Smoking ban soon here

Sadly, I believe that the time is coming where smoking will be completely banned. Personally, I am a nonsmoker, but if people want to smoke in their own yards and houses they should be able to. I can honestly see why they banned smoking in restaurants and other public places like that, but the bans they are placing are really beginning to get ridiculous. Sooner or later smoking will probably be banned completely. Though, I think if that happens a situation like what happened during prohibition will arise.

For the longest time smoking was allowed in Congress in the lobby just outside the House floor, then came Nancy Peloski...what part of the Constitutuion allows for the SoH to dictate such policy?

www.msnbc.msn.com...

There used to be the sweet irony of smoking being banned in all federal buildings except the capital building. As Homer would say...lousy democrats.

[edit on 1-6-2007 by Ahabstar]

I dont think its fair that society gang up on smokers. Generally I have found smokers to be active, friendly and hard working people, aside from engaging in a bad habit.

I suggest that smoking did have an effect of joining people in a common group for conversation which was good.

I also suggest that non smokers and reformered smokers give a little respect to people hooked on an extremly addictive and dangerous drug.

My local park bans smoking but allows intravenous injection disposal so I ask the question What's the overall logic?

Smokers should be accepted as members of our society, encouraged and financed to give up, but not viewed as aliens. We could then go to taxes paid to governemt, promotion in developing countries, drug supplies but thats another topic altogether......
And then alcohol.
What a can of worms - legal drugs............

Originally posted by Saturn
Sadly, I believe that the time is coming where smoking will be completely banned. Personally, I am a nonsmoker, but if people want to smoke in their own yards and houses they should be able to. I can honestly see why they banned smoking in restaurants and other public places like that, but the bans they are placing are really beginning to get ridiculous. Sooner or later smoking will probably be banned completely. Though, I think if that happens a situation like what happened during prohibition will arise.

Yep, Ohio recently turned communist with a statedwide indoor smoking ban voted by the people due misleading information promoted the bill. I know of one "floating" speakeasy in Cincinnati that uses several buildings as locations. They also have more deviant indulges for their special customers. Gambling rooms, sex rooms, drug use rooms, smoking rooms...basically you name it they got it. Although they claim that the sex is not prosititution, the owner does say if you want sex with a willing insert your desire here (red, blonde, asian, whatever) he has it for you.

Cincinnati is a very conservative city that ran out Larry Flint when he first started Hustler and does not freely allow porno video stores and sex toy shops inside city limits to this day.

Originally posted by Nobusuke Tagomi

Originally posted by intrepid
You're not going to believe this one

As I have 3 kids I go outside to smoke, yes, even at -25C. Now the gov't is looking at legislation to disallow smoking in your yard. WHAT? They want me inside poisoning my kids?

How are they going to enforce that, mount a talking Camera on the wall of your house overlooking the Garden -- that shouts Fascist, pro-authoritarian rhetoric at you when you smoke, or drop litter?

Throw Turds at it to obscure it's vision.

Tell your Government to go and [REDACTED]

Throw Turds at them, too.

Well, there are all types of communication available. A neighbor doesn't like you, they could call the cops. They better get it right though. If you weren't smoking but BBQing a burger they would face a monster problem with the cops then.

Originally posted by intrepid
You're not going to believe this one

As I have 3 kids I go outside to smoke, yes, even at -25C. Now the gov't is looking at legislation to disallow smoking in your yard. WHAT? They want me inside poisoning my kids?

If they ban smoking from the outdoors, smokers should demand that gas engines be banned from the outdoors first as a goodwill gesture.

I have no remorse for the poor smokers that must go out side to get their drug fix.

I hope you realize what a monkey on your back it is that you cannot go out to eat cause your not allowed to have your dirty fix in public spaces.

Its about time the smoker minority gets its right deserve.

Its been smoke free in Ontario for a while.
Praise God.

Originally posted by junglelord
I have no remorse for the poor smokers that must go out side to get their drug fix.

I hope you realize what a monkey on your back it is that you cannot go out to eat cause your not allowed to have your dirty fix in public spaces.

Its about time the smoker minority gets its right deserve.

Its been smoke free in Ontario for a while.
Praise God.

Yeah, yeah, I know the attitude, been putting up with it for years. "About time.....", you're kidding right? We've been taking it dry for years. I'm also in Ontario. So are friends of mine that no longer have their coffee shop because of this legislation. They didn't smoke btw.

I live in NY and you can't smoke anywhere! In the few places that allow you to smoke, you have to go into a nasty smoking room with 20 other people, no windows and a tiny exhaust fan. Even though i am a smoker, I still can't stand to be in these rooms as they are quite disgusting. I'm quitting soon anyway, it's way to much of a hassle to get a smoke in these days.

Originally posted by intrepid

Well, there are all types of communication available. A neighbor doesn't like you, they could call the cops. They better get it right though. If you weren't smoking but BBQing a burger they would face a monster problem with the cops then.

Yes, yes of course. A very good point, there, Intrepid.

It would appear that time has run out.

Very well. I would just like to thank you all for giving me a chance to behave (again). This is not something that I can control, for it has all been ordained.

I shall, of course, return.

I personally find it funny that, pretty much universally, governments have decided to frame the debate as "ban or not ban".

This is ridiculous, especially in America. Why is it so hard to let the market decide what the consumer wants. Enacting legislation that would simply require businesses to advertise whether they allow smoking or not (much in the same way they do for no shoes, i.e. a sign on the entrances) is so simple it boggles the mind that I've seen no one even suggest it.

People like to complain all day about it, but I'd bet they would patronize those establishments they wanted to.

I was single and young. I smoked. At the time, given the choice, I'd probably have chosen to go into places that allowed smoking.

Now I have a wife and 3 kids, so I'd probably go to places that didn't allow smoking.

I fail to see why giving people the option is such a bad idea. God forbid we simply try to employ that which allows for liberty.

To me, smoking bans are as nonsensical as hate crime legislation.

I agree with some of the posts here that believe that this is all just a prelude to a total smoking ban.

In the UK, people who smoke are sometimes denied medical treatment because of it, and yet smokers pay more tax to the government than any other group, which in turn props up the NHS.

Surely then, smokers should be first in the queue for treatment?

This is really about taking away a freedom of choice because "it's for our own good" - but smokers are aware of the risks and many choose to smoke.

Yet another example of governments deciding that they know best, whatever the will of the populace.

Perhaps we should have a referendum to decide the issue?

never happen

Originally posted by djohnsto77
I live in New York City and it's absolutely horrible. I hardly ever go out to bars anymore, and I and others have to periodically leave the table at a restaurant to go outside and smoke.

I think it really cuts into restaurant profits since beforehand I would want to hang out in the bar for a while before dinner, then linger over dinner and order dessert and an after dinner drink. Now I just want to get out ASAP.

I need to move to Vegas...you can smoke everywhere there!

(while playing blackjack AND having sex with a hooker at the same time I should add

)

[edit on 6/1/2007 by djohnsto77]

I live in New York as well and I agree with the banning of smoking. It's quite irritating, though I am NOT a smoker, I feel everyone has the right to be able to smoke their cigarette when and where they please.

These restaurants banning smokers from their establishments is the same as banning a race of people from their restaurant. If they said, African Americans are now not allowed in home depot...wouldn't that be offensive? (Don't know why home depot...but...why not).

Basically I feel that if someone chooses to smoke cigarettes, then let them. Just because you or I do not agree with their choice, it's not our choice to decide what is "right" and what is "wrong", for right and wrong is in the eyes of the beholder. Having these smoking laws is ridiculous, and unfair, for it's offensive to those who do smoke, and taking their rights away.

Originally posted by Eluna

While I agree with your point of view on the issue, I did want to counter a few of your ideas.

These restaurants banning smokers from their establishments is the same as banning a race of people from their restaurant. If they said, African Americans are now not allowed in home depot...wouldn't that be offensive? (Don't know why home depot...but...why not).

Not even close. People do not choose to be black, smokers do. I chose to smoke and I chose to quit. I am now NOT a smoker. I'll ask my buddy (who is half white and half black but looks full black), to choose to be white.

Basically I feel that if someone chooses to smoke cigarettes, then let them. Just because you or I do not agree with their choice, it's not our choice to decide what is "right" and what is "wrong", for right and wrong is in the eyes of the beholder. Having these smoking laws is ridiculous, and unfair, for it's offensive to those who do smoke, and taking their rights away.

This is not a smoker issue, it's an everyone issue. We ALL have the right to (or should) choose the establishments we patronize.

Smoking is neither right nor wrong, and I've seen nothing to indicate it's either way. I say let the establishment choose it's own path. The market will decide.

Eluna

It's hardly the same thing - passive smoking can cause respiratory problems - how would african americans or any other group affect your health.

Seems a weak analogy to me.

Overtime things will change and go back to (almost) the way they were. Where I live, smoking was recently banned and of course people had to go outside to light up, so the bar owners started putting up portable heaters out on the decks etc.

But then people would get wet when it snowed or rained, the the bar owners put up these humongous thick plastic tents. So now the smokers are warm and dry, but the wind would whip the tents around a good bit, so the bar owners braced the tents with wood and metal poles.

So now the smokers don't go outside, they just go to another room.

By the way, I don't smoke (but used to) and feel that the government should not dictate how a person runs his privately owned bussiness.

Originally posted by KrazyJethro

Originally posted by Eluna

While I agree with your point of view on the issue, I did want to counter a few of your ideas.

These restaurants banning smokers from their establishments is the same as banning a race of people from their restaurant. If they said, African Americans are now not allowed in home depot...wouldn't that be offensive? (Don't know why home depot...but...why not).

Not even close. People do not choose to be black, smokers do. I chose to smoke and I chose to quit. I am now NOT a smoker. I'll ask my buddy (who is half white and half black but looks full black), to choose to be white.

Basically I feel that if someone chooses to smoke cigarettes, then let them. Just because you or I do not agree with their choice, it's not our choice to decide what is "right" and what is "wrong", for right and wrong is in the eyes of the beholder. Having these smoking laws is ridiculous, and unfair, for it's offensive to those who do smoke, and taking their rights away.

This is not a smoker issue, it's an everyone issue. We ALL have the right to (or should) choose the establishments we patronize.

Smoking is neither right nor wrong, and I've seen nothing to indicate it's either way. I say let the establishment choose it's own path. The market will decide.

I shall give you that, no one chooses their race, and my comparison I recall may be wrong. But, I wasn't using it as a choice, I was using it as an exclusion example, though I see what you mean. Smoking was brought upon someone's on freewill, and being born a race was not, I just feel no one should be excluded from anywhere.

Establishments do have the right into deciding who may enter and not enter their establishment, though that's exclusion. But since smoking is harmful to people, and I like you most likely, don't want to be harmed by someone else's choice, isn't fair either. It's an up and down field for me, but I sense that in a way your opinion on the subject is better than mine.

Originally posted by budski
Eluna

It's hardly the same thing - passive smoking can cause respiratory problems - how would African Americans or any other group affect your health.

Seems a weak analogy to me.

Haha, that is true. African Americans, along with other groups of race, do not affect my health as cigarettes do.

I live in Cardiff so we got the smoking ban a little while ago. I recently visited my parents who live in England and I really noticed all the smoke there. I didn't think I would notice it at all, but it was horrible standing at bus stops and train stations with all the smoke.

I completely support the smoking ban - why should I go out and get poisoned by someone else's habit?

Haven't seen any decrease in pub business in Cardiff, but I know a lot of landlords in other places in Wales were worried it would harm their businesses.

My city passed a smoking ban not long ago. As a smoker, I was very irritated at first. I was very accustomed to being able to light up after a big satisfying meal. Then all of a sudden, the server couldn't bring the check fast enough!

Now though, I rarely give it a thought. At the time, I figured some bars, and even some restaurants would suffer, but they seem to have done fine. Although the crowd outside the bars is an irritable one.

I've heard stories about some bars going to a membership system, requiring membership of a private 'club' to enter the establishment, making it a private gathering in a private building, doing private things such as ordering food, drinks, and smoking.

No luck finding one of these around here though...

Interesting about the private clubs thing - I am in the process of joining the RAOB club, so if I want a pint and a smoke, I can assuming I don't quit!

An amusing local story is that of the "Peruvian bar".
Apparently, many years ago, a local man went to Peru and made a fortune in silver. With this fortune, he built a street of houses, a couple of which were many years later turned into a pub.
The current landlords of the pub were rather perturbed by the upcoming smoking ban, and have written to the Peruvian embassy in London applying to be considered as a Peruvian consulate, as a way to get round the ban!

Ah, the English - if nothing else we're imaginative!



[edit on 1/6/2007 by budski]