First of all, I’m quite in favor of the smoking ban in Illinois. I have enjoyed two weeks of smoke-free bowling, we’ve visited at least two bar/restaurant type businesses in the last two weeks (one for the first time ever) and enjoyed a smoke-free meal, and overall, are happy with the ban.
Not everyone likes the ban (to be expected) and there are indeed some businesses around Central Illinois who claim to be suffering - frankly, I’m not buying it yet…I think it’s too early to tell.
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As I stuck my coat sleeve in Diane’s face, those were the first words I said to her as I arrived home last night from the bowling alley.
Why did I smell so nice? Because for the first time in my life, I spent three hours in a bowling alley…that was smoke free!
What a difference it made. For once, I played league without coming home with stinking clothes, wreaking hair, and an overall grimy feeling, like you do when you come home from being around smoke all night. 
Here’s the amazing thing: We have 12 teams in the league. 48 guys. Now, add the four or five employees, about a dozen friends watching the bowling, and another dozen or so in the bar. Roughly 70-75 people in the place. The owner did a little impromptu survey, and we determined there were nine smokers in the building. Nine. Out of 75. To their credit, not one of them had a problem with the new law. But think about it. On an average night, nine people - out of 75 - smoking would have caused 75 to go home wreaking of wretched, stale, smoke.
Not anymore. And they say government can’t make the tough decisions and do the right thing.
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