Smoking Bans....

[VTECelude]

i'm glad for this ban, i smoked for like 8 years and finally decided to stop like 3 weeks ago. yeaaaaaaayyyy...i'm gonna be healthy again and not as broke:sun:

[unite@af]

Im really impressed... good job

[VTECelude]

thanks, you know there was only pros to quit smoking. i have more money throughout the week, my clothes don't smells, my car doesn't smell, i will maybe get myself back into shape. for everyone that want to try smoking, don't do it--it will really hit you hard in the ass when you wanna stop

[texan]

Originally posted by enzo@af


But, often by others enjoying their cancer sticks, I have to enjoy it as well. Sure, I don't have to walk behind them...I could cross the street, or eat at another table, or whatever...but again, I am now having to accomodate them.

[quote]
The point is that you eating chocolate won't kill me. And, if I can't sit somewhere I would like to, I am being stripped of my liberty. After all, it's their bad habit...I shouldn't have to compensate for them. [QOUTE]


The point here is that the government shouldn't need to get involved. If you don't like the fact someone is smoking near you, either move or ask them nicely to put it out. You might be surprised that dealing with your fellow man and your own problems is both more effective and more rewarding than having laws passed to "protect your rights". Honestly, this whole discussion is starting to smack of liberal and PC "it's not my responsibility" sort of thought. That all things either unhealthy or emotionally trying should be made illegal, or at least terribly taboo. You don't like smoking? So what. I don't like people who try to not only tell others what to do, but also move to have their opinions made law.

Here's the bottom line: LAWS TRADE FREEDOM FOR SAFETY. In our system of government, it's really that simple. They aren't there to enforce or institutionalize any sort of morality or judgement of one's actions, they are simply there to provide the greatest amount of freedom possible for a modicum of safety within the populace. Which is why government and lawbooks should remain as small as possible; to limit their amount of invasiveness in our lives. So are you honestly going to tell me that smoking within 30 feet of a given building is a large enough invasion of others' safety to require a damn law? I for one think that's ridiculous. Get to know your friends and neighbors, allow them the courtesy of acting responsibly without having to be told what to do by the government. Help them when needed, and allow them to help you once in a while. I swear, if we would just all loosen up and get to know one another a little this whole world would be a better place, and bullshit laws like front license plates, smoking within 30 feet of buildings and noise violations in the middle of the day wouldn't be an issue at all. Maybe what we really need is less law and more personal accountability, maybe all these laws are why people no longer feel personally responsible for their actions.

[enzo@af]

Originally posted by texan

The point here is that the government shouldn't need to get involved. If you don't like the fact someone is smoking near you, either move or ask them nicely to put it out. ......."it's not my responsibility" sort of thought. You don't like smoking? So what. I don't like people who try to not only tell others what to do, but also move to have their opinions made law.

You're right....the government shouldn't have to interfere...My pursuit of happiness shouldn't be compromised. Nonetheless, there are people out there whose deadly habit does limit my pursuit of happiness.

I don't like people smoking near me, yet I shouldn't have to ask them to move, or move myself. Now I am having to do extra work because of their habit.

And no, their courtesy is not my responsibility.

[texan]

Enzo, I fully understand what you and others here are saying, and I do sympathize with it. But again, turning to legislation to keep other's unwanted habits away from you is overkill and dangerous. What are you going to do next, legislate out a person's loud or obnoxious voice? Or maybe they have bad breath or body odor you just can't stand. Or more truely, perhaps they carry tuberculosis, leprosy, yellow fever, or any other communicable disease. The point here is that you're all on a very slippery slope with this attitude, and climbing it without falling and taking everyone with you is double tough.

And while we're on this subject, think about why this law was passed. Was it to prevent people from smoking or to prevent it from bothering others? In a downtown area, chances are it will be hard to ever smoke without breaking the law. But conversely, in a park or recreation area this law will have zero effect on the problem you are talking about. People will still be free to walk around and smoke, puffing that o-so-harmful white stuff into the air that kills people by the hundreds of thousands (yeah right). If you want to prevent people from smoking altogether, vote to make it truely illegal becuase this law will have no real effect on consumption (of course history tells us creating an illegal market will most certainly not do this either). Then again, there's no way the government would allow that to happen anytime soon, as their extortion of cigarette sale money would then be cut off. Basically I'm just trying to point out the futility of creating laws to fix social problems, and suggest alternate courses of action that are both more effective and less intrusive to the populace and it's freedoms. But I figure on this one, we'll just have to agree to disagree, because it seems like nobody understands how useless legislation is when addressing social issues. Peace.

[VTECelude]

i am trying to quit smoking stoges, but it's hard. oh well i guess ill just have to stick through it:smoker:

[John98R/T]

Hey i smoke and i have no problem with business and stores not wanting you to smoke in them, what i do have a problem with is when prople stare at you (especially religious people) and just shake thier heads at you. Hey if i want to kill myself and pay 3 bucks a pack doing it then dammit let me do it in peace!
Peace....
:bandit:

[kris]

LOL, hey, I will make you a deal. You pay me a years worth of smokes, and I will kill you for you. :badass:

Just kidding

[enzo@af]

Again, the difference between BO or bad breath and smoking is that smoking affects my health. The difference between a communicable disease and smoking is that one was a choice to aquire, not bad luck. And, we have laws preventing people with communicable diseases from being in certain areas (i.e. food service, or donating blood). This is, like the smoking ban, for the benefit of the healthy. However, someone else having HIV doesn't downright completely annoy the hell out of me. I can walk behind them, hang out with them, ride in a car with them.............

However, the smoking ban still won't cover all that's wrong with everything. I agree...I'll still have to smell pollution in urban areas, and in parks I'll still smell the disgusting, foul stench of stupidity. But, it's a step in the right direction.

However, the root of the problem is deeper. It's smoking in general. I, personally, don't understand the point of smoking. I don't know why it came about and I don't know what makes anyone start, but I know that as soon as we ban it, it will be a huge deal. Smokers are adamant little buggers-- I don't believe how many people argue with me about putting their cigarette out while I'm at work (Gas station...yeah, open flames around large amounts of gas, but putting out the cigarette is such a big hassle). Really, there isn't a solution, but protecting those that haven't made the bad decision to start smoking seems a great idea....considering smoking isn't a right, it's a priveledge.

[John98R/T]

hey now i gotta defend the smokers here, i smoke and i can guarantee you i dont smell and my breath is quite fresh. and if i ever hear someone tell me smoking is a childhood disorder or that they compare smokers to people with illness then i will promptly put my cigarette out on theyre eyeball. this shit of "eww smoke stinks" tough shit, if you dont like it then breathe some other goddamn air, and dont blame pollution on smoking, blame it on your cars, factories, and all the other bad shit in this world. dont be a puss, suck it up your going to die one day anyway. and if it makes all you non-smokers happy, just think ill die ten years before you. so when im six feet under you can all laugh at me and say "i told you do" until then quite your bitchin and find somthing else to blame your bad health on.
Peace....
:smoka:

[kris]

muhahahahah :eshooter: :greenchai

[primera man]

Never smoked,never will...i see the end results in hospital from the ones that do.
I have not got a problem with smokers,if they want to, its up to them and it's there life.
I do get pissed of with the ones who dont give a toss about smokeing around others who dont.
When you ask them to put it out or leave they get all bitter and upset about it.

[kris]

*cough* *cough* hack, hack, wheeeze Thats what happened when I tried to smoke, so I didnt continue

[Lizard King]

I was coughing and wheezing earlier, my fucking ash tray caught fire while I was in the shower. I come out and my room is full of smoke. Damn.