Smoking Ban Hits San Antonio’s LGBT Bar Scene This Month
When someone says "smoking ban," what's the first thing that comes to mind? If you're a non-smoker, you probably begin breathing a sigh of relief (literally). But if you're a smoker—or a business owner who allows smoking in your establishment, you may be singing a different tune altogether. On August 19—that's a Friday folks!—the non-smoking ordinance adopted by city council last year officially takes effect. Establishments like bars and clubs have had the last year to figure out a strategy to comply with the new ordinance while also accommodating their patrons who enjoy puffing the night away.
Since gay bars often factor fairly prominently in the LGBT culture, the issue has not escaped the notice of many in our community. When the city council approved the measure by a vote of 7-to-4, some saw the health of local businesses as a more pressing issue than the health of the patrons and workers. Many argued that, in this sluggish economy, the city should not threaten the livelihood of small business owners. In fact, a coalition of business owners formed to challenge the coalition pushing for the ordinance. Ultimately, smoking will still be allowed in places like Alamo Plaza, the River Walk, and VFW’s, and some business owners found the one-year roll-out period to be insufficient time.
Angela McClure, a Regional Vice-President for the American Lung Association (ALA), told me that she was a member of the local coalition that helped to lobby for the smoking ban. With a 14-year-old daughter who has experienced asthma symptoms and attacks because of secondhand smoke, she has a vested interest in the public health issue.
Reactions from some of San Antonio's LGBT bar and club owners have been mixed, but all are prepared for when the ordinance takes effect this month. Jill Gapinski, owner of "San Antonio's Finest Lesbian Bar" Bermuda Triangle, is duly prepared with a brand new patio, something which she says adds a lot to the bar, whether a person is a smoker or not. Randy Cuniff and Peter Becker of Texas HEAT Investments own several local establishments. According to Cuniff, "All of our businesses went non-smoking voluntarily a while back. Luther's, being a restaurant, has been non-smoking since we bought it in June of 2007. Sparky's opened as a non-smoking establishment in January 2010 and HEAT went non-smoking when we did a big remodel in April 2010. All three business' provide a smoking patio with full bar."
Lyle Goodman, owner of Essence, The Saint, and Annex explains, "When the government gets involved in personal liberties, it's a matter of whether or not people are being treated fairly." To that end, Goodman's goal is to "…make sure all my guests, smokers or not, are comfortable and have access to the same amenities and enjoyment they've always been accustomed to. I want people to feel welcome, not ostracized." All three properties, he asserts, are ready to abide by the cities regulations and also provide outdoor spaces for customers.
Sara Dreiling, CEO of the American Lung Association, Plains-Gulf Region, told ignite that her organization's stance is clear: any type of secondhand smoke is potentially harmful and, for some, can be fatal. Thus, the issue is always about public health, and any type of public smoking—even in outdoor spaces—can be a threat. A report recently released by the ALA called "Smoking Out a Deadly Threat: Tobacco Use and the LGBT Community" addresses how the LGBT community is often targeted by tobacco companies. It claims that gay men are roughly two to two-and-a-half times more likely to smoke than straight men, while lesbian women are at times up to twice as likely as straight women.
Dreiling, herself the proud mother of a gay son, explains how tobacco companies aggressively market not only to youth, but also LGBT persons, "This is a real health crisis for the LGBT community, and the American Lung Association is, to my knowledge, the only national smoke-free organization making an effort to address the effects for lesbians and gays." Dreiling is clearly passionate about her work. As someone who took up smoking at the age of 14 and abruptly quit at 21, she knows the impact of advertising and popular culture. "For us, the matter is never about restricting rights of individuals or businesses. That's the wrong perspective. The issue, instead, is on having a clear focus on guaranteeing a better quality of health for everyone."
So what do you think, San Antonio? If you have comments about the smoking ban, email me at editor@igniteisonline.com. Please identify your smoking status and let us know if we can use your first name and last initial in a future article.
If you would like information to help stop smoking or to
volunteer:
American Lung Association, Plains-Gulf Region Local Office
8207 Callaghan Rd., Suite 140,
San Antonio, TX 78230
Ph: 210-308-8978 www.breathehealthy.org
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