Anti-Smoking Campaign Is Anti-Freedom

Toogood ^ | 11/9/03 | Alan Caruba

[ETERNAL WARMING]

This is one of the reasons I won't nominate the Reagans for sainthood. They inflicted this assault on us via their health czar, C Edgar Koop.

[Age of Reason]

I haven't smoked in more than a decade.

But I l-o-v-e tobacco still: cigars to me are like chocolate.

[Quix]

Depends on one's definitions, I suppose.

I think it's anti-freedom to insist that I breathe smokers smoke AT ALL.

I think it's anti-freedom to require me to give a portion of my hard earned money to support lung cancer and heart failure treatments because of a willfully chosen rebellion against health and common sense.

I have also observed that most smokers tend more than a little to hold their cigarettes somewhat akin to folks who enjoy showing their middle finger in a certain posture.

This observation has led me to realize, finally--in my 56th year . . . DUH! . . . that there's more than a little chronic rebellion running around loose in most smokers, if not all.

And you want require me to aid and abet your life destroying, assaultive, addiction against my will?

And you think that's FREEDOM?

[JennysCool]

there's more than a little chronic rebellion running around loose in most smokers

Good Lord! That might indicate they're ... Shudder ... AMERICANS!

[Doctor Stochastic]

While logic suggests that smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer, the fact is, "no one knows" if this is the trigger or whether a genetic or other factor played a role.

The incidence of lung cancer is about 10 times higher in smokers than in non-smokers. Possible this is only a coincidence.

.PDF here

[tbird5]

I think it's anti-freedom to insist that I sit next to fat people, ugly or stupid people AT ALL.

I think it's anti-freedom to require me to give a portion of my hard earned money to support heart failure in the obese,free education for the masses, and food stamps to the obese poor because of a willfully chosen rebellion against health and common sense.

I have also observed that most fat and stupid people tend more than a little to hold their lifestyle somewhat akin to folks who enjoy showing their middle finger in a certain posture.

This observation has led me to realize, finally--in my 50th year . . . DUH! . . . that there's more than a little chronic rebellion running around loose in most fat and dumb folks, if not all.

And you want require me to aid and abet your life destroying, assaultive, addiction against my will?

And you think that's FREEDOM?

[185JHP]

Smokers yapping, filled with the rebel's pride, remind me of a PSA I'd like to see - (it's a paraphrase of an old PSA about drunks) "If they're sick, let's help them! But first, let's get 'em out of our air!" A big problem for them - we nonsmokers know about patches and gum...

[supercat]

I think it's anti-freedom to insist that I breathe smokers smoke AT ALL.

Then stay out of places where smokers congregate.

If a business owner decides that he prefers the business of smokers to the business of people like you, what right have you to complain? If you don't like the policies of a business, go to a business whose policies are more to your liking. Generally, the marketplace will ensure that when different people have different contradictory desires in how they are served, different businesses will emerge that serve people differently. At least when government allows that to happen.

[Quix]

I have some sympathy for your perspective.

Though there are some places where it's hard to avoid and hard to find substitute businesses. Thankfully, it's tons better than it used to be.

[Quix]

Agreed.

[Quix]

Well done.

I don't know of anyone allergic to fat people, though.

And though my school has a great smoking policy, there are some who violate the "not within 50 feet of doorways" rule and one has to walk through a cloud.

Yeah, obese people have a problem, too that is costly to all of us. And, there's a lot of 'us' who have a lot of that problem. But I find a lot more overweight people earnestly trying to deal with their habits than I do smokers.

[Quix]

Or, humans.

[gcruse]

I quit smoking in 1980. Not because the government was cracking down on me, but for my own health. Now I hear about smokers losing liberty while pot, which is less bad than tobacco remains illegal. Somehow, I just can't bring much sympathy to bear. Kill yourselves if you must. Just shut up about it.

[philetus]

Your a ,gov. take care of me ,idiot.

[185JHP]

Good evening, QUIX, how are ya? You're doing yeoman service against the "Stench now! Stench forever!" gang. It's mildly amusing that they try the lame old canard about "rights", when their high from 'tine isn't being limited - just their "right" to defile other people's air. "Patch. Gum. Repeat as necessary."

[Quix]

ACTUALLY,

I'm closer to a libertarian.

But the cry "What I'm doing is OK as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else."

Quickly turns into '** yours' when their comfort, pleasure, selfishness zones are even slightly annoyed.

And when selfishness insists on inflicting disease on others, it seems a fitting time for the group to put a stop to it through more or less whatever group forces it takes.

[philetus]

When they take your freedom come back and tell me how good it was to use the gov. to keep you from having to smell cigarette smoke.
I know damn well you vote for the crap.

[philetus]

Was this for me or for QUIX?

[Quix]

Actually, I don't recall voting for any such at all.

I might consider it if it came up in my turf.

Hasn't. I've been in Taiwan and China for 15 years.

BTW, the 'government' using the term loosely, will take a LOT more freedoms away than that.

Such as the freedom to worship, read The Bible, pray at all anywhere if they can catch you, teach your own children your own values . . . etc.

Dark times are coming.

Not being able to blow smoke in anyone else's face will be the least of your concerns.