Posted on 02/06/2007 4:41:36 PM PST by Eric Blair 2084
In recent years, legal scholars have produced a voluminous literature on the rule of law in indirectly controlling social norms and individual preferences. Smoking bans provide on of the favorite "success stories" of those who laud the use of legal rules to change norms and preferences. According to these scholars, smoking bans affect behavior, even if under-enforced, because they change the social norm regarding smoking in public. With the advent of smoking bans, non-smokers who previously felt embarassed about publicly expressing their distaste for ETS are speaking up. By providing a de facto community statement that public smoking is unacceptable, the bans embolden non-smokers to confront smokers who are inconveniencing them. Facing heightened public hostility towards their habit, smokers are likely to revise their preference regarding smoking, thus by making smoking more socially costly, the theory goes, bans reduce the number of smokers.
(Excerpt) Read more at cato.org ...
Why do you hate freedom and property ownership?
The risk from unprotected, promiscuous gay sex is very high. But the risk to men who have sex in the context of a committed caring relationship (yes, this does occur) is very low. Cigarettes when used as intended are deadly.
So are cars and hamburgers.
I'm always confused by pro-smoking freepers who attack smoking bans like smoking is something in the bill of rights. Nicotine is a dangerous drug that kills people. I'll admit the war on some drugs is a bigger failure than prohibition, but I'm not sure legalizng all drugs is wise. If you smoke, but agree with controls on some substances, you are a hypocrite. Is nicotine safer than heroin and cocaine because it kills you slower? If you want all drugs legalized, at least I can respect your consistent opinion. I quit smoking 20 years ago. Secondhand smoke makes me and most other non-smokers feel quite ill. God designed our bodies with these defense mechanisms like pain to tell us something is wrong. Inhaling secondhand smoke is unhealthy. Would any of you smokers complain about someone expelling nasty rotten farts next to you constantly? I would really like a smoker try to explain how they could justify making drugs other than nicotine controlled or illegal. I would also like to hear one seriously say they would not mind smelling someone else's sewer smelling farts all day. It cannot be done without imposing egregiously liberal double standards on people. Being anti-smoking is being pro-life.
This ole dog has been around too long to let remarks bother him or take things personal.
Since homosexuality is simply a lifestyle choice there are few committed relationships (see the mortality rate studies for proof).
Do you endorse the government schools encouraging kids to try homosexuality? If so why not encourage the kids to smoke?
Too bad the pro-life bone is attached to the anti-freedom tendon in this knee-jerk reaction.
Non-smoker here, but as far as I know, nicotine, while addictive, is not itself harmful. That's why nicotine patches are allowed to be sold. The harmful part of cigarettes is the tar and other ingredients. The nicotine just keeps you wanting to smoke, from what I understand.
Prohibition didn't stop people from drinking, the War on Drugs hasn't stopped people from using drugs, Anti-smokers will never stop people who want to smoke.
I don't know why we even concern ourselves with their ranting and raving. They are a lost cause in pursuit of another lost cause.
It will be their personal habits that get regulated and legislated next.
As for my choices, I will simply not obey their smoking and eating regulations. What are they going to do? Throw a 67 year old man in jail for lighting up a cig or his pipe? Ask me politely not to smoke in your presence and I will submit to your request. But, don't make any demands of me. Their rights end when they start stepping on mine. As far as I am concerned, I have every right to smoke.
You know what I find ironic Jerry?
At 67 you have outlived the former head of WHO. He dropped dead at age 61.
It was your own choice to quit. Since I haven't chosen to do so, you find fault with me. Quitting doesn't give you the right to demand that everyone else do so. I am no more a hypocrite than you are.
If you are smart enough to be a Republican, you are smart enough to give me at least 3 reasons why nicotine can't be compared to heroin or cocaine. Give it a try for the next 10 minutes and get back to me.
I chewed gum for over a year, but quit cold turkey after I read that prolonged use is bad. I guess your suppose to read the instructions..
I often think of that old movie about the last days of Hitler. I love the ending. Hitler hated smoking and none of his staff were allowed to smoke around him. At the very end while in the bunker, when some officer comes running out to announce to all the staff that Hitler was dead,, moments pass. Then, one by one, they all light up and start to blowing smoke.
I remember way back when congress hauled the tobacco execs in front of them to testify. When I saw how they were all a bunch of wimps, I knew it would be all down hill from there. If I could have jumped inside their bodies, I would have come into the chambers with an unlit cig. in my mouth and thrown the whole thing back on those sorry treason loving, property grabbing hypocrites. I would have said "yes Mr Senator, tobacco probably will kill you! The warning is right here on the side of the box! Everybody knows it! They've been teaching this in schools for years! Too much beer could kill you too! Wouldn't you agree Mr Senator? You love a fine smoke yourself, isn't this true Mr Senator? And since it is this government that regulates tobacco, we're not growing anything that the government doesn't allow. In fact, you make more money off a pack of cigs than we do! so why are you wasting my time, Mr Senator!
Probably dropped dead from worrying too much about what other people do.
What I find most ironic is: I have a personal doctor, an ENT and a cardiologist and all know that I smoke. Not once have any of them told me that any medical problem that I have is caused by smoking. I have to come here to learn from a bunch of anti-smokers that smoking is killing me. I may just have to fire all my doctors tomorrow.
My, my! Does one have to take an intelligence test now to become a Republican? Didn't know we were so well blessed in numbers that we could do that.
Very well said. I wish you were there instead of the Big Tobacco execs who chose to leave their customers bent over the bathroom sink in exchange for protection from the gangsters in the state AG offices.
Sorry, I thought you were a Nazi at the time. You got hit with some friendly fire from Normandy Beach.
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