i was wondering how many people will vote to keep smoking accesible in public places?
924092
Probably not enough. The anti-smoking campaigns claim health concerns as their sole motive, and I believe this for about half of the supporters. The other half need someone to whom they can feel superior, someone they can kick around. In the south for years it was blacks, in Europe it has always been the Jews.\n\n"But this is different. Smoking is bad for you and harms other people." True. Part of freedom is the freedom to make stupid choices. The marketplace usually sorts things out pretty well. Delta Airlines banned smoking on all of its flights without a law requiring it, Westin Hotels has done the same, about half the restaurants in my home town ban smoking. This is called making a choice. "It harms other people" is not on as sound a scientific ground as the "smoking nazis" would like you to believe. They quote statistics that make it sound as though there's a 40% chance that a non-smoker living with a smoker will get lung cancer, when in fact the probability of a non-smoker not living with a smoker getting lung cancer is infintessimal, and the probability when living with a smoker is infintessimal times 1.4.\n\nNew York City is contemplating an ordnance that would restrict what ingredients restaurants may use in meals not based on safety (sure they prohibit arsenic) but on whether the ingredients are healthy for you. Private companies have gotten court approval to fire employees who smoke off the job in their own homes. As written, Ohio's Issue Five will ban smoking in many private homes.\n\nTobacco is not the primary cause of preventable illness in the U.S.: obesity is. Watch out, once tobacco is gone the overweight will become the target for those who know better than you do what is good for you. Obese people consume health care resources that could go to others, they cause gas mileage to go down contributing to global warming, they require that furniture be designed to support loads that otherwise would not be required thus raising the cost of chairs, sofas and beds - the list goes on. The obese will be the next target.\n\nHow about unprotected sex? If a company can fire an employee because she or he engages in activity off the job, in the employee's own home, that may be dangerous to the employee's health, then they must have the right to prohibit unprotected sex. The rationale that the private activity might raise the employer's cost of providing health insurance applies here.\n\nSo, how many people will vote to keep smoking accessible? Probably not enough.\n\nA non-smoker Libertarian
771516
Smoking is banned in certain areas of Nevada, Measure 5 passed.  You will still be allowed to smoke in casinos and bars, but not where children are allowed (like the sports bars I think). but not in grocery stores and child care centers,etc. (my god, i had no idea that wasn't already law!!!)
818161
None. don't want to litter. I thought the best protest would be purchasing cigarettes from a state which doesn't have a smoking ban. Have to travel about an hour but gee at least that other state without smoking bans will be getting my cigarette taxes. Imagine if every smoker did that? Might have to purchase a few cartons at a time but let the state feel the lack of smoking dollars.
38116
If you are in the US, don't bother opening a tobacco store.  We are going to ban smoking across the country.  Its taking a little longer than first thought, but should be done in the next five years.
425623
I agree, no wants to smell smoke when they eat.... however.... I strongly disagree on banning it from bars, cigs and beer go hand and hand for most people, infact people who dont smoke, will often ONLY light up while drinking.
120176
I hate to say this because I smoke a lot. How ever I do respect the rights of others. So my answer is yes. I will give you one reason why I say this. I quit for a year and a half and got my smell back. Cigarettes smell bad. You smell it in the people clothes, their cars, houses and any where some one has been smoking. The ash trays smell horrible. The main problem here is or I should say one of the problems here is that a smoker does not smell all this like a non- smoker. Thats where I learned to respect a non-smoker's rights. Even if it means I can't smoke at the time or have to go some where else. YES.YES.Yes: Ban Smoking in public areas. YES, I WAS CRAZY TO START AGAIN!
981624
Well I for one will definitely be purchasing "on line" if this ruling is ratified.\n\nGordon Brown will just have to raise his taxes elsewhere, and that will include the members of this society that do not smoke or drink.\n\nAs smokers we have subsidised the "non smokers" in our society with the extortionate amount of tax we have had to pay (£4.03) per pkt of 20 fags, for far too long.\n\nIt"s about time they had to pay their share, because rest assured the amount of revenue raised on duty, is spent for the benefit of everybody, not just the smokers who paid the tax.\n\nIt might also let those miserable b"stards at Custom & Excise concentrate on catching the real criminals i.e. drug smugglers, and leave the average citizen alone. ( the ones who bring in an extra sleeve of fags)\n\nHe, Gordon Brown that is, must have heard about this, thats why he is telling us the World will end if we don"t pay extra "Green Taxes, got to get the lost revenue from somewhere.\n\nThese Politicians are so bloody devious, you can"t believe a word they say.
488123
Legalize it.\nTax it.\nDon't demonize it.\nPeople have a fundamental right to do whatever they want to their own bodies as long as they don't hurt other people. The government (of any country, not just the USA) might say differently, but they have an acitve, profitable interest in keeping it illegal.\n\nBTW-No, I don't smoke it. Never have. No plans to. Personal choice. But if I want to smoke it, or shoot smack, or burn some crack, I damn well ought to be able to do that. The consequences are my own. If I lose my job, too bad for me. If my wife leaves me, then that is a poor choice for me to make, but they are MY CHOICES to make.
869298
Absolutely not. There's enough pollution in this world without some fool lighting up a cancer stick.\n\nPeople who smoke need to have plastic bubbles to lounge in and smoke away. That way they could soak up every bit of yummy nicotine w/o endangering others.
766070
I am no smoker but if someone likes to smoke then that is their business, so long as they don't blow smoke over everyone else that doesn't.....let's see the idiots in Government concentrate on something more important such as Britains overpopulation problem for instance....This is never mentioned of course since they are shit scared of loosing votes......but it will at some stage however, return to bite them up the ass.
909330
I am not a smoker, but have no problem with people smoking in designated areas in restaurants, or public places like hospitals, malls, etc. I expect people to be smoking in bars, clubs and such. I know there are people that are on oxygen, allergic to smoke, have lung problems and the smoke increases their difficulty to breath. However, everyone has the right to do what they want to as long as it does not hurt someone else. I believe their is a common ground and solution without totally banning smoking and coming down so hard on people who choose to smoke.\n\nAs for taxation, the government has that go in' on....They tax the vices they know people won't quit....gambling, Alcohol,......that's the way it goes.
279439
Only just introduced a smoking ban in all workplaces in Scotland (came into effect in 26/03/06).  I'm a leper no, scratch that, A SMOKER and I'm happy for this to have happened.  Maybe now the Anti-Smoking Lobby will settle down and leave me to my self-destructive vices.
770192
First of all I am a smoker....Doing things like that will only make things worse....I think that every privatily owned buisness should have the right to decide wether smoking should be allowed.  Publicly owned places like schools, libraries, and such you could ban smoking, but privately owned bars and resteraunts should be allowed to make that decision for themselves.....would want someone coming into you place and telling you how to run it and make rules for you......I don't think so....then it will be each persons decision to choose wether or not they want to be around smoke....if you are a smoker and a resteraunt does not allow smoking, either don't smoke or go somewhere else....if you don't smoke and the place you want to eat allows smoking either deal with it or go somewhere that does not allow smoking....each group will have to decide that for themselves....I don't feel that a private buisness should be told the can't allow something that is legal like smoking.....
141942
I was in Ireland last year and I loved the smoking ban. I realize that many like to smoke, but the smoke effects all. The pub life was much more enjoyable than previous visits. The smokers that complain the loudest are just not being reasonable towards others. They can go outside and smoke if it is that important to them.
507034
Smoke free patios are the next wave, although the smokers will claim their rights are being violated (what else is new?)  I would like to enjoy the outdoor patios during the summer, but with the smokers flocking to them and puffing away on their dirty, smelly habit, it makes them an unattractive location to enjoy a meal or some drinks.\n\nAmazes me how smokers don't get it.  Smell your closets on a nice rainy day.  Will you ever understand that blowing your smoke in public places is inconsiderate and subjects others to your unpleasant odor (and rudeness).\n\nSuccessful lawsuits against smokers and establishments are just a matter of time.
694086
It's happening, but I think it's a violation of free speech.\n\nFurther, I think it is government intrusion into private enterprise.\n\nIt should be up to private businesses to determine their own smoking policy.\n\nThe States are over-stepping its bounds and using their "general welfare" clause to do it.
1050053
Hi, I would want it to. But in reality that would be unfair. People have choice, and if they chose to harm themselves then so be it. But it shouldn't be at the expense of others- in a public place, where other people recieve the second hand smoking.