Jordan Alhadeff, Supervisor, Service Delivery:

Well it’s the start of the 2008-09 Seahawks season and I know I am!  I have my tickets, my Seahawks shirt, and my tailgating buddies.  Like last year, I am looking forward to the pre-game festivities followed by the walk over to Qwest Field and topped off by talking about the match up with my buddies while they have a cigarette in the designated smoking area before taking our seats However this year is a bit different, and no, Qwest Field is not charging less than $7.50 for a beer.  Instead they have decided, in an effort to improve the fan experience, to ban “Smoking on Qwest Field and Event Center premises.”  Now for those who don’t know, up till last year Qwest allowed patrons to smoke in designated smoking areas once they entered the stadium.  The smoking area I am familiar with is away from fans enjoying the game to the point where one cannot smoke and watch the action at the same time.

Since I don’t smoke, it is an easy decision for me to stay and watch the game; however, for my buddy Larry it is a different story since he is a smoker.  Now unlike last year, he does not have the choice to miss part of the game and have a cigarette; as a matter of fact, he has no choice at all because he will not be readmitted to Qwest Field if he steps out to smoke. Now I don’t entirely understand what that nicotine urge feels like, but I can imagine it is the only thought Larry has for some time and probably can’t enjoy all the NFL action.  And if it is anything like that feeling when you know you have to go to the restroom but have to wait, then I know I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the game either.  So now, instead of fighting the urge to talk trash to the opposing team’s fans in our section he has to fight that urge to light up.

What this boils down to is the fan’s rights to enjoy the game free from most preventable annoyances.  As a non-smoker I enjoy not having to smell the smoke and have its sight occlude my view of the game.  However, for my buddy Larry, I am sure the thought to smoke impacts his ability to enjoy all the action.  We both have the right to enjoy the game and Qwest Field banning smoking for Larry is similar to if they banned the restrooms for me.  Since I have heard and seen the resistance this ban has created amongst smokers in the stadium, I am wondering what can be done to support their right to quit?  The smoking bans are certainly effective at decreasing smoking rates but can be initially met with hostility when there is no support offered in exchange for the right to smoke in a public place.  Perhaps Qwest Field can support the 12th man in their tobacco cessation efforts, by not threatening a smoker with ejection or loss of future tickets, but by offering the support every smoker needs with quitting.  With more and more companies and public places going smoke free, to what degree should these businesses be held responsible in supporting the people they’re inconveniencing the most?