Thread: Anti - anti-smoking rant

This smoking ban thing is getting out of hand. I no longer smoke cigarettes, instead enjoying my pipe tobacco, but have no issue with smoking in public or in privately-owned establishments. It just irks me to no end every time I read of yet another example of local, state, or federal governments over-stepping their bounds and trampling on our rights to make free choices as free-willed adults, and instead treating us like prattling children

While I understand the negative health ramifications associated with smoking, I believe it is our right as a free populace to let our minds and wallets decide what is best. I can understand that someone may not want to bask in the lingering smoke of a Marlboro or Camel, of an Oliva, or of some Dunhill Nightcap while they are trying to appreciate the subtle nuances of their swordfish, lobster, or Filet Mignon. I can even begrudgingly support no smoking in restaurants - and even in bars while the kitchen is open.

With that said, since the beginning of time, smoking and drinking have gone hand-in-hand. When we go to a bar, we are going to an establishment where we can drink, swear, bitch about politics, ogle members of the opposite sex in a very animalistic manner, and even to take our conquest home for the evening without heed of the uncomfortable morning to follow. We are voluntarily engaging in activities that are dangerous, unhealthy, and on the fringe of social acceptance to begin with.

For those that do not wish to be exposed to such nefarious on-goings, the solution is simple: Do not go to those places. Let your wallet do the talking. If there is really such disdain for these locals of ill repute, and they suddenly become vacant caverns populated by only a scant few degenerates, then they will no longer be able to keep their doors open.

For those that do not wish to attend these places, there are countless establishments awaiting to take your hard-earned money to provide you will gallon after gallon of your favorite elixir. You need not go to that dank, dark, smoke-filled bar my uptight friends. You can pickle your liver in the comfort of your home from the comfortable confines of your couch. You need no longer stand to consume your favorite libation. Gone are the days of languishing at a backless chair next to some overly loquacious older gentleman who is attempting to solve all of the world's problems one whiskey at a time. No more waiting in line to relieve yourself of the three pitchers of Coors Light you just wailed back.

Rejoice! For you can enjoy all of the pleasures you seek in the confines of your own slice of paradise. You can pee whenever, and possibly wherever you like. You can drink whatever you choose - and at a far reduced cost I might add. You can recline comfortably on your couch or in your favorite chair.

So leave the bars. Leave them to never come back. Leave the dark recesses of the pubs, taverns, and inns. Leave them to the degenerates who you so openly and unabashedly loathe. Let them wallow away their time in an environment that provides them with a sense of belonging and social interaction, and allows them the opportunity to meet like-minded, unscrupulous characters with whom they will spend their hours talking, laughing, singing, even crying - like the completely mad men and women that they are.

Why would you ever want to expose yourself to such a variety of unpredictable characters? Please, for all that is good and holy, protect yourselves. Stay safe. Stay home. And leave the bars to us sailors, prostitutes, braggarts, barbarians, and sadists. I will gleefully join them. With a drink in one hand and a smoke in the other, I would happily toast to the freedom of choice, to democracy, and to free enterprise.

I have but one last question for my pious friends: If there was such a demand by the people and by the restaurant industry for non-smoking establishments, why were they not in existence before the bans were put into place?

Hear Here! Smoking ciggy's while having drinks go together like shoes and socks, but they're people who want to impose and insist that they have a 'right' to....... wherever they want. I'm sure you already know this, but that mentality is not going to stop at bars. The protectionist mentality has no end because it does not work.

I have but one last question for my pious friends: If there was such a demand by the people and by the restaurant industry for non-smoking establishments, why were they not in existence before the bans were put into place?

you're not going to get a real answer to that.

In the UK, people who smoke are becoming few and far between, hardly anyone smokes nowadays.
Why should a minority dictate terms to the majority of folk who want to enjoy an evening in the pub and don't want to come home with clothes stinking like an ashtray?
Both my parents were smokers, both died prematurely from lung cancer after a long debilitating illness. I sat with my mother as she died, fighting to breathe.
Smoke if you want, just do it in the middle of a field and make sure you don't encourage youngsters to copy you.

You make a good argument for the need for legislation, especially the, "they can go someplace else part". I do feel sorry that you aren't able to enjoy the bar as much. Maybe someday there will be room for compromise. I do consider the legislative act to remove smoking from restaurants one of the "Finer Things in Life".

Perhaps someday, smokers will start to see a need for greater compromise, particularly in Public establishments.

We get the Government (and hence the legislation) we deserve. And, I am afraid to say that over the past 20 years what we have deserved is a big bubble-wrapped, risk-averse, short-sighted Nanny. Nothing is our own responsibility, everything bad in our lives is someone else's fault, we bleat to the Government about our own special interests and whine like petulant children when it listens to someone else's. What we end up with is knee-jerk politics and a warning-label life.

James.

I'm with you on the restaurants bit, because people really are "trapped" with the smoke if they don't want it, the thing that gets me is that they have banned smoking in NYC parks. Yes, outdoors. Insane.

I'm a smoker.

Agree with no smoking in:
Bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, any enclosed space where people who don't smoke would otherwise be forced to sit with people who have a health damaging habit.

Disagree with no smoking in:
Public open air places with adequate room. although I've thus far only encountered this in the states.

I also disagree with the following idiotic piece of legialsation in the uk. basically that a business if it wishes can have a smoking shelter located (i believe) at least 10ft away from entrance or exits. fair enough. here comes the dumb part. a smoking shelter had to be unenclosed on three sides, otherwise by definition it's an enclosed space and you can't smoke in it... even though it's only smokers who go there. fun in winter in aberdeen, i tell ya..

Smokers tend to be quite thoughtless, I know I was one.

A couple of months ago I was walking to school to pick my kids up and a smoker breathed out a lungful of fowl smelling smoke in my face just as I breathed in, YUK!

As far as parks and suchlike go, I've been down wind from smokers on many occasions for example having family picnics in the park and on the beach, it has meant that I have had to move just because a nicotine junkie needs to feed their addiction and inflict the stench on me and my family. Just try asking them to move and 90% will get argumentative about it.

The fact is second hand smoke kills and personally I think someone who decides to ruin their health smoking (and they have every right in the world to do that) has no right to ruin mine either. It shouldn't be up to me to wear breathing apparatus to avoid it. I grew up in a world where I was always exposed to second hand smoke and to be honest I hated it and the non smokers were basically told just accept it. The tables have turned now and that's a good thing. Sorry if I sound nasty here but that's the way I feel about it. If folks want to smoke they can go outside away from non smokers or restaurants can have smoking sections.

Here in the UK I think the smoking ban is probably the best thing to happen in bars restaurants and clubs in a long age. It provides cleaner air, a nicer atmosphere and protects the health of staff working in these areas. Also I can now taste my food and drink.

I agree however that the limitations on smoking shelters are rediculous. Especially in the bitter Scottish wind lol.

As for the why where there no smoke free bars and clubs and restaurants before the smoking ban, it would seem fairly clear to me that businesses worried about the risk of loosing custom to competitors who where more relaxed about such things, and where not willing to purposely damage trade, but with the ban everyone is on a level playing field as there is no option to go to a different bar and smoke.

Also to the point that we non smokers could sit at home and be safe. i quite like to drink in the company of friends and peers and yes often ogle at the opposite sex, why should I be deprived of that just because you have a habit to feed? A habit that if carried out in my presence leaves me stinking of nicotine and smoke, that leaves me in a room full of acrid smoke and in a position that may well harm my health? You are well within your rights to choose to damage your health, but not mine, and if you choose to damage your health then why can't you do it at home?

Now this argument can go round in circles about your rights to do what you choose, and my right to do what I choose, but the legislation at least here in the UK appears to be based on the health interest of the people.

And as an aside I am an ex smoker, however when I did smoke if I happened to be in the company of non smokers I would remove myself from the group if I felt the need.

Geek