Posted on 09/16/2002 9:44:32 PM PDT by chance33_98
Mission Viejo Could Widen Smoking Ban Would Ban Smoking In Any City-Owned Building, Vehicle Or Public Park
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Sep 16, 2002 1:35 pm US/Pacific (CBS)-(SANTA ANA)-The City Council was set Monday to consider one of the strictest anti-smoking proposals in the nation, which would ban smoking in all publicly owned outdoor areas, including parks and city buildings.
The ordinance would outlaw chewing tobacco and smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes on any property -- grounds or structures -- owned or leased by the city. Smoking also would be prohibited on recreational trails, in parks and open space areas, and in motor vehicles owned or leased by the city.
If passed at Monday night's first reading and later at a final reading, the law would not be enforced on public streets, highways and the public right of way.
Violations could carry a fine of $100, and the law would make it illegal for smokers to retaliate against members of the public who try to enforce it.
"People are more and more looking at the effects of outdoor tobacco smoke exposure," said Paul Knepprath, vice president for government relations for the American Lung Association of California.
The ordinance was inspired by state legislation that banned smoking on playgrounds.
Although several cities, including Los Angeles, have expanded smoke-free areas in parks and other public areas, the Mission Viejo ordinance would be among the first to outright ban smoking on city owned property.
"It's our responsibility as a city to promote a healthy environment," said Mayor Susan Withrow. "It's important for us to be leaders ... and discourage unhealthy habits on city property."
Advocates for smokers' rights oppose the proposed ordinance.
Smoking Students to Be Penalized (2002.09.15)
by Lee Dong-hyuk (dong@chosun.com)
Nine presidents and vice-presidents of universities in the Seoul metropolitan area had breakfast with Chairman Park Jae-gap of the National Cancer Center, Sunday, and discussed the bad effects cigarette smoking has on students. Participants of the meeting were Jeong Woon-chan, president of Seoul National University; Lee Kyong-sook, president of Sookmyung Women¡¯s University; Shim Yoon Jong, president of Sungkyunkwan University; Oh Myung, president of Aju University, as well as vice-presidents from Kyunghee, Korea, Yonsei, Ewha, and Hanyang Universities.
Chairman Park explained the purpose of the meeting, suggesting introducing a system that "gives disadvantages to smokers at college admissions so that youth don't start smoking." Park presented a few plans: to give disadvantages to students who received detention during middle or high school because of smoking and favoring non-smokers in the case of equal scores after taking a nicotine test from their hair. Park said, "Hair tests show up to 4 to 6 months whether or not the person was smoking, but has limits due to the possibilities of second-hand smoking. Therefore the National Cancer Center will research technical methods with its development funds ways to classify smokers," he said.
Participants related that most presidents and vice presidents at the meeting agreed with Park¡¯s opinion and responded that they will favorably look over the proposal. Oh Myung, president of Aju University said Park had proposed the system be applied in school from the year of 2009, but most people favored earlier execution. "Our university will discuss this as soon as possible in a faculty meeting," he said. Lee Kyong-sook, president of Sookmyung University also said, "I think it is a desirable plan and will go over school administrators in a positive direction."
According to a survey conducted last June and July by the Seoul Office of Education on 3,245 elementary, middle, and high school students of 30 schools, 22.7% of high school boys and 10.7% of high school girls smoked. The report, which was announced on September 13 also showed that habitual smoking started mostly during the 7th grade and 10th grade.
I keep an >unlit< pipe - sometimes a cigar - in my mouth when I'm shopping, at work, in public buildings etcetera.
The smokingnazicops first give me dirty looks, then confront me and remind me that smoking isn't allowed.
It gets 'em REALLY JUMPIN' UGLY when I give them a confused kinda look, take my pipe outta my mouth, peer into it and then look them in the eye and say quizzically.."but...but.. it's not lit".
Afterwhich I hold the pipe close to their face and ask, "Here...wanna see for yourself?"
Whoo Baby, does it get 'em going! hehehehehehehe!
prisoner6
This country has truely gone insane!
Of course the laws probably ban the "use" of tobacco, and I suppose eventually someone will have to go to court to define "use".
Soooo...work around it by carrying a cheap pipe for such occasions. Corncobs are still only a couple of bucks, well worth the investment if only for the entertainment value.
prisoner6
Wonderful. California used to be a nice to live.
HOT TOPIC TODAY, let me tell you!
Obesity. Yes! They have started on it too!
On the other hand, this is going to be a bit tough to enforce. There is not usually a police presence in every park and green belt at all times. Most thinking smokers don't need a law to get them to behave responsibly anyway. I would think a better solution would be to simply make this rule cover all city employees. This law is just grandstanding (something the mayor is already known for), and a symptom of government at all level who clamor to be the next one to ban activities or raise taxes as the solution to all problems, real or imagined.
This woman is guilty of:- fascism, fiction, inciting hatred, paternalism and attempting to breach the Constitution. As such, I would encourage the local authority to discourage her continued presence on city property, as her listed crimes and lies are a decidedly "unhealthy habit" in a free society.
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