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Can I Buy You a Drink and Light Your Cigarette? (Cathryn Crawford)
The Washington Dispatch ^ | January 2, 2004 | Cathryn Crawford

Posted on 01/02/2004 8:44:44 AM PST by Scenic Sounds

It seems that everyone has an opinion on the smoking bans that have been put into place in the last year. From Dallas to New York City to California, smokers are no longer allowed to smoke inside bars and restaurants. These bans have been met with great resistance, not only from smokers, but from the owners of the bars and restaurants, who say that the restriction is harming their business and causing profit loss. The opponents of such a ban also say that the bans are unconstitutional, because they prohibit legal behavior in privately owned places of business.

Most people rightly characterize this issue as having two sides - those on the side of property rights and liberty, and those who are on the side of public health. (I am without the scientific qualifications to resolve that issue, but I am comfortable assuming that cigarette smoke doesn't become safer just because one person has inhaled it before it gets to me.) Granting that assumption, which deserves priority – the right of a proprietor to control what legal activities happen in his bar, or the right of a member of the public to live and work in the safest environment possible?

Those who endorse the public health side of this issue contend that health issues outweigh every argument. They believe that people have the right to always be in the safest environment possible (whether they want to be or not), and that legislation is the proper vehicle by which to ensure public health. Their basic belief is that nothing is more important than health and safety for everyone, not even the idea of personal choice. They are willing to have their personal liberties curbed because they believe that it will improve the quality of their lives.

However, I believe that it really comes down to personal choice and responsibility. When someone makes a decision (any decision), they must decide for themselves what risks are involved, and weigh them rationally against the benefits. This applies to the decision to eat, drink, or work in a certain bar or restaurant, just as it does when someone makes the decision to drive a car, eat junky foods, or drink alcohol – all activities which are potentially dangerous but very legal. A ban on smoking takes away the choices of all three parties involved – smokers, nonsmokers, and owners. It also assumes that people are not sufficiently reasonable or rational enough to make their own decisions regarding their health.

Are there are ways to allow both sides to have a say in public smoking? Of course there are. Why not just require restaurants and bars that permit smoking to post a notice advising prospective customers of the hazard?

Until smoking is banned altogether, the decisions regarding the right to smoke in privately owned businesses should be left up to the individual discretion of the owner. Otherwise, choice is removed and replaced with full control by the government, which invalidates the entire idea of private ownership.

Cathryn Crawford is a student at the University of Texas. She can be reached at CathrynCrawford@WashingtonDispatch.com.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antismoking; pufflist; smoking; smokingbans; tobacco; underagedrinking
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Cathryn Crawford's latest!

1 posted on 01/02/2004 8:44:45 AM PST by Scenic Sounds
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To: ValenB4; Scenic Sounds; Sir Gawain; gcruse; geedee; DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet; Chad Fairbanks; ...
Ping!

If you want on or off this ping list, let me know.
2 posted on 01/02/2004 8:45:52 AM PST by Cathryn Crawford (¿Podemos ahora sonreír?)
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To: Cathryn Crawford
Off, please.
3 posted on 01/02/2004 8:46:26 AM PST by Lazamataz (G-d gave us free will. The government took it away.)
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To: Cathryn Crawford
Good morning, Cathryn. How's it going?
4 posted on 01/02/2004 8:46:45 AM PST by E.G.C.
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To: Scenic Sounds
bump
5 posted on 01/02/2004 8:46:55 AM PST by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
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To: E.G.C.
It's going pretty well. How's it going with you?
6 posted on 01/02/2004 8:47:27 AM PST by Cathryn Crawford (¿Podemos ahora sonreír?)
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To: Gabz; SheLion; *puff_list
Attention, ladies.
7 posted on 01/02/2004 8:48:07 AM PST by patton (I wish we could all look at the evil of abortion with the pure, honest heart of a child.)
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To: Cathryn Crawford
Can I Buy You a Drink and Light Your Cigarette?

You sure can.....

8 posted on 01/02/2004 8:48:34 AM PST by NeoCaveman (Happy New Year)
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To: Scenic Sounds
So I live and work in NYC... I don't smoke. I go to bars now and again.

While on one hand I really like not stinking of cigarettes for two days after getting a pint (or 12) of Guinness I really don't want The Government (TM) legislating this sort of thing. Sure ban smoking in hospitals, day-care centers and schools... but BARS?

Seems like a wase of time, money & energy.
9 posted on 01/02/2004 8:50:36 AM PST by forktail
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To: Cathryn Crawford
Why, Cathryn, I am married...
10 posted on 01/02/2004 8:50:55 AM PST by JohnGalt ("Nothing happened on 9/11 to make the federal government more competent.")
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To: Cathryn Crawford; Scenic Sounds
Good to see you around again, Cathryn. Please see also:

Clubbings

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit the Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com

11 posted on 01/02/2004 8:52:19 AM PST by fporretto (This tagline is programming you in ways that will not be apparent for years. Forget! Forget!)
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To: Scenic Sounds
I understand the concept that you propose & mostly agree. In the interest of public safety, could we also automatically have each patron deposit their car keys with the bartender and require a Breathalyzer test before they are returned to the car owner prior to leaving the bar?
12 posted on 01/02/2004 8:52:59 AM PST by rapture-me
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To: JohnGalt; dubyaismypresident
Well, I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. It's quite illegal for me to be inside a bar, anyway.
13 posted on 01/02/2004 8:53:00 AM PST by Cathryn Crawford (¿Podemos ahora sonreír?)
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To: Cathryn Crawford
While I disagree with your assumption regarding the science and motivation of the health issue side of the arguement, this is a very well written piece.
14 posted on 01/02/2004 8:53:30 AM PST by Gabz (smoke gnatzies - small minds buzzing in your business -swat'em)
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To: Gabz
While I disagree with your assumption regarding the science and motivation of the health issue side of the arguement

Hmmmm. What is your disagreement?

15 posted on 01/02/2004 8:54:01 AM PST by Cathryn Crawford (¿Podemos ahora sonreír?)
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To: patton; Just another Joe; Max McGarrity; Conspiracy Guy; Mears; CSM; RikaStrom; Great Dane; ...
Thanks for the ping, patton. Hapy New Year to you.
16 posted on 01/02/2004 8:55:19 AM PST by Gabz (smoke gnatzies - small minds buzzing in your business -swat'em)
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To: Gabz
Happy new year.
17 posted on 01/02/2004 8:58:06 AM PST by patton (I wish we could all look at the evil of abortion with the pure, honest heart of a child.)
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To: Cathryn Crawford
Why would it be illegal for you to be in a bar?
18 posted on 01/02/2004 8:58:48 AM PST by eastforker (The color of justice is green,just ask Johny Cochran!)
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To: forktail; *puff_list; Just another Joe; Great Dane; Max McGarrity; Tumbleweed_Connection; ...
Seems like a wase of time, money & energy.

It's called Control!  The Government did not buy the business.  But they sure go in and tell the owner how they are to run it! This should be left up to the owner of the business and not the government.  I shudder to think what else the "Government" has in store for us.  They got their foot in with the smoking bans...........what ELSE is on their agenda?  WHO else are on their agenda.  Think about it.

And there are plenty of places for non-smokers to go where they don't have to be around people who do.



19 posted on 01/02/2004 9:01:09 AM PST by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
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To: eastforker
Down here, most bars won't even allow anyone that's under drinking age to come in the bars. Of course, that's not always true. So I suppose it's not illegal - it's just not a good idea to attempt it unless you have ID that says that you're drinking age - and I don't.
20 posted on 01/02/2004 9:02:00 AM PST by Cathryn Crawford (¿Podemos ahora sonreír?)
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