Smoking's giving drinking a bad name

The Newark Star-Ledger ^ | April 01, 2004 | Paul Mulshine

[Gabz]

In reference to the "for the children" thing.......

I don't remember the way it is in NYC (I moved out of there in 1982), but in Delaware no one under the age of 21 is permitted in a bar or tavern. Yet the legislation that put in the smoking ban (in EVERY business, not just bars and restaurants) specifically states one of the reasons is to show children that smoking is socially unacceptable. Gee, kids saw a lot less smoking by adults when smokers were in the bars, as opposed to on the sidewalk.

Interestingly enough, almost all of the legislators that pushed the smoking ban, are also on board in favor of adding "sexual orientation" to the protected groups for jobs and housing (race, sex, religion, handicap).........and they are not all democrats, in fact the main sponsor has an "R" behind his name. The most vocal opponent to it has a "D" behind his.

[itsmejgr]

Personally, I will not drink. However, i will not critizize those who do. God gave man free will to choose or not to choose the right. It is not things that send people to hell. It is omitting God from their life. I do feel that alcohol and smoking are bad habits. And if you will notice a person's habits usually wind up controlling their life instead of them controlling the habit.Most people carry bad habits to the extreme. There are a few who can drink in moderation, but only a few. If one gives their self to Jesus, then one forms good habits instead of harmful ones.

[itsmejgr]

The only people to blame for anything are the ones who do it. One person cannot truly be blamed for anothers choices. We were given free will by our Creator. We choose life or we choose death, first spiritually then physically. If we choose life in Christ then we should be forming good habits, not bad ones. If we choose bad physical habits we are destroying ourselves and others. If one chooses to misuse alcohol beverages, one can wind up killing an innocent bystander. If one chooses to smoke, the second hand smoke can kill someone else. My Mother never used tobacco, but got emphysema from working around smokers. If one wants to smoke they should be considerate of others. Also I used to babysit for a neighbor's two children. And I would have to rewash their clothes before dressing them as the clothes in their dresser drawers would stink of stale tobacco smoke. What good is alcohol or tobacco anyway? It accomplishes nothing good or worthwhile. While I do not approve of either habit, government has no business making a law against either,for as I said, God gave man free choice and man has to choose. However there things that we do have to make laws against, but that is not one of them.