This is a property rights issue.
If you’re breathing second hand smoke in a restaurant, and don’t like it, talk to the owner. He/she is permitting that patron to light up on his/her property.
At the same time, if the owner bans cigarette smoking, that the owner’s right, too. If Smokestack Bob rants because he wants to fire up, he can complain to the owner.
With that framework, smoke-haters can solicit smoke-free establishments. Smoke-junkies can solicit smoking permitted places. Everyone walks away happy.
I get your point, and you’re right: Bob et al can’t have it both ways. I also agree that some folks commingle liberty with incivility. If I was a smoker at a smoking permitted diner, and I had a woman in the booth behind me with children, I’d put away my Camels.
The quest for government to settle these disputes (which, knowing you, isn’t your desire necessarily) is what underpins the erosion of so much that has been lost of our rights.
I’m willing to change my smoke-infused clothes before bed to stop the left’s rampage through society.
[[ If I was a smoker at a smoking permitted diner, and I had a woman in the booth behind me with children, I’d put away my Camels]]
It used to be that folks would consider others, for the most part (though there were always a few that wouldnt) but nowadays, a lot of folks are just downright nasty, angry and combative, and would erupt if asked to not smoke around kids or pregnant women or whatever. But on the flip side, there are now a lot of Karens that will go out of their way to raise a huge stink if they so much as get a whiff of smoke, or see someone smoking a good distance off.
It’s just amazing to me that we couldn’t accommodate both sides and have made monsters out of smokers.
However, nobody lives in a bubble.
What the hard core libertarians who have the attitude of *I'll do as I damn well please and to hell with what affect it has on others* don't realize is that when they force others to live with their lifestyle choices, the others will demand something be done.
Therefore, if they will not exercise a little common courtesy and self-control internally, it WILL result in people demanding that that control be applied externally resulting in MORE laws. It's counterproductive. That is simply reality whether the libertarians like it or not.
Sadly, it's only a few smokers who I have ever seen exercise any level of courtesy about trying to control who is exposed to their smoke. Usually, that is done by smoking outside when possible and sitting downwind of others so the smoke does not drift over the others who ahve no interest in breathing it in.
As far as the poor restaurant owner, he's between a rock and a hard place. With good ventilation, I would see it far easier to have separate seating in a restaurant than in an airplane, movie theater, or hospital.
As far as hospitals go, there's too much risk of fire hazard especially with oxygen in use, to justify allowing smoking.