Cigar smokers find haven from law to practice habit

[Jimmy2]

05-Jan-2008

Cigar smokers find haven from law to practice habit

Sam Durso smiled as he lit up his Romeo Y Julieta cigar in the La Vita Cigars shop.

Durso of West Chicago feels that the shop is his sanctuary now that the Smoke-Free Illinois Act has severely limited where he can light up a stogie.

"It is against my constitutional rights," Durso said about the law, which went into effect Tuesday. "Here, you can smoke a cigar and not be hassled."

Retail tobacco stores are among the few establishments exempted from the act. But there are some rules.

Tobacco stores had to be in operation before Jan. 1 to be exempt.

In addition, more than 80 percent of the store's gross revenues must be from the sale of tobacco or cigar products.

La Vita Cigars welcomes smokers with its two smoking lounges and flat-screen TV sets.

Fellow cigar smoker Angelo Lalagos of Addison has been coming to La Vita Cigars since it opened three years ago. He thinks that the store will see a spike in business because of the new law.

"I think places like this will get more popular," he said.

Unlike Durso, Lalagos supported the new smoking ban.

"In general it is good," he said. "I wouldn't light up a cigar in a restaurant any way."

Jimmy Mougette, manager of La Vita Cigars, said it was too soon to say whether the store would see a boost in business because of the new rules.

"We were open on New Year's Day for the bowl games, and we had a few people come out," Mougette said.

Mougette also took issue with the new rules.

"Most guys who smoke cigars are not looking to offend anyone," he said. "They will go off in their own area and smoke. I'm all for having a smoking ban in a family restaurant. It should have been a matter of choice."

The Smoke-Free Illinois Act requires public places and places of employment to be completely smoke-free inside and within 15 feet from entrances, exits, windows that open, and ventilation intakes.

The Kane County Health Department has established a phone number for the public to report smoking violations.

Since the act went into effect, the department has received five or six complaints on the line.

"They involve people smoking too close to the door or inside the business," health department spokesman Tom Schlueter said.

The department does not plan on doing any compliance checks to make sure that businesses are following the new rules.

"We are relying on customers and employees to call the number when they see a violation," Schlueter said.

Source: Kane County Chronicle

[tigger]

» "It is against my constitutional rights," Durso said about the law...

I don't recall there being any right to smoke where ever we please enshrined in the Constitution. Statements like these really don't help our cause.

In my mind it is, however, a gross violation of the rights of property owners for the government to tell them they can't allow smoking on their premises.

[skindiver]

» » "It is against my constitutional rights," Durso said about the law...

»

» I don't recall there being any right to smoke where ever we please

» enshrined in the Constitution. Statements like these really don't help

I think the right to smoke is covered under the clause that includes "the persuit of happiness" No?

[anacostiakat]

In the words of Cluney's Ulysses Everett McGill character in Oh Brother Where Art Thou, "I think we are in trouble now boys..."

[tigger]

» I think the right to smoke is covered under the clause that includes "the

» persuit of happiness" No?

That's in the Declaration of Independence, not in the Constitution.

I think the real travesty in all of this antismoking legislation is in the harm it does to the rights of property owners.

I don't think I have the right to light up anywhere I please, but I do think a bar/restaurant owner, or any other property owner has the right to allow me to or not, as he/she chooses.

[Colt45]

» I don't think I have the right to light up anywhere I please, but I do

» think a bar/restaurant owner, or any other property owner has the right to

» allow me to or not, as he/she chooses.

Bingo...... and if states really feel the need to legislate people's personal lives, it's unfortunate that

there is little compromise. Perhaps mandating a number of smoke free days/nights per week, etc.

[aavkk]

Its a slippery slope, one that we appear to be heading down at record pace. We just need to have everyone addicted to cigarretes switch over to cigars. Everyone would be much happier :-) Especially Rob!

[jadawin]

Not commenting on the constitutional rights here, just wanted to say that La Vita is one of the shops i frequent, and it is a really nice place! I havent been going there as much lately because they have less and less of what i smoke, ive been going to a shop about 5 min from there that has a much better selection, haha. If anyone in the area ever wants to meet up there or at the other shop close by, get ahold of me!

[smokum]

Cigar King in Skokie and Habana House in Schaumburg are great places too. Only problem is its kind of tough to bring your own in. I don't smoke NC's and I would actually like to see them institute a "corking fee" of some type so I would feel more comfotable bringing in my own and also be a contributing customer.

[gostgost]

Thank God for the firehouse and for my mates who put up with me.

[GoSteelers]

» Cigar King in Skokie and Habana House in Schaumburg are great places too.

» Only problem is its kind of tough to bring your own in. I don't smoke NC's

» and I would actually like to see them institute a "corking fee" of some

» type so I would feel more comfotable bringing in my own and also be a

» contributing customer.

Buy a cigar put it in your pocket, smoke your own then gift the NC to someone later.

[alexgtp]

» » Cigar King in Skokie and Habana House in Schaumburg are great places

» too.

» » Only problem is its kind of tough to bring your own in. I don't smoke

» NC's

» » and I would actually like to see them institute a "corking fee" of some

» » type so I would feel more comfotable bringing in my own and also be a

» » contributing customer.

»

» Buy a cigar put it in your pocket, smoke your own then gift the NC to

» someone later.

not a big fan of la vita. The owner was a jerk to me and some cigar smokers.

We purchased cigars from him (well over 500.oo) sat down to watch games. We asked if we could saty for the second game and he said well alot of the regulars were complaining. I was like they are more than welcome to sit with us and eat our food shars our cigars etc etc.

Needless to say we left and found anoher venue to watch the 2nd game. It has been 2.5 yrs since i went there. I dont thik I wil ever return after the treatment we received.

There are much better places. Maybe not as nice but they sure know how to treat customers.

A few places that come to mind.

Belicosos in orland park

Hubard street cigars downtown

8to8 cigars villa park

Cigar King skokie

Jack schwartz downtown.

I try to frequent those places and spend my money where I am wanted.

[jadawin]

yeah, that owner is kinda shitty. I dont really hang out there much, just a couple times and never had any issues. I doubt ill be going there much anymore, since i found a shop, bull and bear, about 5 minutes from there that actually has NCs that i want to smoke (Tatuajes, Olivia Vs, some other Pepin cigars, and the occasional ANejo)