Smoking Bans: Banning Freedom

[Locke]

wow. i don't even..

Dude your talking crazy talk. How is any of that comparable to having a bar or pool hall that only lets consenting adults in with the knowledge that smoking is allowed in THIS particular establishment. I agree that there should be restrictions in places that allow minors inside, but for those places who decide to let consenting adults in with the knowledge that smoking is allowed inside, that shouldn't be illegal. There's a small niche for that, and although unhealthy, it shouldn't be a criminal issue, but rather a health issue.

Are we capable of making concessions on this forum or just getting further entrenched in the position we first took?

I make concessions on things all the time. This is something I will not make a concession on.

My point was that if there is one thing that should be regulated, it's an activity that physically harms another person. That's the sole reason for the restaurant/bar ban. It had nothing to do with limiting freedom, or preventing people to do something like. It had everything to do with the fact it is an activity that is extremely harmful to those around it. OK, so maybe only smokers would go to these particular establishments. What about vendors? What about the guy who drops off the beer? What about the night crew who comes in to clean? What about the police officers who will inevitably be called to a bar because lets face it, there is always going to be a bar fight or someone who needs to be forcibly removed. I can think of several other people who need to go into these facilities, despite not being there to hang out. Should they compromise their health too? Or should an employer provide more expensive insurance to these particular employees because they are now at a significantly higher risk of developing cancer? These are the cases I'm talking about...

[Locke]

You assume wrong. I wouldn't like to work, eat, or be in a place that allows cigarette smoke, so I wouldn't go in. & I think if you allow children into your establishment, I don't think it should be allowed. I do think some places should have the right to allow it though, and consenting adults should have the right to work and go there if they so choose.

I only smoke herb. It's not radioactive so I'm not getting any cancer from it.

Most places do allow it. Almost every restaurant and bar I've been to has a patio where you're allowed to smoke and drink...

[rob19]

that's outside..

anywho, I wonder how much it would cost to buy some of these in bulk.

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Have a big bowl right in the front, like those complementary candy baskets.

[Tunaphish429]

Here in Syracuse...We have a huge mall called Carousel mall..Your not allowed to smoke on mall property..Lame as ****..Imagine if you were worked at that place? I mean the mall is right by a waste processing center and onondoga lake..one of the most polluted lakes in the ****ing world..and you can't smoke a cigarette in their parking lot?

**** outta here.

[Valandui]

This to me is a gray area. On one hand, I don't smoke and wouldn't want to inhale smoke while eating. On the other hand, I don't feel that the government should tell people how to run their businesses. I don't necessarily mind having some sort of regulations if they are done in a local level. I also don't feel it's too much to ask someone to step outside to smoke as it does affect everyone. But at the same time, if you know that you're going to a place that allows smoking, I kind of feel that you don't have any room to complain about it. After all, no one is forcing you to go there. I'm kind of torn on this issue.

[Valandui]

Here in Syracuse...We have a huge mall called Carousel mall..Your not allowed to smoke on mall property..Lame as ****..Imagine if you were worked at that place? I mean the mall is right by a waste processing center and onondoga lake..one of the most polluted lakes in the ****ing world..and you can't smoke a cigarette in their parking lot?

**** outta here.

That's why, man. They don't want anyone setting the lake on fire.

[Tunaphish429]

That's why, man. They don't want anyone setting the lake on fire.

**** has gone way too far. Pretty soon you wont be able to smoke in your house.

[Valandui]

**** has gone way too far. Pretty soon you wont be able to smoke in your house.

That's why they tax the **** out of them. We're too stupid to figure out that it's bad, so they'll make it to where we can't afford them. That's what Europe does with gas.

[tylerdolphin]

I'm assuming you all who are advocating this are smokers. That makes me think you can't be objective. Yes, it sucks having to leave your table and go outside to have a quick cigarette. It would suck worse for that poor girl who found out she has pre-cancerous cells and hasn't smoked a cigarette her entire life, which is a true story involving a close personal friend of mine. They caught it early and they feel like they can treat it before it becomes full-blown cancer, but it turns out because she hung out with smokers the better part of the last 10 years, while actively inhaling their secondhand smoke, she is now at high risk for lung cancer. Yes, she put herself in that position by hanging out with smokers. But, what about some random businessman who has to meet in restaurants as part of his job? Is it fair that he is now at a higher risk of cancer because a few people don't like that they have to walk outside to smoke?

Stories like this scare me when I stop and think how many of my closest friends smoke relatively heavily.

[Spesh]

This to me is a gray area. On one hand, I don't smoke and wouldn't want to inhale smoke while eating. On the other hand, I don't feel that the government should tell people how to run their businesses. I don't necessarily mind having some sort of regulations if they are done in a local level. I also don't feel it's too much to ask someone to step outside to smoke as it does affect everyone. But at the same time, if you know that you're going to a place that allows smoking, I kind of feel that you don't have any room to complain about it. After all, no one is forcing you to go there. I'm kind of torn on this issue.

But people are forcing you to leave or avoid the place. I feel you hit upon it earlier, that its not to much of a burden on the smoker to merely walk a few feet outside.

As for the subject on hand: I understand the personal freedom, and acceptance of consequences, of it but i feel when you impose your own bad habits onto others then its a problem. And yes, you wont immediately fall down and start decaying the minute you inhale second hand smoke, but i have yet to hear a single positive thing about even being around the smoke. If there is even a extremely small chance of it negatively affecting other peoples health(which lets face it, the subject on hand is), then it shouldnt be allowed.

And for the record, i used to smoke. Until a year ago, i would smoke on occasion when drinking. I still hang out with smokers and even allow it in my car(which is a 2010 GMC truck, thing is a beast, took a baseball bat from a psycho wench with relatively minor damage). I have little problem with lighting up and facing the consequences of my bad decisions later in life, but again, i shouldnt be allowed to effect others with my own choices. I think thats where you have to draw the line.