Defiant smokers reject calls to butt out...

The Royal Gasette ^ | June 6, 2004 | Stuart Roberts

[SheLion]

Friday's National Non-Smoking Day turned out to be a non-event for several for smokers The Royal Gazette caught up with.

One smoker, who did not want to be named, said she had "no idea it was going on", and "was not sure if she would not have smoked if she had known".

The Hamilton office worker who was outside smoking said that she "did not think it would have made a difference."

Another man said he thought it was "a stupid idea because people should have choices. They have choices for everything else, we should have choices if we smoke or not."

"Smoking outside does not affect anybody. It's nobody's business what we do," he said. "It's hypocritical," another woman said. "Everybody has got bad habits." "It's not illegal. (Non-smokers) have this 'holier-than-thou' attitude. Reformed smokers are the worst," another said.

Another woman smoking outside her Hamilton office said she wanted to "look at the figures for deaths from drunk driving and passive smoking".

"Look at alcohol in relation to violence at Malabar and places."

"Let's talk facts, it's not realistic. They want to stop smoking in bars. They can't ban smoking in bars. That's like saying that after 1 a.m. they will shut down the music." Buckaroo Too proprietor David Cauchi asked wondered why there wasn't a national non-drinking day.

Mr. Cauchi said his customers are allowed to smoke in his restaurant but "if they change the law then I will have to abide by it."

One of the Buckaroo's customers said she "stopped smoking for three years after a non-smoking day. For some people it works," she said.

On Friday in the House of Assembly, Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley said: "We need to do something more progressive with Bermuda about banning smoking."

He gave the example of Ireland and New York.

"Second- and first-hand smoke are killing people," he said, and "banning smoking is a challenge to this Government."

[Gabz]

You're a good person - but I don't smoke in the homes of people that don't smoke - it's not polite.

[Gabz]

Thank you, sir, for your very lucid commentary on what is going on regarding smoking bans and the assault on smokers of tobacco.

[Cultural Jihad]

There's generally nothing wrong with discouraging bad habits which harm people and their loved ones. If people want to have a National Non-Smoking Day that is certainly their right. On the other hand, if someone wants to assume all risks for their chosen behaviors they should and do have that right, too.

[Judith Anne]

I think the National Smokeout Day is hilarious! The non-smokers already don't smoke, so it's superfluous for them. It's AIMED at smokers. What I wish we had was one day when everyone could smoke ANYWHERE--work, beach, bar, restaurants, every place that's banned it. That would only be fair.

[FrankR]

"Thank you, sir, for your very lucid commentary on what is going on regarding smoking bans and the assault on smokers of tobacco."

Thanks. You know the irony of it all is, the liberal "elitists" who look down their store-bought noses at those who smoke, and like to categorize them as "rednecks" or "low life" are being hypocrites (what's new for a liberal).

If they would shut up, and go away, the smokers would all die, and the elitists would have it all to themselves...

That is, except for someone to "vote" for them at election time...

That is, except for someone to contribute "tobacco taxes" to their favorite causes...

That is, except for someone to buy tickets to their latest movie or play...

I quit smoking, and I'm glad I did...caused be some health problems, but what the hell, I smoked for nigh on 30 years, and enjoyed every minute of it. I'd still be smoking them if they didn't mess with my blood pressure.

Of course, sometimes I think the democRATs do more to elevate my blood pressure than cigarettes ever did.

But, let's looks at mortality and smoking...ya know, if Teddy and Mary Jo had just had a smoke, maybe they wouldn't have gone off the bridge.

Smoking normally takes out people who have smoked for years...older folks, ya know. But at the same time, carloads of kids get killed every year by drunk driving, or drunk drivers.

Smoking does not alter your primary thinking; you can be sane, calm and rational while smoking a cigarette...in fact, a lot of people find a calming effect from smoking a butt.

Drunks think alcohol does that too...and in moderation, it might. But one too many and it's fussin', feudin', and fightin'. How many illegitimate babies come into the world because the parents did it because they were drunk, and not in love?

I've even heard about a traffic accident, or two, caused by someone trying to retrieve a dropped cigarette. Most of the time, the driver was drunk, and wouldn't have dropped the cigarette otherwise.

There is no definative study that anyone gets cancer from secondary smoke...that's a ficticious argument invented by those who are out to take down tobacco companies, simply because they make too much money and don't give it all to the demoncRATS.

The anti-smoking campaign is the biggest farce imposed on the public in the last 40 years, and has its beginnings and is still being caused by finances, and not carcinogens, secondary smoke, or "endangered saliva".

Of course, with an educational system that produces graduates who can't read their diploma, anything the TV says, "must be the truth"....duhhhhhhh.

Time to bring back the '60's and have "smoke-ins" on the doorsteps of all city halls that have banned smoking. If they continue to ban smoking in all public places, then they need to know that if they are so anal and intent to take away tradional smoking places, like bars, restaurants, and the park, then we'll replace it with smoking on the courthouse steps.

Of course, people have to really believe in something to risk the chance of spending the night in the pokey, I guess.

[Gabz]

What I wish we had was one day when everyone could smoke ANYWHERE--work, beach, bar, restaurants, every place that's banned it. That would only be fair.

It's been tried - but the laws in place forbid it.

Thank you very much anti-smoker gnatzie crybabies.

[SheLion]

I remember it best for the huge ads for nicotine gum and patches you would see in the paper the week before the big day.

The pharmaceutical companies make me sick.

That's one of the reason for the war on the smoker............so Big Pharm can get into the act and make lots of money!!  They, too, make me sick!

  click on picture

[SheLion]

You could always get you a big ol bag of Redman and start chewing instead.

Chewing..........ugh..................blah.............

[SheLion]

Well, I only quit 4 months ago so I guess I haven't had time to develope the "holier than thou" attitude. In all honesty I doubt that I ever will. No one in my family smokes now but if you come to visit me friends, I still have ash trays and burn 'em if you've got 'em!

GOOD for YOU!!!!

[SheLion]

I was just pickin' on She Lion.I can handle chicks smoking,but have to draw the line when it comes to them chawing or smoking cigars.

LOL!

Can you imaging kissing a gal with a big ole chaw in her mouth????!!!!!!! hahaaaaaaa

[Gabz]

I could comment for hours upon your commentary................but why bother messing with a good thing......

I will make one comment, regarding blood pressure. I have very low blood pressure, always have and always will. But I will never forget one time at the doctor's office and the nurse, who knew I smoked, asking me when was the last time I had a cigarette. I told her, honestly, about 2 days ago.......she suggested I go outside and smoke one because my blood pressure was showing that I wasn't functioning.

[Uncle Meat]

I new a nasty bastard in the army that kept a big wad in his mouth at all times.He'd even eat and sleep with it .We were all piled up in a deuce and a half,coming back from the rifle range and he was laying on the floor, sleeping ,drooling it all down his chin and all over his BDU's.You couldn't tell him how disgusting he was,wouldn't phase him.If it's that nasty for a man,it's definately worse for a woman,and they're out there.

[Bonaparte]

"Second- and first-hand smoke are killing people," he said, and "banning smoking is a challenge to this Government."

The lie about second-hand smoke continues. Here in California, I just heard a taxpayer funded ad on the radio spreading the same lie about second-hand smoke killing people.

[SheLion]

he was laying on the floor, sleeping ,drooling it all down his chin and all over his BDU's

Oh! YUK! sexy! LOL

[SheLion]

The lie about second-hand smoke continues. Here in California, I just heard a taxpayer funded ad on the radio spreading the same lie about second-hand smoke killing people.

When the war on the smoker didn't work, then the Anti's came up with the idea of how second hand smoke is KILLING everyone.  Well, I hope the general public isn't buying it.  Although some do, and boy!  Do they get ugly.

However, it remains true...........second hand smoke is NOT a killer!

[Gabz]

second hand smoke is NOT a killer!

You've got that right.........anyone over the age of 40 would not be alive if SHS was the deadly thing the gnatzies try to claim it to be.

It offends me that so many are willing to believe the press releases promoted by the media which can not be bothered to do any reading on its own.

[MeekOneGOP]

[metesky]

Antis never let facts, logic or freedom get in their way.

[An American in Turkiye]

I quit last Tuesday. The first 3 days were the worst. I am taking Zyban and the patch, however, and it helps. I cheated and had a couple this weekend, but that was it. I have noticed that beer drinking really makes one crave a cigarette. Oh well. Wish me luck!

[Publius6961]

I quit 12 minutes ago.
You know how hard it is to keep it lit in the shower?