I just read an interesting article on AOL. I've linked to it here:
Smoking
I'm curious to hear what the thoughts are on this one. Is the government going to far? I read some comments arguing that a car is personal property and the government shouldn't be imposing upon that. However, doesn't the government require us to wear seatbelts and use our turn signals? Those are both laws that the government has imposed on our so-called "personal property". But perhaps taking something away, such as smoking, is different than requiring us to do something, such as wear a seatbelt. Is second hand smoke as dangerous as they are saying it is?
Personally, I believe the smoking ban in public places is a blessing. I love being able to go out and enjoy a few drinks and sing karaoke without being forced to endure an abundance of second hand smoke. The best part is NOT smelling like smoke when you exit the premises. Remember when you'd shower the next day and you could smell the smoke washing out of your hair? Gross. They banned smoking in public places a few years ago in NYC when I was living there and this past year they banned smoking in public places in the entire state of Ohio. Hooray I say! As for a smoking ban in cars, I'm not sure how I feel about that. Let's get a conversation started and see if I can make up my mind.
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4 comments:
Well, first of all, let me say that find it wonderfully refreshing to hear a liberal ask if the government is going too far...heeheehee.
As to our personal property and compelling us to do something (like wear a seatbelt)...it seems that the smoking ban is more about what we do to others, not ourselves. Our rights end where other's begin. So, our right to smoke ends where it makes others smoke along with us.
My favorite saying as to that is "a smoking section in a bar is like a peeing section in a pool".
Is it as harmful as they say? i doubt it. Smokers rights people sure say no; but it is far enough if we just dont want to breathe it. They are polluting the air with something that I dont like, and I am forced to breathe it. Thats enough to ban it in a shared public place I say. Health risks not yet considered. Like a too loud radio in the same place. They light up, and I turn on my boom box playing death metal at high volume. I dont want to breathe their crap, and they dont want to hear mine. Fair trade.
I'm glad you're blogging again...you're really bringing them out of the wood work.
Jon you say "our rights end where other's begin" but the seatbelt law applies to us and not others. Right? Or is the government forcing us to wear seatbelts because of some effect it might have on somebody else? Perhaps it's to prevent manslaughter convictions or having to make someone shovel a dead body off the highway (that's pretty considerate). Why should I have to wear a seatbelt? I know it's the smart thing to do but why is it a law? I think a lot of laws are there to protect us from ourselves (among other things). So really our rights end where others begin and ALSO where we begin (sometimes). At this rate, by 2020 there may be laws forbidding people to smoke cigarettes PERIOD.
I do agree with you regarding the health risks. Whether second-hand smoke kills or not, second-hand smoke definitely stinks and makes me cough and therefore should be banned from public places. By the way, is it illegal to pee in a public pool? I wonder...
Yeah, I am with you. That is what i was trying to get at in the first paragraph. The seatbelt thing is a law that seems to tell us what to do with ourselves. Or at least prevents us from being careless with ourselves. But that the ban wasn't that totally.
Yeah, I also see smoking being illegal to perform. Suicide is illegal...smoking is usually ultimately deadly...therefore a slow suicide...therefore illegal.
Bummer. I smoked between 13-23. And now have occasional pipes, and or cigars. So I am sympathetic. But I support the ban.
cheers.
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