My husband and I live in an apartment above a bar in Woodlawn. I have been complaining to the owner and barmaids for years. The owner had been  sympathetic to our situation but still refuses to follow the law and stop his patrons from smoking.  My husband has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and I have asthma. My husband is hospitalized at least 2 times a year due to breathing problems. The secondhand smoke seeps into our apartment every day and night.  Since smoking has been banned in bars for years, this is a CRIME.  Does anyone know if this is a common situation for all the bars in Woodlawn? Any advice for finding a solution to this terrible situation?

People smoke in one bar?  I'm guessing you don't get out much.  People smoke in probably half the bars in Woodlawn.  Feels like the speakeasies back in the day I suppose.  I'm not particularly bothered by it even though I am an ex-smoker.

The smoking ban hasn't been in place for that long.  If you moved into the apartment prior to the ban you knew what you were getting.  Bars = noise & smoke.

The smoking ban has been around since 2003, so bars have had plenty of time to enforce it.  Why should Woodlawn exempt itself?  I would contact the NYC Bureau of Tobacco Control http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/smoke/smoke.shtml.  You can also call 311 and they'll give you the telephone number.  Keep calling until you get results.  It won't hurt to call the local NYS Liquor Authority too.  You'll only get the attention of your "sympathetic" owner when you threaten his bottom line.

Don't be a jerk.  The smoking ban is stupid.  If you haven't noticed many of the businesses on Katonah aren't exactly doing so well.  There's no need to try to depress the income of local businessmen even further by getting them in trouble with the law.

Plus think on the practical side.  If the bar owner finds out who's been ratting him out, do you want to have to deal with that mess?  I know I wouldn't.

If a business owner can only make his living by breaking the law, he should find another occupation.  People have a right to protect their own health.