have a smoke for the children!!!!

**Doc** · 02-22-2009, 04:09 PM

Found this on another site and thought it was great and wanted to share it with the cigar smokers on this site.

Stogie Commentary: Smoking for the Children

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 It happens to me from time to time, and I’m sure it has happened to many of you too. You’re sitting at one of the increasingly rare bars that allow smoking, enjoying a cigar, and suddenly you’re being harassed by an anti-tobacco zealot.

Often they flap their hands around, pretending to cough as they wave smoke from their face. On rarer occasions they will confront you to loudly proclaim, “That stinks! Can’t you put it out?” They might even laughably suggest you are killing them or giving them lung cancer by smoking nearby.
I write “laughably,” by the way, because even government studies suggest non-smokers need to live with smokers for decades before any measurable increased risk is detected. So a few seconds, hours, or even days adds virtually zero risk. But I digress.
How to respond to such a person is not an easy question to answer. We cigar smokers are generally considerate people, so while telling them to buzz off with some choice words has its appeal, that’s not the route I usually take. Instead, I often just say sorry it offends you and go on smoking, or recommend a nearby bar that doesn’t allow smoking. If it’s not inconvienent for me I may even move to another part of the bar.
But since the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP ) is about to be funded through massive tax increases on tobacco, including roughly 40 cents per smoke for premium cigars, I’ve got a new reply to this annoying breed of anti-tobacco zealot: “I’m smoking this cigar for the children.”
After all, only with enough smoking will the government be able to pay for the SCHIP program. In fact, it is estimated that 22 million new smokers will be needed to fully fund the egregious scheme.
And that brings me to the final thing to say to the kind of person who would harass a complete stranger engaged in a perfectly legal activity. From now on, I plan on asking: “Why aren’t you smoking? Don’t you care about the children?”
-Patrick S
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www.BlewSmoke.com in Gilbert, AZ

**AFDavis11** · 02-22-2009, 04:20 PM

Its been a while since I've enjoyed a good cigar. I like them out doors though.

I usually just call up the manager and ask if he knows where is nearest competition is that doesn't allow smoking for my next bar/resturant outing.

**JMS** · 02-22-2009, 04:44 PM

I love it Doc!!! It almost makes me want to start smoking again!

**honedright** · 02-22-2009, 05:00 PM

Oh yes. I'd love to see that on a bill board.

Scott

**Quick Orange** · 02-22-2009, 06:31 PM

That's awesome. I think I'll be using that line from now on too. I deplore stunts like this that are "for the children", like lotteries, alcohol, tobacco, and gas taxes.

**honedright** · 02-22-2009, 06:47 PM

And how about a t-shirt with meatheads image and that slogan

Scott

**JMS** · 02-22-2009, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by honedright

And how about a t-shirt with meatheads image and that slogan

Scott

Thats great! He will of course have to have a big stogie hanging from the corner of his mouth!

**honedright** · 02-22-2009, 06:58 PM

How 'bout this one - he he he.....

http://dyn.ifilm.com/resize/image/st...td/2685612.jpg

Soitanly...!

Scott

**JMS** · 02-22-2009, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by honedright

How 'bout this one - he he he.....

http://dyn.ifilm.com/resize/image/st...td/2685612.jpg

Perfect! Find someone to make them up and I'll buy 5! 1 for me, 1 for my wife and 3 for my children!

**billyjeff2** · 02-22-2009, 07:26 PM

It happens to me from time to time, and I’m sure it has happened to many of you too. You’re sitting at a bar, and suddenly some meat head lights up a cigar and starts polluting the air you have to breathe. You’re being harassed by an inconsiderate tobacco zealot.

Often they flap their hands around, pretending to that doing somehow makes their smoke go away. On rarer occasions they will confront you to loudly proclaim, “If you don't like what I'm doing, you can leave! They might even laughably suggest you are there's no evidence that smoking is harmful to others or no actual link to smoking and lung cancer has ever been proven to exist.
I write “laughably,” by the way, because even government studies suggest non-smokers don't need to live with smokers for decades before any measurable increased risk is detected. See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/27/AR2006062700710.htm So a few seconds, hours, or even days adds even more zero risk. Especially to those who are already exposed to second hand smoke at work or at home. But I digress.
How to respond to such a person is not an easy question to answer. We non-smokers are generally considerate people, so while telling them to buzz off with some choice words has its appeal, that’s not the route I usually take. Instead, I often just say "sorry your smoking is unhealthy and offensive to the rest of us who like to breathe clean air and who'd like to enjoy our drinks/meals without the smell of smoke ruining the experience", and that if you want to go on smoking, you should do it in your home, your car, or outside where it won't permeate the air I and others have to breathe.

And as to the smokers' argument that since the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP ) is about to be funded through massive tax increases on tobacco, including roughly 40 cents per smoke for premium cigars, your're doing this for the children, I’ve got a new reply to this silliness : “I have no problem with you smoking your cigars just so long as it doesn't intrude on the right of those of us who choose not to smoke to inhale clean, non-stinky air, and who prefer not to have the stench of cigar smoke blanket our clothing. And since your smoking is likely to result in your eventually contracting some form of cancer or other smoking related ailment that will require considerable sums of end-stage medical care that will drive up the cost of everyone's health care premiums, don't tell me you're smoking cigars for the children.”

And that brings me to the final thing to say to the kind of person who has so little regard for the vast majority of non-smokers who believe their right to inhale non-toxic air free of carcinogens trumps the "right" of those who engage in unhealthy and intrusive habits, and who appreciates not having a complete stranger ruin their environment. From now on, I plan on asking: “Why are you smoking? Even if you don’t care about yourself, don't you are about those around you?”
-BJ2

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