What the government is trying to do is protect people from second-hand smoke. People can smoke as much as they want, just not around people.

Ever since the smoking ban in public places came into effect in my province, smokers are becoming a dying breed, the ban is actually motivating some people to quit, there is really no where to smoke these days except for the deck of your home.

What I'm saying is the government really should have a say in the policies of all bars and restaurants. It should be the owners of the establishments, not the legislature, making the decision.

My city (like California) passed a law banning smoking from public places a couple of years ago, so I don't have to worry about people smoking beside me while I'm eating out someplace.

Before the law was passed, we usually sat in the non-smoking section of restaurants, but even there we could smell the smoke coming in. Most of my relatives nowadays either don't smoke or are former smokers.