Should People Be Allowed To Smoke In Public ?

Swaggs51

The way I see it...

You have the right to smoke, but I have the right to not have to smoke. And when someone lights up next too me...my choice has been taken away. And the healthiest option has to win out.

why does your option "have to win" SO if i am there enjoying my cigar in a park on a bench and you come and sit near me, I have to move?

Swaggs51

Outside in designated areas only. Secondhand smoke is devastatingly dangerous to be exposed to. Everyone should have the choice as to whether to be exposed to it. I worked as a Respiratory Therapist for many years and cared for many people dying of COPD, and quite a few of them were nonsmokers who contracted the disease from exposure to secondhand smoke. COPD is the third largest killer in the US and the only disease growing in numbers. Smoking is the one habit that affects not only the person doing it but also the people around that person, and not by their choice. You can choose to drink beer, or eat red meat, or not to exerciser, but you cannot choose to not inhale if their is cigarette smoke in your air because smoking is allowed in the public area you inhabit.

I dont choose to inhale exhaust or invasive perfumes that also have toxins in them. why should a small sector be singled out when there are FAR worse toxins out there

GorillaNJ

Where are my fellow cigar smokers... uggh god... CRA

I work in NYC and there are few things that I miss more then my favorite Irish Bar... the Blarney Stone after work for a good cigar and a couple glasses of whiskey on Friday. The owner always had a cigar in his face, as did most the guys who were there on Fridays. Anyone who went to that bar, knew what they were walking into. And if they did not, there are TONS of other choices for bars to go to. Since the smoking ban, that place closed... and re-opened under new management and is continually struggling. I walk by on Fridays and see maybe a handfull of people there.

I understand the idea of the smoking bans indoors... I honestly thought it would lead to a permitting system with ventilation laws or something like that so business like the Blarney Stone could have paid more to cater to the people who want that sort of establishment.

Then NYC banned smoking in Parks... including the park in front of my office... Now when I describe this park it is not an exaggeration. Bowling Green Park would not be big enough to place a football field in. It is egg shaped and bordered by streets, one of them being Broadway where all day long gigantic buses sit and idle and the other side is constant bumper to bumper traffic. How does the smoke of a cigar compare to the ambient air pollution there? Or even less a cigarette?

I am all for rules or laws that serve a purpose or make sense... Want to say I can't smoke in an enclosed bar, fine. Want to say I can't smoke at playground, fine. But to say I can't smoke in a open air place is just non-sense.

KelARita7

Should I have to walk through a cloud of toxic, cancer causing second hand smoke and breath it in.? I don't know, how do you feel about you flying an airplane over a busy street and spraying everyone down there with aldicarb, or some other toxic pesticide?

There is no difference.

Smoke if you want to. Kill yourself if you want to. Just do it in private where I do not have to breath in the poisons.

I cannot believe that this is even a serious question.

EXACTLY how I feel!!

Holly_Roman_Empire

All I know is, when I was pregnant, all it took was one smelly smoker in the elevator at work to send me into puking fits. He wasn't even smoking, but the rank smell was enough to send into a tizzy.

You never know who you are affecting and how you're affecting them. Cigarette smoke smell still makes me sick to my stomach. I make a point to make smokers feel awful. I don't tell them they're going to get cancer or anything like that. Apparently telling people they stink is much more effective.

Blacklance36

I don't care if you smoke or don't smoke... just please keep it as much to yourself as possible... there is nothing more irratating than being stopped behind someone smoking at a stop light while they hang their cig out the window and their smoke is coming into my car... My parents smoke and I do not... And I really prefer to not be around people actively smoking because it doesn't matter how upwind I sit from the person it follows me anyway...

I agree it is annoying i hate smokers that litter, Be a responsible smoker like amy of us are

It is the irresponsible smokers that have caused a lot of these laws.

JenAndSome

Should it be allowed? As in smoking is not prohibited by law? Well, yeah. I think that making more and more laws to prohibit, ban and control the actions of other people is a waste of time and money. We have enough laws on the books, thanks. Smokers should be courteous, though. When I smoked I would try to stand away from where other people would walk through, stay away from kids and always discard of my butts properly. As someone who runs on the public trail it is a slight inconvenience when I run through someone's cloud of smoke, but really I find fresh cut grass more irritating and harder to get past.

Swaggs51

Where are my fellow cigar smokers... uggh god... CRA

I work in NYC and there are few things that I miss more then my favorite Irish Bar... the Blarney Stone after work for a good cigar and a couple glasses of whiskey on Friday. The owner always had a cigar in his face, as did most the guys who were there on Fridays. Anyone who went to that bar, knew what they were walking into. And if they did not, there are TONS of other choices for bars to go to. Since the smoking ban, that place closed... and re-opened under new management and is continually struggling. I walk by on Fridays and see maybe a handfull of people there.

I understand the idea of the smoking bans indoors... I honestly thought it would lead to a permitting system with ventilation laws or something like that so business like the Blarney Stone could have paid more to cater to the people who want that sort of establishment.

Then NYC banned smoking in Parks... including the park in front of my office... Now when I describe this park it is not an exaggeration. Bowling Green Park would not be big enough to place a football field in. It is egg shaped and bordered by streets, one of them being Broadway where all day long gigantic buses sit and idle and the other side is constant bumper to bumper traffic. How does the smoke of a cigar compare to the ambient air pollution there? Or even less a cigarette?

I am all for rules or laws that serve a purpose or make sense... Want to say I can't smoke in an enclosed bar, fine. Want to say I can't smoke at playground, fine. But to say I can't smoke in a open air place is just non-sense.

I was in NYC the day the ban came out in NYC, as a cigar sales rep. its redic that you cannot smoke in open air but yet 10,000 busses and cabs can drive by and pollute you 1000 times worse

MKEgal

No.
Would we be accepting of any other behaviour which can harm others, simply because it's a drug addiction?
The people chose to use the drug (tobacco), they can choose where to use it (away from innocent people).

I don't care what you want to do to your own body, or that of another consenting adult (age of majority, mentally capable, freely consenting, etc.), but don't inflict whatever it is on the innocent public.
No smoking in the car or house if kids live there & are expected to be in the car.
No BDSM play in public, even though your kink is exhibitionism.
No drinking alcohol or being under the influence of any impairing drug before or while driving.

Hell_Flower

I honestly don't mind the smell of it it, despite having never smoked tobacco in my life. Although not keen on having it around food, because TASTEBUDS.

The litter is what pisses me off.

Don't drop it in the gutter, have a bit more respect.

Oh, and also DON'T SMOKE IN DOORWAYS I DON'T CARE IF IT'S RAINING THAT'S JUST REALLY FREAKING RUDE YOU'RE IN THE BLOODY WAY.

(I live in a rainy city. The amount of fecking tourists who congregate around my office doorway to smoke it up is pretty revolting. Get some manners).

mccindy72

You shouldn't be able to smoke in an open-air place where people who don't smoke are. you should have designated areas where you can go to smoke outside.

Swaggs51

Should I have to walk through a cloud of toxic, cancer causing second hand smoke and breath it in.? I don't know, how do you feel about you flying an airplane over a busy street and spraying everyone down there with aldicarb, or some other toxic pesticide?

There is no difference.

Smoke if you want to. Kill yourself if you want to. Just do it in private where I do not have to breath in the poisons.

I cannot believe that this is even a serious question.

I don't think there's anything proving secondhand smoke when you're in the great outdoors. Inside, I fully understand. But just because you can smell secondhand smoke doesn't mean you're getting the things that give smokers cancer. Just because you can smell my fart doesn't mean it's invaded your lungs, just your olfactory senses.

It's called science. If you can smell it, it's because there is particulate matter in the inhale that is triggering your senses.

Because the air we breathe is so very pure.

Guess your car is belching out rainbows?

Ohhhh is that not how this game is played? Yes we can ban something other's engage in, but not me, just them?

I thought we were all so worried about air quality? I mean your car pollutes the air more than any smoker could in a lifetime. So you'll be giving that up, right?

Stands up and applauds

I_need_moar_musclez

Smokers over there.
Non-smokers over there.

I don't smoke. Some of my friends do. If we're together, we sit outside. The smell bothers me? I go back inside for a bit!

I'm just glad that I can now come home from the pub without smelling like an ashtray and needing a shower before getting into bed!

Swaggs51

You shouldn't be able to smoke in an open-air place where people who don't smoke are. you should have designated areas where you can go to smoke outside.

and why is this? what is your reasoning? I would never tell someone it is ok to light up to a family of 4 are sitting enjoying the day. but if its open air.....ITS OPEN.... smoke dissipates

snowflake954

I think it was wrong when our government made smoking in eating establishments illegal. If it was truly an issue with the majority then businesses would have adapted on their own or go out of business. However, the minority seems to have the loudest voice in governerment right now. They do not understand individual rights is meant to work in both directions instead of just their own. If the

Now, do not get me wrong, I actually enjoy going out to a restaurant now and not having to inhale smoke. Lets face it, smoking and non smoking areas did not work that well. I enjoy going into a hotel room and not having to worry about that nasty second hand smoke smell that just clings to everything.

I personally think if smokers understood how bad it actually smells they would not do it around non-smokers. I used to be a smoker and I can tell you I didn't realize how bad it stank. Both my parents and siblings all still smoke. The house just reeks and even after only an hour in their houses my clothes just reek of stale second hand smoke. I did not realize how bad it was till at least a year or two after I quit smoking.

So, to answer the OP question. The government should not get involved with banning smoking in public places.

Until a few years ago you could smoke in Italy wherever you wanted--hospitals, schools, restaurants etc. I cannot tell you how many times my husband and I went to a restaurant early and picked a table by itself with no one smoking nearby. Well, you guessed it---our food arrived and people sat down next to us and lite up. So, when smoking was banned --by law --- here about 6 years ago I was estatic. The idea that businesses will do it on their own is, ahem, a pipe dream.

Holly_Roman_Empire

All I know is, when I was pregnant, all it took was one smelly smoker in the elevator at work to send me into puking fits. He wasn't even smoking, but the rank smell was enough to send into a tizzy.

You never know who you are affecting and how you're affecting them. Cigarette smoke smell still makes me sick to my stomach. I make a point to make smokers feel awful. I don't tell them they're going to get cancer or anything like that. Apparently telling people they stink is much more effective.

I make a point to make people like you feel awful.

Your kid is probably annoying anyway.

Impossible to make me feel awful. :flowerforyou:

I don't care if people want to give themselves cancer, but if they are going to smell bad in the workplace, I'm going to talk to their supervisor, same as I would if they didn't wear deodorant.

fedup30

If you eat at a restaurant that allows smoking on the patio, expect smoking on the patio. If it bothers you, you have the right to eat elsewhere. That's my 2 cents anyway. I used to smoke, and I was fully aware that other people don't like it, but if I was in a designated smoking area, or out on the street, then it was my right, and I still feel this way for other smokers. While I was hurting myself by doing so, I wasn't forcing anyone else to smoke, or forcing them to inhale my second hand smoke....they made a choice to be in the designated smoking area.....