ST. CHARLES, Ill.—There will be no smoking indoors at a large convention for pipe smokers being held in suburban St. Charles.
A new Illinois law bans smoking in public places. That’s extinguished some of the fun at this weekend’s Chicagoland International Pipe & Tobacciana Show.
The event draws 4,000 pipe collectors from more than 60 countries. Organizers tried to get around the new law by arguing their gathering was a private club meeting.
But police and health officials said no.
Instead, a large smoking tent has been set up 15 feet away from the Pheasant Run convention center.
That’s where convention-goer Al Shinogle of Denver lit up his hand-carved pipe and asked: “How would you like it if you went to a wine tasting and you couldn’t taste the wine?”
———
Information from: Chicago Tribune,
