Should Cities Ban Smoking in Public Places?

[KevinG]

This is a pretty cool blog post on the NY Times site:

Edward L. Glaeser is an economist at Harvard.

One of my jobs is to be a booster for research on state and local government. In that capacity, I’m always a little sad that most people are captivated by the drama of presidential elections and bored by the nuts and bolts of local politics. Much of what is most important in our lives — the quality of our schools, the safety of our streets and the speed of our commutes — is determined at the local level.

Today, states and localities are on the front line of regulating drugs and tobacco. Last Tuesday, for example, Massachusetts decided to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana possession. As marijuana heads towards legalization, tobacco seems headed in the opposite direction. On Nov. 13, the Boston Public Health Commission will consider a sweeping ban on tobacco consumption, which would end the city’s four remaining cigar bars.

Does it make sense for localities to ban smoking tobacco and permit marijuana possession?

Full Post

[scottw]

I think tobacco and marijuana should be legal and permitted for use by any responsible adult that wishes to use it so long as it is not causing harm to anyone else.

[KevinG]

I'm going to start a new site called WeedReview.com.

Just kidding.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by KevinG

I'm going to start a new site called WeedReview.com.

Just kidding.

www.ClubWeedie.com home of the Stonedland Gorillas!!!

[JCK]

I believe the Business Owner should determine whether smoking is permitted in their establishment based on what's best for their business.

As far as common public areas? I'm okay with banning indoor smoking, but don't tell me I can' smoke in a public outdoor park.

Long gone are the days when I was 16 hanging out in the shopping malls and smoking.

[mrreindeer]

Originally Posted by KevinG

I'm going to start a new site called WeedReview.com.

How about puff.com.....oops, my bad

Originally Posted by scottw

www.ClubWeedie.com home of the Stonedland Gorillas!!!

Scott, you keep throwin' out these domain names at will....and hey, if someone claims that as their own, I support you 100% as the originator just as I did with 2girls1puff!

Originally Posted by khubli

I believe the Business Owner should determine whether smoking is permitted in their establishment based on what's best for their business.

As far as common public areas? I'm okay with banning indoor smoking, but don't tell me I can' smoke in a public outdoor park.

Long gone are the days when I was 16 hanging out in the shopping malls and smoking.

On Sunday, I approached the (outside) cab line in Vegas to get to the airport and a gal looked at me puffing a cigar in disgust, coughed and told me that I was killing her and myself. Real nice. Kinda reminded me of my mother.

[Rev2010]

Not at all, it's rather absurd. What all these "leaders" in charge don't realize is they're looking at a world of trouble trying to infringe on people's personal freedoms. The prohibition showed already what damage can occur due to banning. Not only did the criminals become wealthy and powerful, but the governments also lost money they normally would've earned on taxes! Not just on the alcohol itself but in the establishments that brought in sales tax by selling it.

I swear to God, if there is ever a sweeping ban on it I will take up the cause of gathering people to fight against it. And if that doesn't work I'm moving to Europe. There is a great article in the Winter 2008 edition of Cigar Magazine that talks about the increasing taxes on Tabacco, it's on the last page.

Let me shut up now cause discussing this issue makes me so damn angry. Freaking Nazi's out there trying to control every little aspect of our lives.


Rev.

[Cigar Man Andy]

In the great Commonwealth of Virginia they imposed a 10% OTP (Other Tobacco Products) tax on cigars. The money is going to DOT to pay for the metro improvement and expansion. If they make tobacco consumption illegal, where do you think they will get the money from and who will they tax then? It seems to me that we help more than they realize.

em

[Rev2010]

Being I forgot to the a bit more specific I'd like to add I do support smoking bans on public transportation and *inside* public places that have nothing to do with smoking - such as stores and malls. However, in open air public places I think it's absurd to ban smoking. Also, for cigar bars I think it's criminal to ban smoking. Personally, I thought it was criminal to ban smoking in bars & clubs. I feel the owner that spent all that money starting up his business should make the decision to allow or not. People don't have to frequent there and people don't have to work there. Bars have always been a place for nothing more than social drinking and smoking. And honestly, I hated bars and clubs being smokey! I'm glad they're not anymore but I don't support that it's this way cause of a ban that the owner had no say in. I don't mind the ban at restaurants as the sole purpose is to eat food, not sit in someone else's smoke while trying to eat.


Rev.

[epyon26]

hey I pay taxes and I fell like smoking a stogies on the street, in the park, or at a high school football game then I should be able to do so. I understand not smoking when I'm inside public buildings but in a business, that's run in to property rights and it should be up to the owner.

[Rubix^3]

I agree with the Rev. The business proprietor should ultimately decide if smoking is permitted in their establishment. I just visited family in Columbus Ohio and discovered a smoking ordinance has also closed a cigar bar that was once there. Nannyism.

[Cigary]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

How about puff.com.....oops, my bad



Scott, you keep throwin' out these domain names at will....and hey, if someone claims that as their own, I support you 100% as the originator just as I did with 2girls1puff!



On Sunday, I approached the (outside) cab line in Vegas to get to the airport and a gal looked at me puffing a cigar in disgust, coughed and told me that I was killing her and myself. Real nice. Kinda reminded me of my mother.

David, you missed an opportunity to tell this gal in the cab line that it couldnt come soon enough for her. I usually will have these twits ( I purposefully mis-spelled this word ) tell me the same thing whilst they are smoking a cigarette or wearing a bottle of perfume and twirling their hair and smacking their gum and rolling their eyes in their skulls like keeno lottery balls.

[IHT]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

On Sunday, I approached the (outside) cab line in Vegas to get to the airport and a gal looked at me puffing a cigar in disgust, coughed and told me that I was killing her and myself. Real nice. Kinda reminded me of my mother.

you should carry a card that has weblinks to the research that shows second hand smoke does absolutely nothing to bystanders. (there's a link in the pipe forum about this someplace if you search)
maybe dig up the stories about how C. Everett Coop and the EPA lied to Congress in the 80s about the effects of second hand smoke. (wish i could find those links again).

it's funny to hear it from a mother pushing a baby stroller, yet she smells like a $2 french whore - which probably has more of an effect on her kids lungs than your second hand smoke from 40+ feet away.

there's also a study that was done by the heart and lung assoc, it showed that pipe smokers live 2 yrs longer than non-smokers. (from the book "pipe dreams")

[donp]

Answer: Hell No! What oughta be banned are those who annoy other people trying to relax while smoking a fine cigar. Or those who drive poorly as if they are the only people on the roads, or those who would mind your business while you are smoking a cigar, and trying to mind your business.

Hell, pidgeons create more mess and disease than the gentle aroma of a fine cigar.

[PipesandGOP]

I'll never forget taking my required government class in high school and reading the chapter dealing with what is considered "public" and "private". I was shocked when I noticed it actually correctly explained the two concepts- public = a government entity; private = owned by an individual... apparently this book was written by someone who had actually taken more time to read the constitution than the Communist Manifesto.

Enter today when the government, under a decision upheld by the supreme court, will seize property in order to allow any business they deem more fit to be there than those sheeple living there. Why you ask? According to the Supreme Court, the business will contribute more to the "common good".

So why be surprised when someone totally ignores what some of us apparently flat out stupid citizens believed to be- that right to own private property, and comes weilding the police power of government to do with our property what they wish. And why be surprised when the government, and the sheeple after being constantly barraged by the media with their anti-smoking liberal agenda begin considering anywhere other than a house to be a public place.

Why does all of this happen? Because some stupid mother wants to be able to take her kid into the bar while she's in there whoring around or some whiner doesn't like the smell of smoke to the point where they don't mind bitching until the guy that owns the business is forced to change. If people don't like it, they don't have to go somewhere that allows smoking. Businesses aren't charity cases.

It's time to realize that as smokers we have no rights, we're the substandard citizens, the scum of the earth to these people, and it's time to really start taking political action.. start electing people who are pro-property rights and pro-tobacco.
And please... the next time someone complains about your smoke tell them to go somewhere else if they don't like it. [/End Rant]