Club Soda in Terre Haute, Indiana braces for the impact of a State Wide No Smoking Ban, Including Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings July 2, 2012

Indiana has just instituted a state wide ban on indoor smoking, including 12 Step meeting places. Club Soda on 609 South 4th Street, Terre Haute, Indiana, 47807 is complying with the ban in an attempt to make the meeting place more family friendly. Despite the long standing indoor smoking policy for years, and being set up as a bar type atmosphere, they are going to comply and will require people to go outside to smoke and plan on making a smoking patio for the sober bar.

The About Page of Club Soda is..

Club Soda is a sober social environment that houses twelve step meetings and social events that don't involve drugs or alcohol. Club Soda's motto is "Providing an environment that is conducive to recovery." Club Soda also has a residential program that serves as a safe alternative for some who are facing incarceration due to their addictions.

Read more: http://clubsodaterrehaute.org/About_Us.html

Smoked out: Bans take effect

July 2, 2012
Brian Boyce The Tribune-Star

..... Inside Club Soda on South Fourth Street, members were of mixed opinion on the topic that afternoon.

Program director George Fields said he’d just hosted a membership meeting and the topic was raised again, as it has been throughout the ongoing debates stemming from the city, county and state regulations.

“There are going to be some disgruntled members initially,” he said, noting he just quit smoking himself last August.

Club Soda hosts substance abuse counseling sessions and meetings for groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Designed to resemble a bar, complete with pool table and big screen television, the building strictly prohibits alcohol, drugs and now, cigarettes.

Brooke Dunning, a smoker, said she supports the county’s ban and in the long-run, more people will come to Club Soda because of it. While other members argued that recovering addicts won’t participate in meetings without their cigarettes, Dunning said others have avoided the building because of the smoke.

“I don’t think the ban will (keep people from coming), I think their attitude about it will,” she said, adding she now feels more comfortable bringing her children to social events there.

Fields said members’ heavy smoking in years past did cause some issues, and his own son would become congested while attending events. Despite air blowers throughout the facility, the impact of the smoke was obvious from walls to ceiling, he said.

“Even for people who smoke, the smoke was so thick they wouldn’t come in here,” he said.

Fields now uses a vapor device, which resembles a cigarette and delivers nicotine while generating steam. That’s been very successful in helping him quit, he said. Smokeless tobacco, chew and snuff, are likewise uncovered by the ordinance.

“I think there are a lot of people who do both anyway,” Fields said.

In the short term, Club Soda plans to build a covered deck outside for its members who smoke, and Dunning plans to quit.

“For my kids,” she said.....

Read more:http://tribstar.com/local/x546490564/Smoked-out-Bans-take-effect

Alcoholics Anonymous in Terre Haute Indiana is handled by the Wabash Intergroup on 605 Ohio Street, Suite 202 , Terre Haute, Indiana 47807.

http://www.terrehauteaa.com/