Smoke-easy’s in Schotland

In tegenstelling tot de anti-rokers, tonen de rokers meer historisch besef. In Schotland weet men zich te herinneren hoe barbezoekers, tijdens de Amerikaans drooglegging in het begin van de vorige eeuw, de onderdrukking wisten te omzeilen via de zogenaamde Speak-easy’s. Tijdens deze speak-easy’s werden in het geheim samenkomsten georganiseerd waar de alcohol rijkelijk kon vloeien. De maffia zorgde wel voor een constante aanvoer van de benodigde boose.

In deze tijd van tabaksdrooglegging volgen rokers hetzelfde pad. In veel Schotse (maar ook Ierse en New Yorkse) café’s gaat na een bepaald tijdstip, nadat alle onbekenden de zaak hebben verlaten, de deur op slot. De gordijnen gaan dicht en de asbakken komen te voorschijn. Vanaf dat moment wordt de vervelende geur van urine, zweet en verschaald bier weer vervangen door de aloude geur van rook. En de sfeer is weer terug, terwijl de omzetten aan alcohol en fooien weer aanzienlijk stijgen….

SCOTTISH pubs are breaking the smoking ban by running after-hours “smoke-easies”, where regulars can flout the law and enjoy a cigarette with their pint.

The Scotsman has learned that some licensees wait until tourists and other strangers leave their bar before locking the doors and allowing trusted groups of regulars to light up. Some establishments even have a secret supply of ashtrays they bring out for the occasions.

Pro-smoking activists said last night they were not surprised the “smoke-easies”, which appeared in Dublin and New York after bans were introduced there, had also been imported to Scotland.

But the Scottish Executive warned that anyone caught running illegal after-hours smoking sessions for customers in defiance of the ban, which came into force in March, will be prosecuted.

A number of illegal “smoke-easies”, reminiscent of the speakeasies set up in the United States during the Prohibition era when alcohol was banned, have sprung up across Scotland.

Forest, the pro-smoking lobby, said such “lock-ins” had started up in Ireland and New York after their smoking bans were imposed.

Latest figures from New York, which implemented a ban in 2003, show that the city’s health department issued 601 ‘violations’ in the 12 months to May to premises operating “smoke-easies”.

Warning over ‘smoke-easy’ lock-ins (The Scotsman, met interessante commentaren van lezers)