by a gate. I ate lunch at this
restaurant, 
and while I was there smoke from the bar drifted to my table and spoiled my lunch. The
non-
smoking policy is catching on in various public places and restaurants taking on the same
policy 
would solve this problem of spoiled meals caused by cigarette smoke. Enclosed smoking
sections 
is also a solution to smokey restaurants.
Enclosed smoking areas have solved the cigarette odor problem for public Bing halls and I

believe that it could also work for restaurants. Denny's restaurant has a little glass
wall about 3x2 
feet in size that separates the non-smoking section from the smoking section. That wall
does 
nothing to help smoke prevention in non-smoking areas. Keeping smoke in one room and
clean 
air in the other would help me to appreciate and fully taste the food that is being
served. The 
enclosed rooms would enhance the enjoyment for the food and show customers that
restaurants 
have concern for the health and enjoyment of all customers. An air purifying system is
also an 
option that reduces smoking odors and displays concern for customer satisfaction from the

restaurant industries.
Requiring restaurants, that choose to serve smokers and non-smokers, to install an air 
purifying/ cleaning system ensures cleaner air for the facility. Angel hair pasta with
shrimp and 
fresh tomatoes drenched in creamy garlic herb sauce is what The Olive Garden menu read.
Once I 
was served this appetizing entree I took a few bits and disappointment set in. Cigarette
smoke 
from the bar wafted over to my table and engulfed my food. Kathy, my co-worker, became so

upset with the smoke ruining her food that she complained to the manager on duty. The 
interruption and nuisance of cigarette smells in restaurants would decrease if cleaning
equipment 
was installed. The purifying equipment cleans the air with such quickness that cigarette
smells 
seem non-existent. But the best chance at restaurants changing their ways is to offer all
available 
solutions.
If all restaurants become non-smoking, create enclosed smoking areas and/or install air 
cleaning systems this would create a cleaner, safer and healthier environment for all. In
a survey 
conducted by the Tobacco & Health in Washington State Organization done in 1996 the
outcome 
of adults favoring some sort of smoking restriction was 45% and 24% thought smoking
should be 
strictly prohibited. I have a right to eat in a restaurant and enjoy my meals without
environmental 
cigarette smoke ruining my food. 
Bibliography
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