When it comes to the smoking ban I am torn. For almost 11 years I was a dedicated chimney. I didn’t just smoke when I went out – I chain smoked. I quit a few times, but went back within a couple of months. But now I am all impregnated and I can’t stand the smell of cigarette smoke. My lungs literally feel like they are going to collapse when I breathe it in, and someone could be in a car three lanes over and my stomach turns at the smell of their cigarette. 

Put me on a pitchfork if you must – it seems the most popular form of disagreeing with people lately so I can handle it – but I am not 100% sure that I won’t pick the habit back-up after I pop this kiddo out. (Bracing myself and moving on…)

So, taking into account my former smoking self, being forgiving of a potential future smoking self, and in accordance with my intense desire that people start staying the crap out of each other’s personal business, I think that a straight ban on smoking seems excessive and unfair. But at the same time my not wanting to be around it makes me highly appreciative of the establishments that are smoke-free by choice. 

I like how they handle it in Memphis – if a place is exclusively 21 and over then smoking is allowed, if kiddos are allowed in (even just during restaurant hours) then it is non-smoking period. Seems like an intelligent compromise – it gives everyone options as there are bars, music venues and restaurants that cater to adults only in the evenings that non smoking and there are some that allow smoking. It’s like this – I understand if you want to protect your lungs and I get it, but at the same time peeing poses a potential health risk to the public if people don’t wash their hands afterwards (another dirty habit that causes others to become ill), but you don’t see peeing in public establishments being banned. There are certain rules around it that people obey. You picking up what I am putting down here?

Anyhow, even though there hasn’t been a law passed on what we are and aren’t allowed to do with our lungs in public, there are a few spots in St. Louis that have voluntarily gone smoke free. Like establishments in cities where there is a wide smoking ban, many offer spots for the smoker to find nicotine-filled respite, but here is a quick list of some of my favorite spots in St. Louis where pregnant people can mingle amongst the crowd… dude, just because I can’t drink doesn’t mean I live for listening to the police scanner on Saturday nights (I only listen to it on weeknights, thank you very much):

• The Royale Food and Spirits – 3132 S. Kingshighway
• Off Broadway – 3511 Lemp Ave
• Atomic Cowboy – 4140 Manchester Ave
• Newstead Tower Public House – 4353 Manchester Ave 
• Mia Rosa – 4501 Manchester
• Schlafly Bottleworks – 1 Schlafly Plaza (Maplewood)

There is a longer list of smoke free spots on Smoke Free St. Louis’ website, but they include bakeries and wine markets so it is kind of hard to distinguish which places are good hangouts and which places just wanted to be listed to have their name out there.  I would love to know if there are any other spots in St. Louis that are decent to spend an evening hanging out at, and that are also smoke free. Leave them in the comments puh-lease – oh, and make sure your good karma stays in tact – think about hugging a smoker afterwards.

Melody is the Managing Editor and resident Gadget Geek for Girls Guide. She is a freelance writer for blogs and such, and her primary focus is Girls Guide. You can email her at melody [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and you can follow her on Twitter- @cosmosgirl.