About that level playing field (ANTI-SMOKING JIHADISTS RUN WILD AS VICTORY NEARS)

Star Newspapers ^ | February 4, 2007 | Tom Houlihan

[Chi-townChief]

Although I haven't smoked myself in over twenty-five years, I get the impression that these anti-smoking maniacs have found one thing where they feel they can throw around their small authority or influence with impunity. They ask us to tolerate abortion, homosexuality, atheism, environmentalism, anti-Americanism, et al. but light up a smoke and they'll toss your ass out in the street like there's no tomorrow.

[xcamel]

The same reason a "guy with a tiny ****" drives around in a dodge viper.

[rellimpank]

---I have the feeling it's totally about power and has little to do with real health concern--and they're already started on the next step--food, trans fats for example---

[RC2]

We kill over 40,000 people a year in automobile accidents. Should we ban the use of cars because they endanger the other guy?

[PatrickF4]

They not only ask us to tolerate them, they demand that we embrace them; for to allow them to have the kind of power they do is not just to tolerate these things, but to live under their tyranny.

[teenyelliott]

If the government really cared about us, they'd pass a law requiring all of us to attend government exercise classes for an hour every morning.

Oh, wait, I don't live in China.

Gubmint needs to concentrate on defending the country, and leave all of us alone.

[freekitty]

It constantly amazes me how they can be so concerned about health when they allow the killing of babies.

[CyberAnt]

But .. they still keep imposing more and more taxes upon the smokers .. supposedly for the "childrens' programs" .. now .. how are they going to fun their programs ..??

As usual .. the dems never look at the consequences of anything they do.

[GoldCountryRedneck]

Smokers - the one minority that can be discriminated against, taxed, profiled, and fined, with impunity.

[nothingnew]

A PUFF for SBSunday

FMCDH(BITS)

[SheLion]

Although I haven't smoked myself in over twenty-five years, I get the impression that these anti-smoking maniacs have found one thing where they feel they can throw around their small authority or influence with impunity. They ask us to tolerate abortion, homosexuality, atheism, environmentalism, anti-Americanism, et al. but light up a smoke and they'll toss your ass out in the street like there's no tomorrow.

No matter what we think of Gay Rights, at least they stand up for themselves and ARE getting their rights.

Business owners and smokers just seem to think a ban could never happen to them, so they never stand up for our rights to smoke.  I really feel sad about all the businesses that have closed because of the smoking bans, but if more business owners and especially the Restaurant Coalition would ban together to oppose these bans, things might have gone differently. 

It's just that old thought "It will never happen to me."  Then, when it does, it's usually to late to fight it.

[SheLion]

Here is a marquee outside a business in Washington State. The anti's lied to them about how good that smoking ban was going to be for them!

[SheLion]

Thanks for the ping!

[TASMANIANRED]

Being gay is a greater health hazard than smoking..

That being said...Quitting smoking or never smoking has never saved a single life.

The only thing you can do is rearrange the timing of death.

It's still one to a customer..

[Sherman Logan]

Just curious. When a state passes a smoking ban in all restaurants and bars, does the total money spent in these places really go down? Unless people are crossing a state line to a place where they can smoke, I find it difficult to think there is much net impact.

Although maybe smokers will just buy a bottle and drink at home rather than in a bar. Hey, saveing money and cutting down on DWI at the same time! Works for everybody except the bar owners and workers.

[Admin Moderator]

Don't make it personal.

[Kay Ludlow]

When a state passes a smoking ban in all restaurants and bars, does the total money spent in these places really go down? Unless people are crossing a state line to a place where they can smoke, I find it difficult to think there is much net impact.

Haven't seen any statistics, but I would venture to guess that people who like to smoke at bars and restaurants do go out less when smoking is banned. Since they've been really cracking down on serving alcohol to minors, the number of minors caught drinking in bars has gone down - they aren't spending their money in the bar. They're still drinking, in homes and wherever else they gather (like out in the woods), but they aren't giving any money to bars.

Same thing is likely with smoking - people who like to smoke when they eat and drink will still smoke when they eat and drink - just not at restaurants and bars. They still buy food, but not prepared food in restaurants; still buy alcohol, but not mixed drinks at the bar.

[Sherman Logan]

Given the large number of jurisdictions that have passed laws of this type, I'm sure there is some hard data available. But I don't recall seeing any. Odd. Both sides seem to talk in generalities.