Should smoking be......

[wvjules]

illegal?

On the other thread about banning smoking, people stated that it has no benefit and it costs taxpayers money and it should be banned pretty much everywhere.

Why not just go the extra step and make it illegal instead of banning it everywhere?

 

[septbride2002]

Interesting thought - and one that will never happen. The tobacco industry will lobby against it and probably have many politicians in their pockets. People smoking does not bother me. We always sit in non-smoking sections at resturants and most entertainment venues are now non-smoking. The only place I really notice smoke is in bars and small clubs - which is to be expected. I figure it is their choice to ruin their lungs. I lost 2 people in the last year to lung cancer - not a fun thing to do and I was sad that they cut their lives short by smoking. The one was only in his early 40's.

Most of my family smokes and yes it worries me - but we all have freewill and it our decision to make good vs. bad choices.

~Amanda

 

[babar]

No.

And no matter how many people complain, it never will be.

 

[chadfromdallas]

On the other thread about banning smoking, people stated that it has no benefit and it costs taxpayers money and it should be banned pretty much everywhere.

Why not just go the extra step and make it illegal instead of banning it everywhere?

Hell no.

It shouldn't be illegal and neither should marijuana(thats a whole nother debate).

And people being obese cost tax payers the most as far as health problems go, so thats mute anywho.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Nothing that generates as much income as tobacco will ever be illegal in my cynical opinion. I don't know whether it should be or not. There will always be costly choices, as with Chad's obesity analogy.

eta: written by an ex-smoker who misses it on a daily basis!

 

[KarenC]

Prohibition worked so well...

 

[1stNoel]

No, but I do think that anyone who is a nonsmoker (including children of smokers) should not have to be exposed to it. It should be banned in all public areas.

 

[Shugardrawers]

No, it will never be banned. There's just too much money being poured into politicians pockets for that. I do think that all smokers should be more considerate of the rights and health of non smokers though. Smoking in your own car, house, property should not be regulated, it's your life. But in public places, that's a whole nother ball game. And this is coming from a smoker! I generally do not take my cigs with me when I leave the house anymore. I no longer smoke in the car unless it's a long trip. I don't smoke in restaurants or other public places. If I can't go a few hours without then there's a real problem! I've cut back considerably and painlessly by making just those changes. Of course, I'm working up to quitting Jan 1....

 

[disneysteve]

We always sit in non-smoking sections at resturants

There are many, many restaurants that we can not go to because they don't have a real non-smoking section. We've been to various places where one table is designated non and the table right next to it is smoking. Like that does a lot of good. Or there is one big room and half is smoking and half is non. That doesn't work either. I heard a joke once that doing that was like having half the swimming pool non-peeing and half peeing.

 

[disneysteve]

Smoking in your own car, house, property should not be regulated, it's your life.

Unfortunately, even this can be a problem for non-smokers. We used to live in a row home in Philadelphia. Our next door neighbor smoked. In the Spring and Summer, we couldn't keep our windows open because he smoked and it blew right into our house. And there have been numerous times I've been driving and had to close my windows because the person in the car ahead of me was smoking - this is particularly bad with cigars.

I don't know what the solution is, but I do wish they would at least ban smoking in all public places. We love going to Florida, New York and Delaware where smoking bans are in place. We don't have to worry about the smoking situation in restaurants and can eat anywhere we want. Hopefully, NJ and PA will manage to pass those bans soon.

 

[babar]

I can't help myself, I really can't, and I know I will get burned for saying this....but some of the anti-smoking posts come across as really whiney....


sorry, but it's true. some of the things spoken of seem a little silly.


Go on, give it your best shot!!

 

[1stNoel]

sorry, but it's true. some of the things spoken of seem a little silly.

No flames, but what exactly is silly? Many people have health problems that can be seriously impacted by second hand smoke. Others don't want to contract health problems due to it. Both seem like a pretty good reasons to want it restricted to me.

 

[lvs_eeyore]

If smoking should be banned in all public places such as streets and parks etc... then so should the wearing of perfume which makes me and others I know violently ill. YOU can get away from me.....I cannot get away from you when you come into my place of work, gag me in an elevator, sit by me in church, at a resturant, in a movie. You can only move so many times and so many people wear horrendously strong perfumes and aftershaves. Most smoking has been banned indoors but outside I should be able to smoke. You can walk around me, cross the street or otherwise avoid me. I dont have that option with perfumes and aftershaves.

 

[babar]

Because I don't believe that every single person who is against smoking has a health problem.

I don't believe everyone when they say if it wafts in thru an open window, they are going to get critically sick.

And I'm sure everyone will come back and say "yes, it's true", and that may be the case for some...but I simply do not think it's for everyone.


And before someone freaks out and thinks I'm accusing them of lying or exaggerating: if you aren't, then don't worry, I'm not talking about you.

 

[1stNoel]

Because I don't believe that every single person who is against smoking has a health problem.

I don't believe everyone when they say if it wafts in thru an open window, they are going to get critically sick.

And I'm sure everyone will come back and say "yes, it's true", and that may be the case for some...but I simply do not think it's for everyone.


And before someone freaks out and thinks I'm accusing them of lying or exaggerating: if you aren't, then don't worry, I'm not talking about you.

OK. I do I think you are letting your smoking cloud your judgment though and I don't think you have any clue just how bad exposure to smoke affects some people.

 

[Alice28]

No...will never happened. Look what happened when they tried to make booze illegal. People have a free will and can choose what they want to do to their bodies. (this is coming from a firm non-smoker who cannot stand the smell).

 

[babar]

What did I just say? If it truly effects you that bad, then I am not talking to you. But I would bet lots' of people stretch the truth to prove their point.

And by the way, I've not smoked for quite some time, but thanks for asking!

 

[CheshireVal]

I kinda agree with that. It seems like whenever there's an anti-smoking thread (and I really don't care either way about the issue), suddenly EVERYONE has severe asthma or allergies. And I'm not talking about just this board, it's on lots of other boards I've seen this pop up on as well.

Maybe, though, it's the people who are affected the most by smoke who are the ones to speak up on threads like this, and that's why the numbers seem so large. Good theory?

 

[snoopy]

If we're going to outlaw smoking, should we outlaw Big Macs? Tanning salons? Should exercise be required? There are a lot of things that gradually take their toll on a body, and everyone except a few monks with exceptional willpower indulges in some of them sometimes.

So no, cigarettes should not be illegal. Even if they were, people would still smoke cigarettes. Addiction is a powerful thing.

 

[disneysteve]

If we're going to outlaw smoking, should we outlaw Big Macs? Tanning salons? Should exercise be required?

There's a huge difference with these things. If you eat poorly, don't exercise, or go tanning, it doesn't impact MY health, only yours. Smoking impacts my health and my ability to go certain places or enjoy certain activities. I think you can do what you'd like to your own body if it doesn't infringe on other people's rights.