question re designated smoking areas

[gingicat]

Yesterday I went to see a late movie at the Somerville Theatre with two friends, and ran into two other friends after the show, and we stood outside chatting for a bit. When we finally left, it was because of a combination of mosquitoes (not surprising late at night under bright lights) and cigarette smoke.

It seems odd to me that the Somerville Theatre would allow smoking right outside its doors. Is there a stated policy that simply isn't enforced?

Comments

[svilletheatre.livejournal.com]

We don't like smoke either (especially when smokers trail the cloud in with them as they enter!) but it's not a question of us allowing it as it is a question of: how are we supposed to prevent something on a public sidewalk? It is a public street - not private property; we've no right to stop people from smoking on the sidewalk.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

Thank you for such a well-reasoned response. I'm no fan of second-hand smoke myself, but outdoors seems like the right place for smoking, and if it's near stuff, well, at least it's well-ventilated.

[squirrelitude]

Some places do have "No smoking in this area" signs outside. I wonder if those are A) on private sidewalks (where a developer has imitated a public mall) or B) not actually enforceable.

[squirrelitude]

Addendum: I've only seen this around hospitals (where it may in fact be on the books) and restaurants (where I most dearly appreciate the ban.)

[jennyelfenmass.livejournal.com]

Hospitals, it's a law. No smoking within X feet of an entrance.

[ron_newman]

That's what I was going to say too -- the theatre owns little if any of the walk outside its doors.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure this isn't entirely true. Shops can and often do put no loitering signs out and regularly enforce them. Even if it's a gray area legally, a sign and courteous reminders would likely cut down on the number of smokers.

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

I know there are laws in other states (New York, for one) where you can't smoke within 50 feet of the entrance to a public building. I don't know if it's legal to disallow it here though.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

it gets proposed every year or two; a 25 feet from any door, open window or ventilation system. The most recent rendition allowed for people who were walking, but stated that you couldn't stay still unless you were the 25 feet. While I like the idea in theory (we had the law in Toronto), I think that it would be an exceptionally hard law to enforce in Boston, especially in an area like davis, where I'm not sure that you can get more than 25 feet from a door/window/ventilation system without walking over to Orchard or the bike path.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

This is a very interesting question for me because the college where I work recently posted signs demanding that smokers go at least 25 feet away from their property, and I've been wondering how legal/enforceable that is.

(Full disclosure: I'm a non-smoker, but the biggest smoker in my building is about 80 and uses a walker and I feel really bad when I see him limping down the sidewalk at 1mph in this weather just to get to a safe space for his cigarette break).

[belladonna.livejournal.com]

Heh, Berklee?

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Would this be considered bashing my employer? I guess I can kiss that BRASS award goodbye for another year.... ;)