The Pennsylvania Smoking Ban
On September 11th PA started enforcing a statewide smoking ban to the cheers of some and jeers of others. Personally I think the smoking ban is a joke and this post is going to tell you why.
The smoking ban should be the decision of the business owner and not of the government. Until the day comes when cigarettes are illegal the government should have no say in this freedom. The government is not here to spoon feed you healthy decisions it deems fit, it’s to maintain the stability of the state… well try to I guess.
You say you have a right to breath clean air. I say that guy over there has a right to smoke. Why do your rights overpower his? Yes smoking is bad for you but it’s up to each individual person to make that choice. If you don’t want to be around smoke you don’t go to that business. It’s as easy as that. No one should have to change for YOU. It’s the owners decision. It’s the workers decision to work in an environment that has second hand smoke. If you want to smoke you go to smoking businesses. If you don’t, you go to non-smoking. Why is this so difficult to understand? Oh that’s right, you have the right to go wherever you want. The world doesn’t cater to you so quit trying to force it. Not everyone can be happy. I’m all for dining in a smoke free establishment but I knowingly make that decision to go someplace which is non smoking. Most restaurants were smoke free before the ban so why not let others make these same educated decisions. Come on, you’re really not going to visit these place you say “I can go to so many more places now.” You never were before hand and you wont start now.
I’ve noticed the most vocal supporters of the smoking ban are the ones who feel entitlement and ironically are over the top supporters of Obama (notice i said not ALL). The causeheads! Those who would rather blame others instead of taking responsibility. How much more of your ass does society have to wipe for you to be happy?
Now here’s the kicker. It’s not a smoking ban in ALL places. Apparently if you’re in a casino or a bar/restaurant with less than 20% food sales you’re invincible to second hand smoke. Again, if you’re going to make a ban on something it needs to be 100% and not half assed.
This is just the start of something more evil coming down. First we’re going to ban smoking and trans fats to see how far we can push it. Next up will be alcohol, obesity and stupidity because all of which are killers right? Don’t forget water because even that in excess will kill ya. You’re annoying and your presence gives me high blood pressure. You should be banned.
I don’t like where this is going.
I love California’s smoking ban. Best thing that has ever happened in the state. I can go to any bar, club, restaurant and hang out with my friends, party it up, head home and not smell like the bottom of someone’s ashtray.
When I come back to PA I pack an extra bag…. so I can throw all of my clothes that I wore out to a bar into it an zip it shut. There’s no wearing a pair of jeans twice in that state. I wonder how much laundry will be cut down by the ban… saving the environment by water conservation!
I also wonder what the statistics will say by the number of people who will cut back or quit smoking as a result of the ban, probably not much, but it can’t hurt. I can say the state could use it. The instance of underage smoking in PA is INSANE. Attaching another stigma to smoking is a positive thing for the youth. I went to high school in both CA and PA and I can say with absolute certainty more than a third of my peers smoked in PA whereas only a random few did in CA. The surprising thing was that most of the teenagers I knew that smoked all began in elementary years. If it’s impressed on kids even on a subconscious level that smoking has a stigma on it from a cultural and social level there may be some good effects.
Now you say “You say you have a right to breath clean air. I say that guy over there has a right to smoke.” Now by us all breathing clean air no one is hurt by it (yes the smoker is annoyed because they want a cig) but when the smoker decides to light up the non smoker has to suffer.
I love eating and drinking outdoors on patios when the weather is nice here, and I understand that if I do, there might be a smoker. That’s fine, it’s someone’s right to smoke. I tolerate it if I can. If the smoke makes me nauseous I move inside. I’m not going to rail the person for wanting to light up outside. The only reason I’m afforded that is by the ban where smoking is not allowed indoors.
Anyways. I love that you’ve posted your opinion on the matter. Good discussions like this make blogging worthwhile… right
Thanks for the comment Adri! Glad to see you were here
My thing is that the government shouldn’t step in to make this decision. If I own a business I should be able to designate it as smoking or non-smoking. Granted yes you have to breathe that 2nd hand smoke in when someone lights up but you know going into the establishment that you could face that risk. I have an issue with the psycho over the top activists who have just now become vocal because this in effect. 3-5 years ago where were these people?
I like going out to eat in a smoke free environment but a bar is where smoking has always been a part of the culture. People who frequent smokey bars don’t care about breathing in the 2nd hand smoke otherwise they wouldn’t go. Hate to say it but some people just don’t give a shit and will continue to smoke 2 packs a day. That’s their prerogative.
People in general are getting all crazed and becoming extremists. If you don’t like my candidate then fuck you you’re killing America. If you don’t eat organic you’re going to die. You’re killing me and my rights by smoking! Just do what I say! (I’ve actually heard all of these which is why I’m saying it). Drives me nut. The political people are the worst. I’m still undecided so I try to listen to both sides but goddamn the Obama supporters I know just wont stop. Constantly in my face.
how did the country slip so fast?
True freedom requires making choices for yourself, when the government makes decisions for you, freedom is conditional and lost.
Many of the anti smokers are concerned about smelling and smelling like tobacco smoke. They want to dictate their personal preference by law rather than use their freedom to go to or work at a place that has their personal preferences.
“I wonder how much laundry will be cut down by the ban…”, I wonder what kinds of things cling to clothing period. These antis, never washing their clothes, will continue to carry other bacteria, disease etc. Please wash your clothes any how.
I have seen anti smokers go into a restaurant/bar in scrubs after getting off a shift at the hospital. Hospital infections have documented deaths in Pennsylvania of 2500 a year. There has never been one scientifically documented death or disease from a wisp of smoke. Unless, of course, you buy the rhetoric of the media and extremist groups. They are generally for Obama as well.
agree, a loss of freedom *sigh*
one interesting side effect is the littering … smokers are still going to smoke, but have no receptacles now to throw their butts out