Waking up in the same clothes while reeking of ciggies can be a great way to persuade us into a hike for a bit of smog fresh air. However, in two months from now another push to move smoking outside of bars and nightclubs is going to be taking effect. Or will it? Yesterday hundreds of bar and restaurant workers protested against the planned smoking ban out of fear of losing their jobs. Some protesters lit cigarettes (clever!), others subtly threw eggs and tomatoes at a picture of Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok, claiming he had failed to listen to their concerns.

Bar and club owners are pushing for a two year delay, complaining that they will lose even more money if smoking is officially banned on July 1st. The Entertainment Business Rights Concern Group (EBRCG) cites that the current economic climate in combination with swine flu and the drink-driving ban has driven away almost 1/3 of revenues. Hang on… Viruses and recessions we get. Preventing drunk bankers from playing a real-life game of Carmageddon appears to be a solid piece of legislation though..

You’d think one way to get more business is to not charge us HK$ 100 for a vodka tonic, as Club 7-11 is always around the corner. But anyway, it’s now up to the wise men and women of our government to decide whether the ban gets another delay. In the meantime, ignorance is indeed bliss. Just ask the visionary owners of the latest Lan Kwai Fong addition, ‘Ashtray’.