Non smoking laws Dictatorship??

[Swags]

Originally Posted by Joe Reefer

Wouldn't it just be easier to stop selling smokes period?

The gov will just add the lost sin tax to our booze!

[Lance]

The issue that a lot of bars have is the indecisive regulations of the Gov. 2 years ago they decided bars could have a smoking room if they so decided, as long as it met the strict guidelines WCB put forth. I.E. so many sq. ft. per size of bar, doorway of such and such a size, ventilation system of adequate size, no staff required to enter smoking room, etc. Many bars spent a great deal of money on these rooms. (we spent over $10G on ours). Now 2 years later, they decide these rooms are not good enough and can't be used anymore. Make up your mind people!

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I like the new(er) laws.

[Slick Fork]

As an ex-smoker I appreciate the non-smoking indoors laws, however... when they start banning smoking outdoors it drives me a little nuts. You're not even allowed to smoke on an outdoor patio anymore, around here there's a talk of a law being tabled that would outlaw smoking in public outdoor areas such as parks, sidewalks etc. Once outside, children are much more in danger of the exhaust fumes from car and truck traffic than they are from the poor lonely smoker sitting on a bench still clinging on to his/her habit yet no one is talking about banning vehicles around playgrounds. I don't like rap music, does this mean that if I find enough people who also don't like it we can vote and ban it? It gets to be a slippery slope when the government starts telling you what you can and can't do on a regular basis. It may start with cigarettes, but we all know that obesity is the new smoking so we'll have "fat cops" running around fining you for eating potato chips in public, or daring to order gravy with those fries... don't say you haven't been warned

[CLINT]

Well slick if you think at all that smoking is justified your WRONG.I think a smoker should have to hide and keep there problems to themselves.I smoked for 11 years and am happy I found a way to quit in the form of 2 great kids.They dont need to die for someone to make money.Cigarettes are of no benifit to anyone but the guy who sells them.I watched most of my family die from cancer and dont think they enjoyed there last few days.I can only say that the pain they felt only made them wish they were DEAD.I can only hope that I dont have problems from my wrong choices and the the people who enjoy smoking can die FAST so that it doesnt hurt so much watching them die slowly.I hope they make cigarettes illegal so they save some lives because its not fair sending lambs to a SLAUGHTER.Clint

[Pan]

Take up chewing tobacco and spit on the office floor...get a little jaron your desk spit it to it...maybe then they will let you smoke. I think they should let people smoke within ten feet, nothing more hilarious then people to weak willed to quit smoking huddling outside in minus 40 weather.

[Slick Fork]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating smoking. I smoked for 10 or 11 years as well, and will be celebrating my 2nd smoke free anniversary in about 2 weeks here. I couldn't be happier to be rid of those things and find the smell of them quite offensive nowadays.

I'm in complete agreement with the workplace, restauraunt, all around indoor bans on smoking as it subjects lots of people to second-hand smoke who can't get away from it. My point was that once you get out of the confined spaces of an indoor environment second hand smoke becomes a lesser issue when compared to other inhalants such as smog, vehicle exhaust, pesticide application, etc. You pretty much have to be sitting directly in front of someone exhaling cigarette smoke for it to be a genuine health concern.

Yes it smells bad, yes most people find it offensive but is outdoor smoking a genuine health concern to Non-Smokers? If the answer is no, then the government is legislating out of a desire to play to peoples emotions rather then to make an actual difference. I don't try to push a ban on loud rap music, or really loud motorcycles because while I find them both in poor taste I realize that it's my taste and it really doesn't hurt me to tolerate them. Likewise, I don't expect people to curtail my listening to George Strait or complaining that my horses poop too much even if I ride them through the drive through!! I think that OUTDOOR smoking falls into this gray area and legislating annoyances is a bad road to start going down.

For the record, I think the ban on public drinking is crap as well. Public intoxication yes, drinking no.