Another one of those small stories that point to the ridiculous way of life in a nanny state.
on 09/21/2009 at 03:05 AM
And Peiper admit it - the kind of folks who are pushing this nonsense don’t even go into places such as those that smoking would be an issue - maybe a restaurant or two but on the whole bars & pubs? Yeah right.
And also - the dying thing - um so lets see 100% of the US military is dying of cancer from first or second hand smoke - the smoke ‘em if you got ‘em did not go out with WWII - in fact I can still remember the C rations with the 4 pack of Cowboy Killers (and M&Ms) in them - my 1st hubby (non-smoker) use to barter them for things he liked or needed. And they were still puffing away when we left in ‘04.
Most of German gasthaus patrons should be keeling over about now - as I can’t remember many that at least one or two people were puffing away. Oh my!
And then there are people like me - sometime, on again off again smoker but married for 25 years to a smoker - although since about 2002 - it’s been outside - even the Army won’t let you smoke in the quarters anymore. I know the daughter was not allowed at all in her first & second Marine quarters (although the first ones were brand new and yeah it was in 2000ish).
I’m not dropping dead, riddled with the big C and neither is my hubby - as with all things medical - there have to be other factors that kick one person down the big C hallway and others who are smoking until they drop (even though the crazies out there would ‘claim’ that the smoking was why they dropped).
It’s been a mere 6 years (this time, my previous long was 1989 to 1997). But now it’s forever - I can’t afford it nor do I want to sit outside for a smoke. But that’s why I quit for good this time - it was annoying to me - I really wasn’t getting pleasure or relaxation anymore.
I’m really hating the Nanny State.
I have mixed views on this. Both my parents were heavy smokers but I was never really interested in smoking. I can’t say for me going into smoky pubs was an especially pleasant experience. I think they should have made an option for pubs to opt out or provide smoking rooms and non smoking. I can still recall being stuck on a bus that broke down in the middle of the country one day on a blazing hot day. All the time the bus was running the a/c was on and it was acceptable but as soon as it stopped all the smokers seemed to light up at once. It was absolutely foul. One thing that does boil my urine is the way that smokers spend seemingly half their working day traipsing in and out of the office so they can partake of their addiction. I think non smokers should get some compensation, maybe an extra days holiday per year to make up for the extra work they do.
The danger from the smoke is real, ask my mother, oh no smoking killed her, I am in 2 minds over this, I hated how the smokers rode roughshod over my rights, ruined my clothes etc etc I also hate dictatorship but overall I am for smoking bans. As lyndon says, smokers only do 80% of the hours non smokers do, it is better now they have to go outside (I heard then called “snoutcasts” snout being an english slang name for a cigarette, as is “fag’, a common english slang for “can I scrounge a cigarette” is “can I bum a fag?” I have not heard that in Canada so far!) still they steal 5 or 10 minites an hour from the employer.
One thing, is it the tobacco that is the cancer risk or the burn agent in machine cigs? at one time the questionare for life insurance was do you smoke, excluding roll ups and pipe? makes you wonder.Posted by Chris Edwards
09/21/2009 at 05:19 PM
As an ex smoker who got his sense of smell back, I now well understand the awful stench left behind. But also, as Wardmom rightly says, so many of the anti this and anti that ppl don’t even live or enter those places. I can imagine (now) how bad that bus experience must have been. Even as a smoker I’d have never thought to light up in an enclosed space like a bus and especially with no air circulating. I also remember those days in the past when there was a smoking section on planes, which were worthless unless you were far away. As a smoker then, even I didn’t want to be in the smoking section of a plane. I also don’t think second hand smoke kills anyone but many have been convinced it does.
Why did my younger brother die of lung cancer (he was a smoker of course) at the age of 46?
A very dear family friend who we still miss, smoked unfiltered Pall Malls and died age 91 or 92. It was smoking related again but damn, in his 90’s?
I don’t think non smokers should be forced to breathe in anything BUT ... I also think there should be pubs with smoking sections. Or as Lyndon correctly points out, a pub should have an opt out choice. But oh no. We can’t have choice in a nanny state. After all, what is the point of having a choice if that choice runs counter to what nanny believes one should think.I am a smoker, so I am a bit biased, HOWEVER…
I think this goes a bit deeper than “smoker’s rights”, I think it goes more to property owner’s rights.
We had this bit in Pittsburgh a couple of years ago, when Allegheny County decided to ban indoor smoking in anticipation of a statewide indoor clean air act. The biggest argument was from owners of bars and restaurants who didn’t want the government telling them what they could do, or not do in their own property, especially when it was a legal activity. Most of them offered to split the difference with separated areas and completely different rooms and special ventilation systems, however, the same people who make it so you can’t smoke within 50 feet of the courthouse doors (explain ~THAT~) insisted on a complete ban.
As far as smoking in an enclosed vehicle with no ventilation, Lyndon. Hell I can’t even smoke in an enclosed vehicle with AC running.. I roll down the windows, ALWAYS, even in these gorgeous PA winters, but just an inch or so then. You were just on a bus with a gaggle of inconsiderate bastards.Just a thought.. Is banning the ~LEGAL~ use of a ~LEGAL~ product on your own product constitutional, even if it is a public place?
That should be 2 cents worth.
Bill
09/21/2009 at 09:48 AM
