San Francisco Bars Smoking in Its Parks =your home is next

ap ^ | Tue, Jan 25, 2005 | Adam Tanner

[Gabz]

That should be first, not next.

[Doc On The Bay]

It's San Francisco;--Don't for a MOMENT believe that this "Ban" refers to ANY OTHER SUBSTANCE than Tobacco!!

I can think of AT LEAST 5 OTHER Substances not Specifically Banned for "Smoking in the Public Parks!!"

I SERIOUSLY DOUBT that the "City Fathers" meant to ban those 5 Other "Substances!!"

AFTER ALL, "TOBACCO" is "EEEVIL!!"--the OTHER "Substances" are "Fun!!"

Doc

[mugs99]

not a smoker myself,
but what happens when the outrageous "sin taxes" get so high that people quit "sinning" and the precious tax money goes away also. seems like a catch 22

Catch 22 doesn't apply. They don't care about the future, they want money now. When the tax money dries up they just declare another product evil and tax it.

People won't quit sinning, they will just find other sources, like the black market. Drug dealers have already expanded into tobacco. It'a a new growth industry for the underground.

Sin laws create more sin.
...

[hophead]

"I'll never forget the Mayor of Friendship Heights seeking to ban smoking in the entire town because it was a bad influence on children...............He was later arrested for molesting a 14 year old boy in the men's room of the Washington Cathedral."

I forgot about that! This same county a few years ago held a "Holiday Parade", what us politically incorrect people call a Christmas Parade, and asked Santa not to ride on the fire engine like he has for the past 20 some years. It was great. About 30 Santas showed up and walked in the parade as a protest.

[Raycpa]

outside is far different from inside.

I thought the issue was rights. Doesn't the public have the right to control public property ? Or are you admitting property rights is merely an excuse smokers use in order to try and rally for unrestricted smoking rights.

[Drango]

You are getting to be truly annoying on these types of threads.

Your voice, on the other hand, is always sweet and uplifting.

[Indy Pendance]

I was quoting. Sorry to confuse you. It does get hard to figure out what group is trying to destroy America. I would love to live in 1797. I was born in the wrong century.

[Michael Barnes]

Not as scary as dying a slow painful death from a disease that you could have easily prevented.

Smoking is an odd habit. I quit last month. Have quit many times before but always picked it back up. Everytime before, I tried keeping the "slow painful death" thing in my head. It never worked. This time around, I'm not doing it for me, I'm doing it for friends and family,almost all of whom don't smoke. It was my habit, but it also effected them (stench, 2nd hand smoke(?(not sure how much I believe in that)) and that it's just a filthy habit.

Now, outside that, I've already witnessed how much money I have saved and that is a secondary driving factor to remain "quit", I dare say it's becoming the primary factor now.

[choclabguy]

Just seems funny the same people that are crying seperation of church and state will be the first to label it a sin tax.

[Fred Hayek]

"nicotine will be declared a dangerous drug in the very near future, and you will be a criminal."

Isn't nicotine a common alkaloid found in plants? Potatoes and cauliflower!

[Gabz]

Simple solution for your campus........SUPPLY MORE ASHTRAYS.

I don't have a fancy college degree and even I am intelligent enough to acknowledge the obvious.

[Gabz]

At the rate we're going, nicotine will be declared a dangerous drug in the very near future, and you will be a criminal.

It already has been declared as such.....but it won't become criminal any time soon........the governments can't exist without the extortion money, oops, I meant to say taxes they collect.

[SheLion]

If I was ever told that I could not smoke in my own home, I would be buying a gun!

[denydenydeny]

San Francisco's bathhouses have been at least as great a danger to public health as all the second-hand smoke in all the parks in America.

[SheLion]

I feel like it's overwhelming too, but these stories on discrimination are getting attention and politicians are beginning to get wise to anti tactics.  Totally banning the use of a legal product by employers may just be the "straw that breaks the camel's back".  A lot of non-smokers and legislators still believe in our Constitution and Bill of Rights.  The antis aren't even being subtle with their intentions any more, as their most recent ad campaigns are proving!  They are pressing their luck now, and have gone way beyond reasonable limits.   

Sure, the antis have been pushing for this all along, but now their efforts to demoralize smoking by influencing employers, have crossed the line.  Either smoking is going to have to be made illegal, or they have to back off.  Federal and state legislators can't afford to kill "the goose that laid the golden egg" for their tax budgets, so they will have to enact "lifestyle" legislation for the unprotected states.  They can't just ignore it.  If 29 states have already passed statutes, how can the remaining 21 remain inactive?  Sooner or later, civil rights groups are going to have to get involved in protecting smokers too.  They have already set the precedent. 

Anyway, I wanted to let other smokers know that we aren't the only ones being angered by this discrimination.  I'm still optimistic enough to believe this tide will turn...the antis are beginning to trip themselves up with all their "study" lies and endless greed for power.

[VeniVidiVici]

there should be no complaints when the public decides to ban smoking in public places.

San Francisco is such a hole I don't think anyone would notice if someone is smoking in a park.

They have pretty much banned carrying guns, they want to ban them altogether, so what's a little more banning?

[SmithL]

It's only illegal to smoke tobbaco.

[Gabz]

I remember all those Santas showing up!!!!!!!

I've never lived in Maryland nor have I ever been in Montgomery County, but I did work in Caroline County for about a year and have lived on DelMarVa for over 20 years.

The Eastern Shore is WAY different than anything in Montgomery County.

[Centurion2000]

there should be no complaints when the public decides to ban smoking in public places.

If you REALLY want to improve the air ... ban cars, but that wouldn't fit the nico-nazi agenda now would it ?