Disney Difference S/NS Policies at other resorts

[kathleena]

Hmmmmm Well, I didn't mean to start such heated discussions........

But since the thread has become informational, can I take the space to explain a little known disease?

I am an ex-smoker myself - 14 years now - thankful that I quit when I did - I would probably be deep into emphysema by now.

I am a carrier for a condition called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency. A1A helps to protect the lungs against damage and is made in the liver. With A1AD, you don't have sufficient A1A to protect the lungs. Everytime you get exposed to lung irritants - smoke, perfumes, gasoline smells, dust - your lungs normally clean themselves out with little enzyme cleaners. A1A works to stop the little cleaners when their job is done. If you have little to no A1A, the little cleaners don't get stopped and actually start damaging the lungs. Overtime, you develop lung disease - emphysema, although different from smokers emphysema. I have been tested several times and my A1A levels are below normal, although not the rock bottom that someone with two genes would have. So I have some protection, but need to be very careful and be sure I get out of exposure situations quickly.

My years of smoking have resulted in lower lung capacity and asthma, but thankfully I have no sign of emphysema. If I hadn't stopped when I did, I would probably be there.

The life expectancy of people with two genes is 52. Many have a lung transplant. A liver transplant would cure them.
Many babies with two genes are born with liver problems. Every time I hear of a liver transplanted baby I wonder A1AD?
I also have to watch my liver as my particular phenotype is prone to liver disease even more than lung disease. No alcohol for me!

So sorry for the soap box. My only intent is just to inform and to point out that you don't know all of the reasons behind needing NS.

Thanks for listening.

 

[jmminarik]

Who's making it political?
HBC

The media, the government, the people who want it banned. It's a big political correctness thing, just like "gun control" etc. The science on it is conflicting though from what I've read of the studies, the 'no serious effects' studies tend to be a bit more scientifically and statiscally valid.

My point is, arguing it is annoying to many people is a lot more valid of an argument and it doesn't take years of exposure to be annoying.

KathleenA, I didn't think this was a heated discussion...well, other than most of us agreeing the rooms should be guaranteed smoking or non.

-Joe

 

[Dean]

The media, the government, the people who want it banned. It's a big political correctness thing, just like "gun control" etc. The science on it is conflicting though from what I've read of the studies, the 'no serious effects' studies tend to be a bit more scientifically and statiscally valid.

My point is, arguing it is annoying to many people is a lot more valid of an argument and it doesn't take years of exposure to be annoying.

KathleenA, I didn't think this was a heated discussion...well, other than most of us agreeing the rooms should be guaranteed smoking or non.

-Joe

The fact that second hand smoke causes health problems is not disputable. The question is how much of an exposure is required to cause those problems. Since these studies cannot be set up ethically in a controlled and truly scientific manner, the info must be gathered somewhat indirectly. OTOH, there are no significant beneficial affects of smoking including second hand exposure. I'd say it's addition by subtraction.

 

[FLYNZ4]

I didn't think this was a heated discussion...well, other than most of us agreeing the rooms should be guaranteed smoking or non.

Joe, No question in my mind that smoking preference should be guarnateed (both smoking and non-smoking) as a stop-gap measure... until smoking is totally banned. If the guaranteed smoking/no-smoking preference pushes DVC over the edge of going totally non-smoking immediately... then so much the better.

I do think that each resort needs an outdoor designmated smoking area once smoking is banned in the room.

I visit non-DVC condos a lot... in fact, we go at least 3 times each month (mostly weekends). DVC is the only condo that I have visited in the past 1.5 years that allows smoking at all. Granted... most of my non-DVC visits are to the same condo company (WorldMark), but it appears to me that DVC's tollerance of smoking is the exception, not the rule. Also... as a datapoint... when WM went fully non-smoking across all 50+ resorts... the owner response was overwhelmingly positive. I suspect the same would be true with DVC.

/Jim

 

[CarolMN]

....(snip).....I visit non-DVC condos a lot... in fact, we go at least 3 times each month (mostly weekends). DVC is the only condo that I have visited in the past 1.5 years that allows smoking at all. Granted... most of my non-DVC visits are to the same condo company (WorldMark), but it appears to me that DVC's tollerance of smoking is the exception, not the rule. Also... as a datapoint... when WM went fully non-smoking across all 50+ resorts... the owner response was overwhelmingly positive. I suspect the same would be true with DVC.

/Jim

Just curious. Are most of the WorldMark properties in the US & Canada? Are most members/visitors from the US/Canada?

WDW gets a lot of visitors from Europe and South America where smoking is much more common and more tolerated in public places. Can't help but wonder if that is a factor in the Disney decision not to go totally non-smoking until the laws require it.

Best wishes -

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

The science on it is conflicting though from what I've read of the studies, the 'no serious effects' studies tend to be a bit more scientifically and statiscally valid.

I disagree.

I usually stay away from "heated" discussion topics because I come to the dis-boards to be entertained. We all have enough serious stuff in our lives so I try to avoid it here. But the earlier post saying that the whole second hand smoke issue is based on bad science is incorrect and needed to be pointed out. There is plenty of good science showing that second hand smoke is bad for you. I urge anyone who cares or is neutral on this issue to look it up themselves.

HBC

 

[jmminarik]

I disagree....I urge anyone who cares or is neutral on this issue to look it up themselves.

HBC

Well, we'll disagree then. Your point is valid, but get the facts, not someone else's conclusions.

-Joe

 

[FLYNZ4]

Just curious. Are most of the WorldMark properties in the US & Canada? Are most members/visitors from the US/Canada?

WDW gets a lot of visitors from Europe and South America where smoking is much more common and more tolerated in public places. Can't help but wonder if that is a factor in the Disney decision not to go totally non-smoking until the laws require it.

Best wishes -

Carol,

You are absolutely correct that most units are in the US and Canada (BC). There are also several units in the South Pacific (mostly Australia)... although we have been to Fiji twice. I was wondering if the European influence was major contributor to DVC's policy... but regardless, I think that DVC should step up and just ban smoking in the units.

As an aside... we are relaxing at WM Depoe Bay right now... which is probably has the most beautiful view of any condo that I have ever seen! The waves are crashing almost up to our deck!

/Jim