To the editor:

Sunday’s online version of the Lawrence Journal-World promotes an event at the Gaslight Tavern with these words, “thanks to the Gaslight’s patio, smoking townspeople may mingle in harmony with their nonostracized peers.”

Back in March the Journal-World covered the Gaslight’s decision to be a smoke-free bar. In that article, the bar’s owner, Kristine Midyett, said, “We don’t want to be just a smoky, yucky bar.”

What’s the difference? If the bar owner says no smoking, smokers are welcome to mingle with nonsmokers. If the city says no smoking, smokers are “ostracized.”

Back in the March article Midyett also spoke of the fact that nonsmokers came into the Gaslight and actually enjoyed a smoke-free environment! Her quote in the article: “Half or more of the people who have come in are smokers, and they have appreciated the nonsmoking.”

I suppose the real issue here is that, if there are no “smoky, yucky bars” then people can enjoy the clean air everywhere and not just at the Gaslight or Bella’s. The Gaslight and Bella’s now have to compete with everybody.

I want to thank the City Commission for enacting the clean air ordinance so we can all enjoy a meal or a drink without sitting in a cloud of smoke. Thanks, too, to all the Lawrencians who continue to support Lawrence bars and restaurants. And finally, thanks to the smokers who have taken this change with grace and treated the nonsmoking majority with courtesy by respecting the new law.

Mark Desetti,

Lawrence