Anti-smoking American milestone reached...

[Guest]

RENO (AP) — Thirty years after it began as just another quirky movement in Berkeley, Calif., the push to ban smoking in restaurants, bars and other public places has reached a national milestone.

For the first time in the nation's history, more than half of Americans live in a city or state with laws mandating that workplaces, restaurants or bars be smoke-free, according to Americans for Non-smokers' Rights.

movement for smoke-free air

 

[chrisguinther]

I honestly don't have a problem with most public places being smoke-free. Just give us our tobacco shops and cigar lounges, that's all i ask. Again, this is cigarette smoking we're talking about. Not that I disrespect them, but us cigar smokers are getting the shaft as well.

 

[Guest]

First the cigarettes, then will come the cigars and pipes turn in the wringer. The final solution will certainly be..."a smoke free enviorment". They have preached this from the beginning. Once this is achieved and the tax revenue disappears from these sales, they will look for other avenues of taxation to re-generate the losses. It was all about sue big tobacco revenue to begin with, IMO?

 

[Travismaine]

I honestly don't have a problem with most public places being smoke-free. Just give us our tobacco shops and cigar lounges, that's all i ask. Again, this is cigarette smoking we're talking about. Not that I disrespect them, but us cigar smokers are getting the shaft as well.

I think this decision should lie solely in the hands of the proprietor of what ever the establishment is. It is not for the government to tell a private business owner that they can not allow a legal activity.

Keep in mind these done for " the public good"acts and will simply be a steeping stone. First you cant smoke then you cant wear perfume and so on and so on.

In my state Maine the City of Bangor passed a law that says you cant smoke in your car if there is a child under 18 in it. This is a dangerous slippery slope. Whats next you cant feed your kid fast food? Will they pass a law that says you can only allow your child to eat so many calories a day?

 

[hammondc]

I honestly don't have a problem with most public places being smoke-free. Just give us our tobacco shops and cigar lounges, that's all i ask. Again, this is cigarette smoking we're talking about. Not that I disrespect them, but us cigar smokers are getting the shaft as well.

I agree. I usually ask for non-smoking in a restaurant because I find cigarette smoke very offensive. I hate the dry smell of it. I have no problem with most public places baning smoking. The exceptions IMHO are bars, cigar shoppes. I have a BIG problem when they start baning it your private residence or in the car.

 

[Kelvin]

I think I am right in line with Travis. I will say that I find cigarette smoke offensive (yes, I am an ex- cigarette smoker) - but I think he touches on the point that I agree with the most - we are hitting a slippery slope.

I DO think that most folks are crazy to smoke in a car with kids in it - I still remember when my mom used to a thousand years ago - but where does it stop? I know that in NJ there is a legislator who is going to introduce a bill shortly and if passed will take effect in a few months to make it illegal to smoke in a car with kids.

 

[brennivin]

I live in Seattle, which has a smoking ban. And as a gigging musician, I love it. I could've chosen to only play non-smoking venues, but honestly, cafe's are not a good place for my louder projects (and bars pay out more ). But I do also feel it should be up to the proprietor. Seattle being the kind of town it is, there were plenty of non-smoking bars/public places around already. So I'm a bit conflicted to some extent.

As for in your car with kids ... I think I may be leaning toward ok with it. It's considered child abuse to make your kid drink bleach. How is second hand smoke different? I didn't even smoke in my house until the missus OK'd it.

There's a bill about making it illegal to spank children under a certain age. The slope is indeed slippery.

Heck, if I move to Iceland it won't be an issue

 

[CyberPsyko]

Personally, I believe this is all extremely unconstitutional. Thomas Jefferson is probably rolling in his grave right now. Image the government telling the owner of a private establishment that they cannot allow a totally legal act. Thats right, smoking is (still) legal to do. Moreover, all of the evidence from studies show that second hand smoke is only an annoyance and not a health issue (in fact the World Health Organization found that children who grew up with two smoking parents have a 22% less chance of developing lung cancer, asthma and emphysema).

I can understand not smoking in public places. Thats fine, but a bar or restaurant owned by an individual or private corporation is by definition private property. So, in essence they are banning a legal act committed in private.

(*Insert sarcasm here*) I say, lets go the full nine. Ban Starbucks! Coffee is a drug; it stains your teeth; the smell cannot be contained to the cup. Personally, I think the smell of Starbucks coffee smells like burned coffee and it annoys me. (*end sarcasm*)

The fact is, you get more damage to your lungs (from things like carbon monoxide) driving to their unconstitutionally smoke free environments.

Whew! What a rant! Sorry about that. Ya know, once you get me started I just go on and on.

 

[Markus59]

This wouldn't be a problem if banning smoking in restaurants and public buildings is where it stopped, these people are in it for the long haul with a goal to see all smoking banned everywhere, even in our own homes, cars with children is only the first step to that, next it will be homes with children, then homes where children may visit, etc.

These groups are no different than the anti gun movement, they will keep chipping away at our rights until we no longer have any.

 

[CyberPsyko]

These groups are no different than the anti gun movement, they will keep chipping away at our rights until we no longer have any.

"The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." -Thomas Jefferson

 

[Bikeman]

My city has had a complete smoking ban for quite a while now, and they recently included outdoor patios in the legislation.

I mean get real, no smoking in an outdoor patio?? That is just ludicrous, but its what the people wanted, so they got it.

You should see the ad they have on TV to justify this intrusion, it is just pathetic!! There you go people, the end will always justify the means when it come to big government telling us what to do!

 

[chrisguinther]

We have a right to decide what's good and bad for our health without institutions reminding us about. Cigar smokers are educated people. Drinking is bad for you. Eating is bad for you. Inhaling oxygen is bad for you. It is my body, and I should have the right to decide how I treat it without hurting others.

 

[iminaquagmire]

This makes me so angry I better not try to say anything about the politians and pleasure police.

I will say though, at this point, and I know it sounds counterintuitive, but I hope they do enact an outright national public ban. I think its the only way to get things changed. With every city and its neighbor banning smoking and imposing taxes, it irritates the hell out of smokers, revenues drop, businesses go under, but it only affects local politics and law. If it were to go national, I have no doubt that it would end up just like the Volstead Act. Its something that cannot be enforced, and to even attempt to do so, would be too big of a strain on the economy and justice system.

 

[CyberPsyko]

This makes me so angry I better not try to say anything about the politians and pleasure police.

I will say though, at this point, and I know it sounds counterintuitive, but I hope they do enact an outright national public ban. I think its the only way to get things changed. With every city and its neighbor banning smoking and imposing taxes, it irritates the hell out of smokers, revenues drop, businesses go under, but it only affects local politics and law. If it were to go national, I have no doubt that it would end up just like the Volstead Act. Its something that cannot be enforced, and to even attempt to do so, would be too big of a strain on the economy and justice system.

Its interesting that you reference the Volstead Act. Its proof that prohibition only creates a black market and thus crime. The tobacco industry (as history proves) will change from an institution that makes the government money to having a "War on Tobacco" that will cost the government money. Prohibition never works and it never will. I just wish we [as a nation] could learn from our past for once.

It does, however fall on our shoulders to make sure that the right things happen. I think we all need a homework assignment:

Tell two people about how the EPA report of 93 is federally declared a lie. That the same effects of second hand smoke can be compared to coffee (for the record, I'm not really against coffee...I loves my coffee). Point out how ludicrous this all is.

If we can educate two people each, they may go on to inform people. If we can get others to do the same, the word will get around. I know it sounds pretty idealistic, but it couldn't hurt... right?

Another thing we can do appeal to our own local and state governments. Thats why I love the Union. Talk to your senator or congressman. It isn't hard to get a message to them and that is an entire third of the federal government. The only thing that allows these bans to keep going is our inaction. Unfortunately, tobacco will probably need to get banned before this nation is motivated to fix it. Just like the Blaine Act that ultimately repealed the Volstead Act in 1933. Things have to get worse before we are motivated to make it better... IMHO.