Prudential Center's New "No Smoking" Policy

[Colin226]

Per an email to Season Ticket Holders this morning:

 

Beginning Friday, September 26, 2014, as required by law, Prudential Center will be a smoke and tobacco-free facility, including electronic cigarettes. This policy includes all indoor areas and all outdoor areas within 25 feet from all entrances and exits of the building.

 

Smoking will be prohibited in previously designated smoking areas, including Prudential Center balconies and Championship Plaza. The facility’s no-re-entry policy will continue to be enforced.

 

 

Figured this could get its own thread since we have smokers and smoking-haters alike in here

[Satans Hockey]

I'm not a smoker, I actually hate it but I think this is ridiculous to people who are, this is also definitely going to make a lot of people cranky and rightfully so.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I quit smoking in May of 2001 and haven't taken a puff since, after smoking for about 9 years.  (About 4-5 packs a week). 

 

Some hard-core smokers will complain about "health Nazis", whatever, but let's face it, smoking is stupid and there's no defending it: nothing good comes out of it, on many levels it's actually kind of selfish (secondhand smoke harms other people, and family members (like your children) may have to deal with taking care of you later in life, after smoking has done its irreparable harm), they're a fire hazard, and butts being left all over the place is disgusting.  And it reeks.

 

Sorry, but if you can't handle 2.5-3 hrs of not smoking when you go to a Devils' game, that's YOUR problem.  You can light up just before you hit the 25 feet border, and do the same just after.  It's not that much to ask. 

[Jerzey]

That's discrimination.

[dmann422]

I quit smoking in May of 2001 and haven't taken a puff since, after smoking for about 9 years. (About 4-5 packs a week).

Some hard-core smokers will complain about "health Nazis", whatever, but let's face it, smoking is stupid and there's no defending it: nothing good comes out of it, on many levels it's actually kind of selfish (secondhand smoke harms other people, and family members (like your children) may have to deal with taking care of you later in life, after smoking has done its irreparable harm), they're a fire hazard, and butts being left all over the place is disgusting. And it reeks.

Sorry, but if you can't handle 2.5-3 hrs of not smoking when you go to a Devils' game, that's YOUR problem. You can light up just before you hit the 25 feet border, and do the same just after. It's not that much to ask.

congrats on staying off it for so long man. My mom smoked while I was growing up and I can't tell you how happy I was when she quit a few years back.

I agree that if you can't wait 3 hours during the game to smoke then you have a problem.

Although one of my fondest sports memories was going to the 2003 nba finals game 4 at the meadowlands. Sat in literally the last row and across the aisle a few rows down two guys lit up. Well the woman sitting two rows behind them wasn't too happy about it and a long fight ensued that included this woman taking off her 3 inch heel and swinging it like hatchet. Yeah I didn't get to see too much of that game but I was thoroughly entertained.

[NJDevs4978]

That's discrimination.

How is it discrimination any more than not allowing smoking in bars or restaurants? Just because they don't want people doing it near the arena either?

The smoking area stinks to high heaven downstairs the minute any door opens so it kind of defeats the purpose of having a seperate area for it. The 25 foot within the building part is a little much and I'm not sure how enforceable it is but whatever.

[BostonNala370]

That's discrimination.

Either way the discrimination argument comes into play.

[Guadana]

i smoked about 4 years

 

it`s good policy and good think for familys who goes on the stadium with their childs

 

but i think they need to make some room for cantlivewithoutsmoke`ers

[DevsMan84]

I like this new policy.  I didn't mind the policy of the last few years, but it never looked good when the outdoor balcony and the plaza was littered in cigarette butts.

 

I also remember the days when you could smoke on the concourse at Bredan Byrne Arena.  It smelled to high hell during every intermission and there was a very visible haze in there.  Hated every moment of that.

[roomtemp]

So there goes the cigars in the arena?

 

Never got smoking. Its expensive, so unhealthy and the calming effect is only there because the nicotine drives you to want a damn cigarette. Both my parents were heavy smokers (I think at least a pack a day) and it took especially for my mom but they both stopped. The funny part is they both complain about money yet they spend 6 bucks a day or what ever a pack cost in the 90s to early 00s to smoke which really gave them very little.

[Daniel]

I quit smoking in May of 2001 and haven't taken a puff since, after smoking for about 9 years.  (About 4-5 packs a week). 

 

Some hard-core smokers will complain about "health Nazis", whatever, but let's face it, smoking is stupid and there's no defending it: nothing good comes out of it, on many levels it's actually kind of selfish (secondhand smoke harms other people, and family members (like your children) may have to deal with taking care of you later in life, after smoking has done its irreparable harm), they're a fire hazard, and butts being left all over the place is disgusting.  And it reeks.

 

Sorry, but if you can't handle 2.5-3 hrs of not smoking when you go to a Devils' game, that's YOUR problem.  You can light up just before you hit the 25 feet border, and do the same just after.  It's not that much to ask. 

 

I smoke on average about a pack a week and will sometimes go a few days without having one.  (My gastro actually told me that having a cigarette every so often is good for the symptoms of my collitis).  In the tension filled playoff games I would have a cigarette on the balcony during intermission, but I'll be able to live without it now.

 

Just one other thing, the dangers of secondhand smoke are wildly, wildly exaggerated, at least based on the anti-smoking ads.  But still, I don't see this as a health Nazi thing.  The Rock probably has to hire extra security to watch over the smokers in the smoking areas, and someone has to clean up all of the cigarette butts.  It's just one less thing they have to deal with.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

congrats on staying off it for so long man. My mom smoked while I was growing up and I can't tell you how happy I was when she quit a few years back.

I agree that if you can't wait 3 hours during the game to smoke then you have a problem.

Although one of my fondest sports memories was going to the 2003 nba finals game 4 at the meadowlands. Sat in literally the last row and across the aisle a few rows down two guys lit up. Well the woman sitting two rows behind them wasn't too happy about it and a long fight ensued that included this woman taking off her 3 inch heel and swinging it like hatchet. Yeah I didn't get to see too much of that game but I was thoroughly entertained.

 

My parents were both smokers when I was growing up...ironically, I hated dealing with it as a kid/adolescent, and I never dreamed I would become a smoker.  For some reason (I can't pinpoint why), when I was a senior in college, after having some cigarettes here and there, I simply started smoking more and eventually became a habitual smoker.  My mother was heartbroken when she found out (accidently) that I had started and quit instantly...we were supposed to quit together, but I had no interest in stopping at that point, so I lied and figured it'd be better if one of us quit, as opposed to neither one of us quitting.  My dad was furious and called me at school and proceeded to blame the girl I was dating and my roommate (who were both smokers) and everyone/everything else except himself.  Finally I said, "Hey dad, maybe it's the shining example you and mom set every day for the last 20 years.  But screw that, it's no one's fault, it's MY fault, I know it's bad for me and it's on me for doing it.  No one is to blame."

 

I quit once for about 6 months, and another time for almost a year.  My turning point came one morning when I woke up short of breath...my throat was sore as hell and I was wheezing.  I felt awful.  I actually lit up, took a couple of puffs, then decided enough was enough.  I threw out my remaining smokes and never took another drag.  I've never really felt tempted since, and I think that feeling when I woke up that morning has a lot to do with.  Quitting that time wasn't a struggle at all...I actually think it was my body telling me "Stop putting this crap in me!  Enough of this sh!t!"

 

 

That's discrimination.

 

Oh please, this is not the same as people not being allowed near or inside the building due to race, sex, creed, religion, etc.  This is a Prudential Center rule that the people in charge have every right to make.  They also have the right to not have to deal with cleaning up cigarette butts or the smoke haze, which is pretty disgusting to most non-smokers. 

 

You want to smoke in your home, car, 25.1+ feet away from the arena where no one has any rules in place against it, fine. 

[DJ Eco]

I'm not a smoker and never have been, but damn, I don't understand why the outdoor deck can't continue to be used for smokers. That, and e-cig users ever bothered me.

 

I mean, I get it, in a law capacity; if Newark/New Jersey law tells them to tweak their previous rules, sure, I get it. But kinda silly law.

Edited September 25, 2014 by DJ Eco

[Daniel]

How is it discrimination any more than not allowing smoking in bars or restaurants? Just because they don't want people doing it near the arena either?

The smoking area stinks to high heaven downstairs the minute any door opens so it kind of defeats the purpose of having a seperate area for it. The 25 foot within the building part is a little much and I'm not sure how enforceable it is but whatever.

 

I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic.

[DevsMan84]

I'm not a smoker and never have been, but damn, I don't understand why the outdoor deck can't continue to be used for smokers. That, and e-cig users ever bothered me.

 

I once went out there after a game and it was completely covered in cigarette butts.  Was pretty gross actually.

[Colin226]

The way the Devils seem to be positioning it, it's a state/city regulation they are just following.. I'm sure they hate it too and don't mind pointing the finger elsewhere when the smokers come complaining

 

But yeah, if it's a deal-breaker for some folks in terms of going to games, I personally say good riddance to them

[Devilsfan118]

Also not a smoker, and never have been, so I'm going to take a bit of a harsh stance on this one.  Good, I'm glad they're doing away with it.  When that smoking deck is open during the intermissions that entire side of the concourse wreaks of smoke.

[DJ Eco]

The way the Devils seem to be positioning it, it's a state/city regulation they are just following.. I'm sure they hate it too and don't mind pointing the finger elsewhere when the smokers come complaining

 

But yeah, if it's a deal-breaker for some folks in terms of going to games, I personally say good riddance to them

 

On one hand I agree with you, but on the other hand, we can't afford to alienate any more people into not coming to games. As a season ticketholder, my main preference of entertainment is having the stands be full around me; and that's not really dampened by the presence of smokers or kids who wanted to yell "You Suck!" and can't anymore... We should take anyone we can get. Attendance last year was okay, all things considering, but it's generally not good enough.

 

There's nothing that ruins "the gameday experience" more for me than when there are 14,000 or less people in our building.

Edited September 25, 2014 by DJ Eco

[dmann422]

Quitting that time wasn't a struggle at all...I actually think it was my body telling me "Stop putting this crap in me! Enough of this sh!t!"

interesting, I don't want to derail the thread but the psychological affects behind addiction can be really interesting. For you to just be able to one day stop and not look back is great. My brother took up smoking a few years ago and he claims he could stop if he wanted to... I'm not so sure but I guess it's specific to each person.

[Colin226]

On one hand I agree with you, but on the other hand, we can't afford to alienate any more people into not coming to games. As a season ticketholder, my main preference of entertainment is having the stands be full around me; and that's not really dampened by the presence of smokers or kids who wanted to yell "You Suck!" and can't anymore... We should take anyone we can get. Attendance last year was okay, all things considering, but it's generally not good enough.

 

There's nothing that ruins "the gameday experience" more for me than when there are 14,000 or less people in our building.

 

Totally agree that we can't alienate fans but I don't think we need to let them dictate the way the organizations wants to run itself.. And when it comes to smokers, there aren't a ton at games who do light up during the event (relative to total atte4ndance), and of the ones who do, how many would actually boycott games because of it? Likewise, how many families/people feel alienated when those doors open and smoke wafts into the building? It'll be interesting to see how much of an impact this ends up having, but my guess is not much

[2ELIAS6]

just read this over on facebook, a lot of people are upset about this already. Personally i could careless, its now the same situation as at MSG they never had a smoking area there and you cannot leave the arena and then come back in. Its 2 and a half hours that youre in the building if you cant go that long with out a cigarette i dont know what to tell you..dont come, it will smell a lot less for those of us that dont smoke.

[Chuck the Duck]

I'm not a smoker, so I don't care. However, I see no reason why the old policy of having smokers use the first floor balconies was an issue.

This is not a Prudential Center policy though. It is a state law that will apply to MetLife Stadium, Izod Center, NJPAC, PNC Bank arts center, etc. the problem is, the Rocks no reentry policy (which is standard at all stadiums), when combined with the law that prevents smoking within 25 feet of the building, effectively prohibits smokers from having a cigarette at any point in time during the event. I can definitely see a lawsuit arising out of this.

[2ELIAS6]

im not sure how you could see a lawsuit happening over this?... if its a state law for arenas and stadiums that is being put in effect it is a state law..and if the stadiums and arenas have pretty much always held in effect the policy of no re entry after youve already been inside.. where do you see a lawsuit coming from over this? What its going to be is just too bad for people who want to smoke.

[TheMazz]

I'm not a smoker. (well, tabacco anyway) but I've been around quite a few. I know a lot of people within my family that are smokers. To say "if you can't go 2.5 hours without smoking at a Devils game blah blah blah" is absoutely asinine. It isn't that easy for people that are addicted to it. If it's a state law and there was no choice then that's one thing, however, I see no problem of having an outdoor balcony. It never bothered me nor affected me and to all of the non-smokers here it really didn't effect you either.

 

It's so easy to go after smokers and bash them to high heaven but unless you've seen what addiction does to you then you truly can't judge.

[devlman]

I quit smoking in May of 2001 and haven't taken a puff since, after smoking for about 9 years.  (About 4-5 packs a week). 

 

Some hard-core smokers will complain about "health Nazis", whatever, but let's face it, smoking is stupid and there's no defending it: nothing good comes out of it, on many levels it's actually kind of selfish (secondhand smoke harms other people, and family members (like your children) may have to deal with taking care of you later in life, after smoking has done its irreparable harm), they're a fire hazard, and butts being left all over the place is disgusting.  And it reeks.

 

Sorry, but if you can't handle 2.5-3 hrs of not smoking when you go to a Devils' game, that's YOUR problem.  You can light up just before you hit the 25 feet border, and do the same just after.  It's not that much to ask. 

 

The argument isnt whether smoking is bad. We all know it is. But, why take away the smoker's outside ledge? Who or what was that hurting? E-cigs, too? Why?  And I am not a smoker so it doesnt affect me one way or the other, but why risk alienating fans and people when they're not bothering anyone?