Smoking In Public

[The Republic of Pantalleria]

Well perfume doesn't have lethal chemicals in it, so that's one difference, another difference is that smoking is an unnecessary pollution, that doesn't benefit anyone at all...

Any chemical can be lethal in the right dose.

---

Taxes on cigarettes are there to act as a deterrent on smoking consumption...

And to raise money.

For the universal health care they'll so desperately require, if I might add...

[Ifreann]

Any chemical can be lethal in the right dose.

---

And to raise money.

For the universal health care they'll so desperately require, if I might add...

*shrug* For anything the government might want to do, really. I'm not aware of cigarette taxes being earmarked for healthcare.

[The Republic of Pantalleria]

For the universal health care they'll so desperately require, if I might add...

*shrug* For anything the government might want to do, really. I'm not aware of cigarette taxes being earmarked for healthcare.

That's what most governments do...

[Grainne Ni Malley]

I personally wish I had never picked up the smoking habit, but I attempt to be respectful when smoking in public. I cup my hand around the cigarette when I'm passing someone and exhale in an opposite direction. Sometimes the wind has its own ideas, but I can't help that. I think people who make a big ordeal out of coughing when passing a smoker are the assholes. You can tell when someone is just doing it because they hate the fact that you are smoking in their general vicinity.

Here's the thing about smoking outside. There is so much natural air that the smoke gets diluted and carried away very quickly. No, people should not have to walk through a cloud of smoke to enter, or exit a business. I try to refrain from smoking directly in areas were people tend to gather in large numbers. Usually I find the edge of a curb if I am smoking outside a business and try to stay as respectfully far away as I can. On the occasions that kids have passed by whilst I am smoking (at a reasonable distance away) and one semi-obnoxious kid has to be the loud ass who says, "Ewww! She's smoking!" I smile and say, "Yes, it's a nasty habit. Don't ever start."

[Gothmogs]

I personally wish I had never picked up the smoking habit, but I attempt to be respectful when smoking in public. I cup my hand around the cigarette when I'm passing someone and exhale in an opposite direction. Sometimes the wind has its own ideas, but I can't help that. I think people who make a big ordeal out of coughing when passing a smoker are the assholes. You can tell when someone is just doing it because they hate the fact that you are smoking in their general vicinity.

Here's the thing about smoking outside. There is so much natural air that the smoke gets diluted and carried away very quickly. No, people should not have to walk through a cloud of smoke to enter, or exit a business. I try to refrain from smoking directly in areas were people tend to gather in large numbers. Usually I find the edge of a curb if I am smoking outside a business and try to stay as respectfully far away as I can. On the occasions that kids have passed by whilst I am smoking (at a reasonable distance away) and one semi-obnoxious kid has to be the loud ass who says, "Ewww! She's smoking!" I smile and say, "Yes, it's a nasty habit. Don't ever start."

Sometimes people do cough from the fumes though. Once I had to leave a festival because someone was smoking and it made me have an asthma attack, even though they were not right next to me.

[Grainne Ni Malley]

I personally wish I had never picked up the smoking habit, but I attempt to be respectful when smoking in public. I cup my hand around the cigarette when I'm passing someone and exhale in an opposite direction. Sometimes the wind has its own ideas, but I can't help that. I think people who make a big ordeal out of coughing when passing a smoker are the assholes. You can tell when someone is just doing it because they hate the fact that you are smoking in their general vicinity.

Here's the thing about smoking outside. There is so much natural air that the smoke gets diluted and carried away very quickly. No, people should not have to walk through a cloud of smoke to enter, or exit a business. I try to refrain from smoking directly in areas were people tend to gather in large numbers. Usually I find the edge of a curb if I am smoking outside a business and try to stay as respectfully far away as I can. On the occasions that kids have passed by whilst I am smoking (at a reasonable distance away) and one semi-obnoxious kid has to be the loud ass who says, "Ewww! She's smoking!" I smile and say, "Yes, it's a nasty habit. Don't ever start."

Sometimes people do cough from the fumes though. Once I had to leave a festival because someone was smoking and it made me have an asthma attack, even though they were not right next to me.

I do know the difference and if that happens I am extremely apologetic. I'll even put my cigarette out because I feel bad. I mean the ones who make a big ass show of coughing even if they are fifty feet away. Just staring at you like you ruined their entire life and producing the fakest, most extreme cough you've ever heard.

[Gothmogs]

Sometimes people do cough from the fumes though. Once I had to leave a festival because someone was smoking and it made me have an asthma attack, even though they were not right next to me.

I do know the difference and if that happens I am extremely apologetic. I'll even put my cigarette out because I feel bad. I mean the ones who make a big ass show of coughing even if they are fifty feet away. Just staring at you like you ruined their entire life and producing the fakest, most extreme cough you've ever heard.

They must look ridiculous doing that. That would probably annoy me as well.

[Grainne Ni Malley]

I do know the difference and if that happens I am extremely apologetic. I'll even put my cigarette out because I feel bad. I mean the ones who make a big ass show of coughing even if they are fifty feet away. Just staring at you like you ruined their entire life and producing the fakest, most extreme cough you've ever heard.

They must look ridiculous doing that. That would probably annoy me as well.

They really do. Any ounce of politeness I might have had otherwise goes right out the door.

[Zottistan]

Smoking only of private premises.

[Conciousness]

I'm about to curb my smoking for personal reasons and about the only places left where I can smoke my 1 for the day are public places on the outside.

[Conciousness]

People have perfume allergies. Ban perfume.

Smoking affects everybody, not just an incredibly small minority.

And yet, when I mention to my friends that I can't breathe properly around a perfume counter they know instantly what I'm talking about.
Funny, that: You'd think that being in an incredibly small minority I'd be asked to explain...

[Forsher]

Well perfume doesn't have lethal chemicals in it, so that's one difference, another difference is that smoking is an unnecessary pollution, that doesn't benefit anyone at all...

First off, "chemicals" are not always bad.

Secondly, smoking can directly benefit smokers, so.

The restriction in personal freedom is not warranted by the minute to nonexistent benefit in public health.

Chemicals aren't always bad.

Lethal chemicals, on the other hand, are only good if the idea is trying to kill someone.

The thing to remember is that smoking is necessarily harmful to non-consenting parties.

I personally wish I had never picked up the smoking habit, but I attempt to be respectful when smoking in public. I cup my hand around the cigarette when I'm passing someone and exhale in an opposite direction. Sometimes the wind has its own ideas, but I can't help that. I think people who make a big ordeal out of coughing when passing a smoker are the assholes. You can tell when someone is just doing it because they hate the fact that you are smoking in their general vicinity.

Here's the thing about smoking outside. There is so much natural air that the smoke gets diluted and carried away very quickly. No, people should not have to walk through a cloud of smoke to enter, or exit a business. I try to refrain from smoking directly in areas were people tend to gather in large numbers. Usually I find the edge of a curb if I am smoking outside a business and try to stay as respectfully far away as I can. On the occasions that kids have passed by whilst I am smoking (at a reasonable distance away) and one semi-obnoxious kid has to be the loud ass who says, "Ewww! She's smoking!" I smile and say, "Yes, it's a nasty habit. Don't ever start."

Ah, the old wind argument.

You can tell its flawed by walking behind smokers (even for only a few metres) and the wind's coming towards you.

[The Republic of Pantalleria]

I personally wish I had never picked up the smoking habit, but I attempt to be respectful when smoking in public. I cup my hand around the cigarette when I'm passing someone and exhale in an opposite direction. Sometimes the wind has its own ideas, but I can't help that. I think people who make a big ordeal out of coughing when passing a smoker are the assholes. You can tell when someone is just doing it because they hate the fact that you are smoking in their general vicinity.

Here's the thing about smoking outside. There is so much natural air that the smoke gets diluted and carried away very quickly. No, people should not have to walk through a cloud of smoke to enter, or exit a business. I try to refrain from smoking directly in areas were people tend to gather in large numbers. Usually I find the edge of a curb if I am smoking outside a business and try to stay as respectfully far away as I can. On the occasions that kids have passed by whilst I am smoking (at a reasonable distance away) and one semi-obnoxious kid has to be the loud ass who says, "Ewww! She's smoking!" I smile and say, "Yes, it's a nasty habit. Don't ever start."

That is a very respectable opinion madam, thank you.

[The Republic of Pantalleria]

Smoking affects everybody, not just an incredibly small minority.

And yet, when I mention to my friends that I can't breathe properly around a perfume counter they know instantly what I'm talking about.
Funny, that: You'd think that being in an incredibly small minority I'd be asked to explain...

Well then, stay away from perfume, something of which that can easily be done for:
1. It is mostly expensive which is why few people use it.
2. Due to the limited amount of people using it, it doesn't tend to leave any health effects at all.
As opposed to cigarette smoking:
1. Anyone can afford it, therefore it affects all societies no matter where you come from there is probably at least one smoker from that society...
2. The health effects it causes affects thousands of people a day...
So tell me sir, what is better, because this isn't a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact, fact that needs to be addressed before the disease gets severe...

[Fireye]

And yet, when I mention to my friends that I can't breathe properly around a perfume counter they know instantly what I'm talking about.
Funny, that: You'd think that being in an incredibly small minority I'd be asked to explain...

Well then, stay away from perfume, something of which that can easily be done for:
1. It is mostly expensive which is why few people use it.
2. Due to the limited amount of people using it, it doesn't tend to leave any health effects at all.

You've never taken public transportation, have you?

At least in Chicago, on the UP-W line and the CTA Blue & Red Lines, and most busses I've been on in rush hour, cheap perfume (or cologne. sometimes it's men.) is always used in lieu of bathing by SOMEONE.

[Vitaphone Racing]

Well then, stay away from perfume, something of which that can easily be done for:
1. It is mostly expensive which is why few people use it.
2. Due to the limited amount of people using it, it doesn't tend to leave any health effects at all.

You've never taken public transportation, have you?

At least in Chicago, on the UP-W line and the CTA Blue & Red Lines, and most busses I've been on in rush hour, cheap perfume (or cologne. sometimes it's men.) is always used in lieu of bathing by SOMEONE.

This argument again?

Perfume is incomparable to cigarette smoke because cigarette smoke unlike perfume is proven to have detrimental health effects on anybody who breathes it in. Some people having perfume allergies is not the same as everybody reacting unfavourably to cigarette smoke.

For the last time; the push to ban smoking is not because some people don't like the smell of it.

[The Republic of Pantalleria]

You've never taken public transportation, have you?

At least in Chicago, on the UP-W line and the CTA Blue & Red Lines, and most busses I've been on in rush hour, cheap perfume (or cologne. sometimes it's men.) is always used in lieu of bathing by SOMEONE.

This argument again?

Perfume is incomparable to cigarette smoke because cigarette smoke unlike perfume is proven to have detrimental health effects on anybody who breathes it in. Some people having perfume allergies is not the same as everybody reacting unfavourably to cigarette smoke.

For the last time; the push to ban smoking is not because some people don't like the smell of it.

Bravo gentlemen, you have shown common sense, as opposed to common ignorance of what the others show...

[The Steel Magnolia]

You've never taken public transportation, have you?

At least in Chicago, on the UP-W line and the CTA Blue & Red Lines, and most busses I've been on in rush hour, cheap perfume (or cologne. sometimes it's men.) is always used in lieu of bathing by SOMEONE.

This argument again?

Perfume is incomparable to cigarette smoke because cigarette smoke unlike perfume is proven to have detrimental health effects on anybody who breathes it in. Some people having perfume allergies is not the same as everybody reacting unfavourably to cigarette smoke.

For the last time; the push to ban smoking is not because some people don't like the smell of it.

It is however, a pointless moral crusade based on a nonexistent problem.

[Forsher]

This argument again?

Perfume is incomparable to cigarette smoke because cigarette smoke unlike perfume is proven to have detrimental health effects on anybody who breathes it in. Some people having perfume allergies is not the same as everybody reacting unfavourably to cigarette smoke.

For the last time; the push to ban smoking is not because some people don't like the smell of it.

It is however, a pointless moral crusade based on a nonexistent problem.

What? The health effects of smoking don't exist?

Or, do you mean, the health effects of exposure to other people smoking don't exist?

Either way, it's wrong to make that claim.

[Condunum]

I'm going to give you a little tip. You aren't a fucking genius. You aren't the Einstein of bad health. You're a fucking person on the internet. Stop with this pretentious attitude.

Well, then I may not be an Einstein, but at-least I know a universally accepted truth that is supposed to be taught by teachers when you reach the age of 9...
So my point now, is that you can learn something new if you paid attention to the needs of others, despite of yourself...

Nothing you have said to me is new. It's all shit I already know.

[Libertarian California]

As a libertarian, this issue is complex, because there is no option that really maximizes liberty. I'm of the belief that all people are entitled to life, liberty, and property


1. Smoking in public places allows individuals to choose what to consume (thus giving smokers liberty), but secondhand smoke is detrimental to by-standers (depriving them of life).

2. Banning smoking in public places is against the smoker's liberty to choose what to consume (but guarantees everyone else life).


Perhaps there could be a compromise of only allowing electronic cigarettes to be smoked in public?

[YellowApple]

I'd leave it up to businesses. For publicly-owned (i.e. government/community) spaces, up to whoever owns the deed.

If I were running a business, it would be a no-smoking zone throughout the entire property, indoors and out. Nothing against smokers, but I'd rather not subject asthmatic customers, children, the elderly, etc. and/or myself or my employees to noxious and likely harmful fumes if it's avoidable, and one can always find somewhere else to satisfy a tobacco addiction - home, for instance, or somewhere else where smoking is a-ok.

[The Steel Magnolia]

It is however, a pointless moral crusade based on a nonexistent problem.

What? The health effects of smoking don't exist?

Or, do you mean, the health effects of exposure to other people smoking don't exist?

Either way, it's wrong to make that claim.

Smoking in public on, say, a sidewalk or in a park causes harm that is incredibly miniscule.

[Condunum]

As a libertarian, this issue is complex, because there is no option that really maximizes liberty. I'm of the belief that all people are entitled to life, liberty, and property


1. Smoking in public places allows individuals to choose what to consume (thus giving smokers liberty), but secondhand smoke is detrimental to by-standers (depriving them of life).

2. Banning smoking in public places is against the smoker's liberty to choose what to consume (but guarantees everyone else life).


Perhaps there could be a compromise of only allowing electronic cigarettes to be smoked in public?

I'd say a 'real' libertarian model wouldn't so much place restrictions as the society would be expected to adjust accordingly.

[YellowApple]

What? The health effects of smoking don't exist?

Or, do you mean, the health effects of exposure to other people smoking don't exist?

Either way, it's wrong to make that claim.

Smoking in public on, say, a sidewalk or in a park causes harm that is incredibly miniscule.

Source?