NakedOnMyChain
Posts: 2431
Joined: 11/29/2004
From: Indiana
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: juliaoceania
In my state it has been illegal to smoke in any public place for several years, and smokers did not fall over and die or suffer in any way because of it, unless you consider nicotine withdrawl to be some sort of suffering, which as someone who has had plenty of experience with nicotine withdrawl, it isn;t all that bad to wait 10 minutes for a cigarette or to walk outside for one.
To some it is. I have no idea why.
quote:
I was a smoker for 23 years that did not believe I had the right to smoke anywhere I liked except in private homes and cars. I do not get the resistance to being kind, considerate, and respectful of others. Smoking bans were made because some people could not respect the rights of others.. simple as that. Some people need laws and repercussions because they are rude.
Not true. Smoking bans were made to make politicians look good. They will tell you it is for your health and hope you will vote for them next election. And if someone is smoking in an establishment where it is allowed, it is not disrespecting the rights of others. It is making use of one of the rights they are allowed.
Now, with that said, I believe in being a considerate smoker. If you are sitting in a restaurant in the smoking section and a couple with a child enters, put your cigarette out. (And question in your head why in the name of all that is right a couple would bring a child into the smoking section.)
quote:
I read earlier in this thread that second hand smoke decreases vitamin C in the bodies of those who do not smoke, and this was the only acknowledged side effect of smoking by a smoker in this thread. What gives the right to any other person to engage in something in my presense in a public place that has any effect on my body? What gives a smoker the right to do something that alters my physical being in any way shape or form? Who are they to decide that is is ok to engage in a behavior that alters the level of vitamin C in my person? I do not think they have that right, and there is a bunch of other stuff mentioned on this thread that second hand smoke does that I am not mentioning.. I am sticking with the side effect twicehappy stated occurs... the only one she would admit to.
Like I said earlier, that is where the smoking ban went wrong. Smoking on public streets, sidewalks, government buildings, parks, and anything else belonging to the city should be banned. The smoking issue in privately owned establishments should be left to the owner. Why? Because you don't have a choice but to go through public areas at some point in your life, and if it's allowed to smoke outside they can do so whereever they feel like. Do you really want to step through a gaggle of smokers on your way into your now smoke-free establishment? You do, however, have a choice whether or not to frequent privately owned businesses. If the government owns the property, let them ban it there. If a person owns the property, let them ban it or allow it as they choose.
Get rid of it where you absolutely must be around it. Keep it where you don't have to go. It makes sense to me.
quote:
I have lived by the concept "your rights end where they abridge mine".. I lived by it as a smoker. It is not that hard to comprehend. If a business owner stated that he wasn't going to force his employees to wash their hands after visiting the toilet, or wash dishes in hot water, or serve food that was too old, I do not think you would think that it was his right. He could say that his profits were being cut into by heating water and he could not afford to throw out bad food, but you would think the health department should stop him, I do not see why cigarette smoke, which invades the bodies of others, should be any less of a health concern.
There is a vital difference between employees washing their hands or washing dishes and smoking. The difference is that not washing properly is against the law. Smoking isn't, nor is buying cigarettes. Provided a smoker has washed their hands before they serve me, I have no problem with it. The argument you provided really doesn't add up.
The bottom line is that, yes, smoking is bad for you. But it's not illegal, and the government should have no say in whether someone allows it in his privately owned business. After all, the government allows it in their parks and on their streets. Apparently what's good for the goose isn't necessarily good for the gander. What's next? Banning smoking in individual residences?
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RE: Second hand smoke - 
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