• Welcome to BookAndReader!

    We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!

    Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.

smoking in public laws

It will happen as quickly as the government can drive the tobacco companies out of business.

"change[ing] to another crop" is not as easy as you make it sound. The entire business is built around tobacco. As I understand it, the equipment, facilities, and skills are very specialized. And who will pay for this "change"? The farmer certainly won't be able to afford it, with his or her sales being in the toilet, and I have never thought subsidizing was a good idea, in that we end up paying farmers not to farm.

As you said earlier, this is an issue that has been argued for a long time, and will continue to be argued as long as tobacco, and those of us who love it, exist. I just get the feeling that most non-tobacco users have the idea that we can just shut down the industry, mandate private business to disallow smoking, and the problem just goes away. The tobacco fields are replaced with sunflowers, or something, and everyone is happy. It won't work that way. I don't know how it will work, but it won't be like that.

Just my thoughts.
 
The Gov't won't drive them out of business. As long as there is a demand, there will be a place for the tabacco industry.
 
This is a reply to a post made in the fireworks thread. I'm trying to be nice and keep on track, so I'm putting it here. If you'd like to see the post prior, go here.

leckert said:
I always get a kick out of non-smokers saying "I have to sit in a bar/restaurant full of smoke". I didn't realize people were dragged into private establishments and tied to chairs while cigarette smoke was blown into their faces. If non-smokers would stop going places where there was smoke, then, maybe, businesses would be impacted enough to be forced ban smoking, or have suitable, well ventilated, clearly separated, non-smoking areas. There are a couple of places near my home that do not allow smoking, though there is no state mandated ban. It's cool. I don't go there, but if friends want to, and they are good enough friends, I will go, and refrain from smoking. Often, they decide to go to one of my places, and they deal with the smoke.

Instead of boycotting, it is seen as more "correct" to alienate 45.8 million Americans and move our free enterprise another step closer to socialization.
Click to expand...

The problem is that around here there weren't any non-smoking bars. Not a single one was non-smoking. I'm not talking about resturants as most of the places I frequent were non-smoking or had good non-smoking sections. As a young college person in a rural area, there wasn't much to do here other than go to bars.

A friend of mine runs a bar in Amherst and he explained it well. When the town ban was announced there was a lot of whining and threatening "I'll just go somewhere else if you won't let me smoke in here". People didn't care that it wasn't the bar owners and employees that were making the decisions, but they were still hostile. Smokers can be an extremely vocal, entitled feeling group. Bar owners worried that they would lose business to other towns.

In the end though, it didn't happen. Smokers continued to frequent the bar. They simply smoked outside. Non-smokers who hadn't gone to the bars often started going too. My friend stated that in the first year following the ban his business actually increased more than his past averages. Employees are happier because they can work in a smoke free place, and customers are happy too. There is always that one person who wants to make it into a huge scene, but for the most part it isn't like that at all.

Honestly, I'd rather alienate the 45.8 million americans than the other 248 million.
 
novella said:
removes mouth staples

I started when I was 12, the back alley, Camel no-filters and Kents. Blech. My parents smoked, so I just nicked their cigs.

I quit when I was 23 because I moved to England and the cigs over there (Marlboros) tasted terrible. Like wet cardboard. Hear that Billy O? They just weren't worth the money or the breath. Besides, smoking was less acceptable then in London than in NYC, where everyone still smoked.

So thanks England for having such yicky smokes!
Click to expand...

Your Welcome :) Luv from England x :D
 
As a child I could never comprehend how cigarette smoke discerned which side of the restaurant to stay on, with or without those "non-smoking section" signs posted everywhere. I used to look at the smoke hovering from the pop-tiles on the ceiling, and say, “Why’s it coming over here, mom? This is the non-smoking section!”

Today I can't comprehend how or why people choose to start smoking. It seems that most who smoke want to quit, or constantly complain about the repercussions. My dad smokes--has since I can remember--and he’s always hacking up a lung, or going outside for some “fresh air”. The smell... the costs... smoking seems to be a waste of time, health, money, etc.

No offense to the smokers in this forum. A lot of writers smoke, drink...
 
I read where a guy in New Jersey (State in USA on east coast) has submitted a proposal that would make smoking in your own car against the law....I'm not kidding....I'll try to find the link and post it as an edit here...

off I go....


edit: here's the link...http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/articles/news3-smokelaw.htm

Now before some of you smokers get your panties in a bunch, think about how many times you've seen an adult smoker driving a car, with a child and/or children strapped into a car seat in the back of the car....with the windows mostly closed....and the car looking like something out of a Cheech and Chong movie....
 
I smoke and I love it, but I am not in denial about the harm it does me, and other people. Here in Italy, the no-smoking in bars, restaurants and shops etc came into force in January. Its been a wierd experience. The bars that are ok are the ones with the most tables outside ( and luckily we have the weather for that most of the year). Others, well business has really suffered, as the expected rush of non smokers just hasn't happened. There is a bar at the bottom of our street which last year you could hardly ever get a seat in-and it's biiiig. These days it's totally empty inside. Here there is a different attitude to smoking, you either smoke or you don't and no one has a problem with that, no self righteousness here, thank goodness. Parking the car however.....another story.
 
Motokid said:
I read where a guy in New Jersey (State in USA on east coast) has submitted a proposal that would make smoking in your own car against the law...
Click to expand...

My secret heart of hearts springs up rejoicing at the very thought -- but should it be made into a law?
 
francesca said:
Here there is a different attitude to smoking, you either smoke or you don't and no one has a problem with that, no self righteousness here, thank goodness. Parking the car however.....another story.
Click to expand...


I'm a former smoker, francesca, so there's no room for self-righteousness here, but, the truth is -- if you're in a room with even one smoker -- you smoke!
 
Listen, I'd be more than happy to live my life segregated away with all the smokers, provided I wouldn't be lumped in with the drinkers and the druggers as for me, drunks and druggers are as I am to you non smokers...not sure if that made any sense whatsoever. :D
 
The thing I've never gotten about smoking is why laws need to be involved at all. It seems like a real simple issue of the markets involved.

Non smokers and smokers alike would both pay for certain services that provide them maximum comfort. But the laws screw all that up.

Why aren't there any smoking theatres? I really don't see a lot of movies at the cinema, because I'd rather be able to watch at home and have a cigarette. The non-smoking theatres would not go out of business over it surely. Whether someone thinks my habit is disgusting or not, I doubt they think my smoky cash is.

In the case of bars. . . why doesn't someone try to make a go of a non smoking bar instead of having the law interfere to ban smoking in them?

You know why? Becuase a non-smoking bar would flop. Showing there's really no need for one to begin with.

But since consuming alcohol is such a beneficial and worthwhile pursuit, I guess there is a grave need to protect non smokers health from secondhand smoke in bars no matter how stupid it is in a business sense.
 
Yeah it's disgusting, it smell's and it can kill you. At the end of the day I don't care about those things. I enjoy a cigarette. Though at the same time I'm considerate about where I smoke and I fully accept that in a lot of public areas it's good that smoking is banned. The one place I don't understand is the Pub but that's because for me a pint and a cigarette go together like fish and water.

I've thought about quitting many a time and have done in the past quite a few times for a good six months or so. Not sure why I keep starting again apart from the afore mentioned I enjoy it.

The city where I live was planning to ban smoking in the city centre. I don't actually smoke whilst I'm walking around town but I would if that law came into force. I really think there's a limit to suppressing our freedom. Inside buildings, fine, public transport, fine. The open air where we have buses spewing out far worse pollution, give me a break.

It's not as though I'm going to go around blowing my smoke into babies faces is it. If I saw some sick **** doing that I'd get violent and I'm pretty much a pacifist.

Anyway I could go on all night so I'll stop there.
 
Not to high-jack the thread but I was going to mention that I quit smoking a few years ago by reading a book, it was Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking and it is a quick and humorous read. I had a few friends who recommended it and decided what the hell, it was funny and it worked for me.
 
Motokid said:
The state I live in has some of the strictest smoking laws in America.
Smoking inside any public building is against the law.
No smoking inside bars, restaurants, places of business, libraries, coffeehouses….
Smoking must be done outside in designated smoking areas.

I imagine there are some very distinct viewpoints in the forum members on this issue.
I’d love to hear how you feel about laws being drawn up confining smokers to specific areas
when in public, and if you are a smoker or not.

Personally I love being able to take my kids to dinner in any restaurant and not come home
smelling like cigarette smoke. I used to smoke, but I don
’t now, and have not in well over a decade.
I have no problems with the smoking laws in my state as they stand today.

I don’t buy the argument that the rights of people who smoke are being infringed upon.

Your thougths…
Click to expand...

Oh Moto, you have touched upon an issue that is just a real sore spot with me. I'm really into cigars and have been for about two years now. I don't smoke in restauraunts or other places that allow it. I also don't smoke in my home as I'm considerate about second hand smoke(cigar smoke has twice the chemicals than ordinary cigarettes.) I have no problem dining out and not being able to light up my favorite Padron or CAO cigar. With that being said, I do resent my state's anti-smoking laws which are out and out STUPID. :mad: :mad: My state has banned indoor smoking in private establishments like bars, tobacconist shops, as well as cigar bars!. Soooooooo, people now sit on lazy boys outside of businesses and blow smoke at the shoppers who walk by. Yep, that was a winner of an idea!. :rolleyes: Not only that, but waittresses and waiters are testifyng that they've had to switch jobs due to falling business as a result of this Puritannical legislating. Even more humorous, but equally as sad, keno money is running short. People who gamble, like to smoke. Now the city is trying to figure out how to pay for all of their programs becaused they chased consumers away-serves them right.

Most people I know are very considerate of others, but not smoking in a tobacco shop? Not being able to light up in a bar whose sole founding is to be a cigar bar? Come on. Yes, I know the dumb health arguments. Though they don't explain why George Burns lived to be darn near 100 while the runner Jimmy Fixx kicked off much earlier. ;)
 
When we lived in Savannah, GA they had a cigar bar that my hubby loved. I don't see what the problem with these would be as anyone going in should expect that smoking would be involved. If you do not wish to be exposed to second hand smoke you could simply not go in, so I think banning these types of establishments is a bit extreme.
 
Ronny said:
When we lived in Savannah, GA they had a cigar bar that my hubby loved. I don't see what the problem with these would be as anyone going in should expect that smoking would be involved. If you do not wish to be exposed to second hand smoke you could simply not go in, so I think banning these types of establishments is a bit extreme.
Click to expand...

You exhibit common sense and practicality, two traits that anti-smoking zealots do not possess. :rolleyes: I have never seen children brought into a cigar bar in my time as an aficionado. Those places also have impressive air purifying systems that work incredibly well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top