New Hampshire Senate Approves Selling Alcohol in Cigar Bars

  When the state of New Hampshire decided to become a full fledged nanny state by banning private restaurants and bars from permitting smoking in their establishments they made an exception for “cigar bars.” New Hampshire cigar stores are still permitted to allow smoking in the stores.

  The prevailing thought was that the “cigar bars” would be the next target by the over-reaching usurpers in Concord but the opposite happened yesterday when the state senate actually voted to allow “cigar bars” to serve alcohol. 

  If the governor signs this bill into law, a grown adult (government rarely treats people like adults any more) would be able to make a decision on their own to go have a cigar and a beer in a “cigar bar” while watching a baseball game with other like minded individuals. Individual choice and responsibility is a wonderful thing and it is good to see that at least on this one small issue a person will be allowed to make a choice for themselves.

  There are a few restrictions on “cigar bars” if they want to sell alcohol. Most of these restrictions are to ensure that regular bars don’t re-brand themselves as cigar bars in an effort to circumvent the smoking ban. And cigarette smoking in the establishments are still banned. Evidently this restriction was put in the bill to protect regular bars whose patrons may decide to go to a “cigar bar” where they could then enjoy what they are no longer permitted to currently in this state.

  Another rule that will be put in place is a requirement to tell anyone who wishes to work at a “cigar bar” that they will be exposed to second hand smoke and that is could be bad for your health. You read that right, a person applying for a job where smoking is allowed must be told up front that they will be exposed to smoke. There is that nanny state mentality again. Evidently the lawmakers don’t think that potential employees are smart enough to figure that little gem out for themselves.

  Needless to say, there are people upset with this bill. Mainly the bars and restaurants that were stripped of the right to run their businesses the way that they see fit and who were forced to ban smoking in their establishments. Proponents also see this as a weakening of the smoking ban. I hope that they are right. I hope that the ban gets lifted someday. Call me old fashioned but I still believe that a private business has the right to decide what can and cannot be done inside their four walls as long as the activity is legal.

   75% of New Hampshire bars and restaurants voluntarily banned smoking before the mandatory smoking ban went into effect. That was their choice. Now that choice was taken from them. People had the choice to frequent whatever establishment they wanted to; smoking or non-smoking. That choice was taken away from them. This is just one small victory for personal choice and responsibility. But it is a beginning.