Discussion Topic: Total Tobacco Ban.

[Shaun Raney]

Put down your pitchforks. It hasn't happened....yet.


But it arises a question. Let's say that tobacco products have the same penalties associated with them as marijuana.

Would making something you enjoy illegal enough to make you stop doing it?

Would Cigar Aficionado become the next High Times?

Would the Fuentes, Padrons, Rocky Patels, and every other manufacturer become targets like Escobar?

[smoke_screen]

A total ban on tobacco is not going to happen. The government makes too much money on tobacco taxes... They just want to take away our ability to smoke, and still get our money...


BasTar0's

[Mystophales]

Iowa has passed the smoking ban in all public places (including work areas) just last week. So where I work will be completely tobacco free as of July 1st. No cigarettes, chew, dip anything whatsoever anywhere on company property. They are even talking about including the parking lot along with this so you will not even be allowed to smoke in your car before and after work (well until you leave the parking lot that is).

So In all reality a complete tobacco ban would not surprise me anymore.

[Dwharmsway]

I'm all for busnisses for deciding for themselves if they want smoking or not. Heck there are times when I want to sit down for a nice steak or what not and not have to smell smoke. It should be completely left up to the business owner.

As far as a state ban or city wide ban everywhere, that just doesn't make sense, unless the voters voted on it. What are they going to do next, ban Mcdonalds or Burger King because its not healthy too?

/off rant

[skibumdc]

Originally Posted by Mystophales

Iowa has passed the smoking ban in all public places (including work areas) just last week.

Just last week? Geeze. Some counties in Maryland and VA have been that way for YEARS.
Federal buildings have that way for as long as I can remember. We have designated areas that smokers hang out

I still hear some of the older folks tell me people used to smoke at their desk and the cafeteria.

Wow. If that were the case I would probably have a 100ct humi at my office desk!

[rizzle]

To answer your question, no. Never stopped me before.

[BamBam]

It was tried before with alcohol during a little thing called prohibition.......We all know how that turned out.

[renton20]

Originally Posted by BamBam

It was tried before with alcohol during a little thing called prohibition.......We all know how that turned out.

The powers that be learned from that. Instead of an outright ban, they are just cutting off where we can smoke, one place at a time. I believe a law was just passed in cali banning smoking in privately owned condos and apartments. Next will come houses and all public places.

The funny thing about marijuana is that when it was first outlawed, it was not really illegal. They simply required a tax stamp on marijuana sold or possessed. Only problem was that no such stamp existed.

To answer your question, will smoking ever be outlawed entirely, no. Will it be illegal to smoke in restaurants, bars, workplaces, indoors or outdoors? Probably within the next 10 years.

[ambientboy]

I think it'll actually go the opposite direction. Give weed a chance...it'll be legal within 8 years.

[Munkey]

It's been awhile since I read the Cali stuff, but if memory serves, it was a specific county that banned smoking on balconies and patios. Smoke does tend to roll up to the upstairs neighbor and I can appreciate this, however, I'm worried about my neighbors. So far, the majority that walk by while I'm outside with a cigar like the smell (I must be buying the right sticks). But it only takes one very verbal person to enact major change in a community. People bend just to shut them up. If multitudes complain, it'll happen everywhere. Personally, I'll bomb the crap out of anyone I know that still smokes and move onto something else. I love cigars and cigar time, but not that much.

[FN in MT]

I really need a hobby thats socially acceptable.

Been shooting and collecting S&W handguns for 40 years, ever since I was a kid. Gun ownership has been under fire for decades. Nobody complained when I carried one for 32 years protecting their asses though.

Been riding motorcycles about as long. Getting to the point with "Good Samaritans" who feel they need to come up to me and tell me the horrors of "Murder cycles" lately that I've been rather impolite with WHERE they can stick their stories.

Smoking has been under fire everywhere. Luckily here in MT it's not quite as bad as other places.

FN in MT

[sanfrantreat]

you know what, I am sitting here reading all of this and I am guilty of this too. We are slowly Watching our hobby go down the drain. We should step up and do something, I don't know what though. Perhaps one of the lawyers on Clubstogie can mention something that we can do to turn the tide of smoking bans.. I think its ridiculous that there is a law in cali or even some idiot thought up a law against smoking in condos, already we've been banned from nearly everywhere.. do i really have to go sneak in to the woods smoking in the middle of a forest in a tent??

[Kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by r-ice

do i really have to go sneak in to the woods smoking in the middle of a forest in a tent??

I dunno... if that's your plan, I'd do it pretty quickly. Before ya know it, they'll take that right away from us too!

[Wang Lung]

Originally Posted by Mystophales

Iowa has passed the smoking ban in all public places (including work areas) just last week. So where I work will be completely tobacco free as of July 1st. No cigarettes, chew, dip anything whatsoever anywhere on company property.

They did that at my office. When the HR manager asked me about the chew in my mouth, I told him it was mint. He said "OK".

I continued to dip for six years.

[weak_link]

In California the politicians that have nothing better to do now want to raise the beer tax 1500%. Remember folks, the government knows what's best for you. Our little minds just can't handle the freedom to think for ourselves so really, it's best to just let government take care of us. They know what's best. Really they do. Smoking is bad. Oh so bad. Beer? Apparently the 'new bad.' Obey...obey...obey.....