Tobacco.org

• Hotel smoking bans: Can you get away with beating a ban?  

On Tuesday, I asked you "Do you think hotels are too tough on smokers?," which proved to be a hot topic even though it's been almost three years since Marriott became the largest hotel operator to ban smoking in all its hotels.

Hands-down, I'd say the most eyebrow-raising comment came from reader Zipptydoda, who revealed a way to beat the ban (and risk of being charged a $250 room cleaning fee by Marriott hotels). Here is what Zipptydoda wrote:

"When I go to a non-smoking hotel such as Marriott, the first thing I do when I get to the room is light up. Then after I finish my cigarette, I go down to the front desk and complain that the rooms smells of smoke. When the ask me if I would like to switch rooms I say, 'No, I just unpacked. Please make a note of it.' I then proceed to smoke for the rest of my stay," Zipptydoda wrote. "I have never been charged a smoker's cleaning fee." . . .

* Go further with hotel smoking bans: Reader gersh94 criticized people who light up in non-smoking rooms and appreciates the bans since "you cannot control where the smoke goes, or the stink you leave behind." Gersh94 complained about a Le Meridien hotel in France where, even though the room was a non-smoking room, the pool allowed smoking.

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