Public smoking should be banned completely

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Nope. Not all of them. Sorry.

South Carolina state correctional facilities still allow smoking in designated areas. Most county jails on the other hand do not.

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

We will all have no choice - search for post entitled "we are all smokers now"

The success of the tobacco prohibition movement in generating cash, both for the government and the prohibition lobbists has been unprecedented.

Everybody is looking for the next "------- is the new tobacco" and I can't think of anyone who won't be affected.

We will have to fight together or we will all end up with the jackboot of nanny on our throats - forever!

Tired of Control Freaks

a reply to: kosmicjack

Or you could reply to my post.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

But I understand those dang links and truths and stuff. Much easier to ignore than offer a rebuttal.
I will tell you truthfully I hold mods on this site to a higher standard. And super mods more so.
I at least am interested in challenging your posts rather than going to base threats.
Are you willing to take the time to defend your positions?
Are you willing to concede defeat?

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

It's my *opinion*. I'm not going to concede it anymore than you are willing to give up cigarettes.

You can hold me to whatever standard you would like.

But I do appreciate you being considerate around nonsmokers and also not resorting to threats of violence.

a reply to: eriktheawful

'Twas an ill-fated attempt at levity. Seems it failed. LOL.

Funny story - the last time I was in an inpatient facility, one of the novice "babysitters" watching over our little mentally diverse crew started going holly-roller about how if "she were running things - smoke breaks would be done away with".

Dangerous territory there. Everyone on the ward just got silent and held their tongues until she was out of ear-shot before venting with great vigor over how that woman had to have been out of her friggin' mind. The last thing folks who deal with everything from PSTD to severe depression, psychosis, etc...so on and so forth...need to hear from a "caregiver" is that our few chances at natural sunlight and self-medication during the day is potentially going to be ripped out from under us.

You think smoking convicts are dangerous? Add the mentally divergent and mentally ill into the mix and watch Pay Per View scramble for the broadcasting rights of the ensuing rebellions and chaos.

It's far easier to just have a designated smoking area.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Not so funny story after all

In Ontario - mentally challenged patients are strip searched in order to make sure that they don't bring "contraband" into the facility (like a lighter). They are not allowed to own a pack of cigarettes at all, not even if they put it into secure lock-up with their other belongings.

There is documented incidents where patients were black-mailed into providing sex for the chance for cigarettes.

We have already had 2 people freeze to death because they couldn't get back into a nursing home after going out for a break.

Tired of Control Freaks

a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

Doesn't surprise me, sad to say.

I've been lucky not to get rounded up on those wards, but I've heard my share of horror stories from folks who have been there. Sickening.

I found myself incarcerated in a county jail once instead of being transferred to the State hospital and it was a kinder, gentler version of Gitmo in that particular confinement room....but it was still three months of hell. Won't get into the details about some of the stuff I heard going down in the cells around me with other women and role-playing guards. Vile. Absolutely vile and inhumane. To think that some of those types of things go down under the budget of the tax dollar and guise of the mental health and/or prison system is absolutely and completely nauseating.

Yet, for some reason...the general public is still blissfully in the dark of those kinds of abuses. It's more important that their beautiful idyllic lifestyles go on unabated by the "ne'er-do-wells" of anything that doesn't conform to their narrow view of proper public conduct and presentation in the social landscape.

Absolutely disgusting.


ETA: Dealing with some of those places is enough to make anyone continue to chain smoke just to hold the anger at bay.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

That is a story worth telling.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Anti-smokers have much to answer for!

I don't so much care for myself but what I see happening to anyone who falls into their control makes my stomach turn. The merciless inhumanity must eventually be brought to light and accounted for.

That is not to mention all the people who have lost their livelyhoods in the hospitality sector and the corner store business and the music industry, and the people who have yet to go completely bust after buying up the government bonds for the MSA in the states.

Tired of Control Freaks

originally posted by: kosmicjack
a reply to: randomtangentsrme

It's my *opinion*. I'm not going to concede it anymore than you are willing to give up cigarettes.

You can hold me to whatever standard you would like.

But I do appreciate you being considerate around nonsmokers and also not resorting to threats of violence.

With evidence being provided your stance is you will not concede your view? Nor debate the topic?
Good to know when I come across you in the future.

You have a good night.
I will see you in the future.

a reply to: zazzafrazz

It's difficult reliving the experience. I've written about it in bits and pieces. It's easier coming to grips with eleven years after the fact, but it still infuriates me to no end. Part of me would love to document every minute detail, but as of yet I still have up-wellings of severe anxiety and intense flashbacks when I mentally re-live those three months of my life.

In short, there is not a day I am not grateful for being able to see the blue sky again and enjoy the simple gift of something as simple as a smoke outdoors.....and not a day goes by that I'm not absolutely terrified that I might find myself back in that room again because of some fascist ideology or social control freak with a cell phone calling the police with some trumped up and false accusation. Until I get over that paralyzing anxiety, I'll probably just keep my mouth shut and continue to self-medicate.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but those places and their wardens continue to terrify the ever-living beejezzus outta me.

originally posted by: kosmicjack
a reply to: randomtangentsrme

I'm just saying....

Take it or leave it. The OP ranted and I offered a bit of commiseration.

If you feel so comfortable in your position as a smoker, don't mind us. Ya'll typically don't anyways so...why start now?

As for judging - absolutely, I do on this issue. There is a mountain of evidence to support that smoking is not just unhealthy for the smoker but for those around them. Yet smokers get indignant when anyone dares to call BS on them lighting up around non- smokers? Puhlease.

I support your right to smoke but not in public. As you say, that's where your rights end and mine start.

Hopefully you are a committed vegetarian...there is a mountain of evidence to support that meat eating is not only unhealthy for the meat eater, but contributes to the depletion of the zone layer...gonna stop?

Hopefully also the OP is a committed vegetarian for the same reasons...I call hypocrisy on this thread (if not)...I understand it is in the Rant section, and as such, qualifies as one...if not a rant with a massive log in its eye...

A99

a reply to: akushla99

Yeah

Those dirty selfish meat-eaters. Why should any decent, healthy vegetarian have to go to a restaurant or a bar and smell the offensive odor of charred flesh? Why should tax-payers have to bear the cost of providing health-care to those who simply have no respect for themselves or others. And the way they smell - its unbearable.

Meat-eaters have the right to eat meat but those people who care about their health have rights too!

Tired of Control Freaks

a reply to: kosmicjack

Honestly, anyone under 30 or 35 and smoking in the 2014 has judgment issues. Sorry, but it's true. Older people who smoke got hooked before society knew better.

Yay!
I am old enough to NOT know better!
That has never happened to me before.

a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

Tell me about it. I'm a vegetarian and people eat meat in front of me all the time. Their bodies, their rules. Who am I to tell them what to do?

originally posted by: TiredofControlFreaks
a reply to: akushla99

Yeah

Those dirty selfish meat-eaters. Why should any decent, healthy vegetarian have to go to a restaurant or a bar and smell the offensive odor of charred flesh? Why should tax-payers have to bear the cost of providing health-care to those who simply have no respect for themselves or others. And the way they smell - its unbearable.

Meat-eaters have the right to eat meat but those people who care about their health have rights too!

Tired of Control Freaks

Yes...seems everyone has 'rights'...but some rights are legislated...One that is contributing to the depletion of the ozone by about 1/3...is meat production around the world...and non-smokers are worried about the smell of cigarette smoke on street corners mixed with the pollution soup coming from industry, transportation, plastics in vehicles they drive around in (that their children are in)...I call hypocrisy...I will however support the OP, and those supporting the OP, if they all reveal that they do not support the production of meat by eating it, do not drive any other vehicle than a dedicated electric, and never contribute in any way to pollution of any kind...Survey-makers, draw up your ledgers...

A99

a reply to: akushla99

But it's the same with vegetables. Overfarming fruits and veggies has depleted some farmland of vital nutrients. Pesticides, exploitation of local populations who work in the industry. There's transport, plastic, pollution involved in most food production. It takes fuel to move fruit from California, and tomatoes from Jersey. Unless you grow your own fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds it's not truly organic (unless you're doing organic growing that is).

originally posted by: Yeahkeepwatchingme
a reply to: akushla99

But it's the same with vegetables. Overfarming fruits and veggies has depleted some farmland of vital nutrients. Pesticides, exploitation of local populations who work in the industry. There's transport, plastic, pollution involved in most food production. It takes fuel to move fruit from California, and tomatoes from Jersey. Unless you grow your own fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds it's not truly organic (unless you're doing organic growing that is).

Correct.
Then grow your own without pesticides, within walking distance of your kitchen.

I love a good rant...not hypocrisy...

A99

We should all be eating insects. Good for us, tasty ((being dead serious)) pan fried crickets are amazing with a dash of salt and paprika

Anyway...OP...I get it...I do not like smoking...AT ALL. I am glad that in Illinois is is not allowed indoors...but come on...folks who smoke are not bad people. If they smoke on a sidewalk, who cares? If restaurants want a dedicated and heated patio..who cares? Let people be for goodness sake

I am fine with the idea of not being indoors but beyond that what should we do; push them further out? Maybe into the actual street? See I am down with freedom. Smokers are well aware of the risks so me and my nose/lungs will be just fine because I can go to a restaurant and not breathe it. And no, I am not concerned about smokers on a sidewalk. It doesn't affect me. It's not like they are blowing concentrated smoke in my face. It just dissipates.

How about people driving vehicles spitting out fumes? Or the ones who have something wrong and chug out black smoke? I am just saying environmentally there is so much more to worry about

And if the argument is that smokers are a burden on the healthcare system, what about alcohol, obesity etc

Should smoking be banned indoors? I gues, yeah. Shouldit be banned in open air public? Not a chance

Smoking should be confined to your private residence and no where else.