Should Smoking Be Banned?

When the European Parliament banned smoking 'on the work floor', they installed these 'smoker's islands' in the Euro building. The idea was that Euro parliamentarians would also have to adhere to this law, and would have to leave their office to enter one of these islands whenever they wanted to smoke.

Not even 2 weeks after the law went into effect, the ban on smoking for parliament was lifted, the statement said it was 'unenforcable'.

Well.. if a law is unenforcable for the people who would put a leash around other people's necks, said law in also unenforcable for me!

I know it's not healthy. I'll make you a deal:

If you can prove that, if I where to stop smoking, I would become immortal, I'll throw away my cigarettes in an instant..

The only thing people can truly count on is that life, at some point, ends

What is the point of living a long life, if it means giving up on living alltogether?

So please, spare me the morals, spare me the 'but I only say it because I care' , and ffs, allow me at least a smoke now and then.

If the smoke of my cigarette is uncomfortable for you, I will move to a location where it does not affect you. A policy I've stuck to ever since I started smoking about 2 decades ago.

The only thing a ban on smoking would accomplish is it would rake in big bucks from the black market, where only the people who can afford it would be able to buy them. Imho it'd even create a significant rise in violent crime, with poor people kicking the snot out of someone dumb enough to smoke a cigarette in public.. not to stop him from smoking but to get at the covetted smokes..

reply to post by prototism


You are one of the worst type of Hypocrites. If you live in California like your profile says than you use a car to get around. Don't bother with the hybrid car defense either, they still use gasoline. I would bet you use your car even though it hurts other people and the environment. The little smoke a cigarette gives off compared to what you put in the air everyday is negligible. It is ok for you to pollute and hurt other people but not smokers because you just don't like it.

If you are truly worried about your health and others, I live in California. Lets meet, lets garage all your vehicles for a week of 'prohibition' in a neutral place because it hurts you and others. I will be tempted to believe you are concerned about your health and others then, if you are willing to give up your polluting habits too.

[edit on 14-12-2008 by GTORick]

Awesome! Another GTO owner

reply to post by Hugues de Payens


Thanks!

Just a reminder to remain on topic...

Originally posted by Trayen11
reply to post by ANTHONY33

 

Tell that to one of the my classmates who was hit by some idiot all cooked up on Pot......when they asked the kid why he didn't try to break the kids answer was...."I was so high i thought I was just seeing things"


Yeah Pot is so safe.

Lol, can I just say that dude sounds like an absolute idiot, don't tar everyone with the same brush.

There is nothing I have found that sets weed aside from anything else, except the fact that it in itself doesn't tend to kill, the smoke does have the same side effects as cigarettes, I have also heard it has worse, but that is my choice and I researched and accepted them before I started smoking.

There is a long standing belief that it can cause psychosis and schizonphrenia and that is bollocks, it doesn't cause them, it triggers them. Same as good ol' emotional instability, stress etc. Although this is one of those 'facts' that gets twisted in the same way any others do.

I have smoked for a few years now, cigarettes and then weed and I have never smoked inconsiderately. I understand that too a non smoker and even smokers, the smoke is horrible. I hate being suffocated by the smoke of someone else smoking and especially hate it when people spark up while I'm eating. It's about consideration for other people, as a previous poster said, if I'm in the park, or standing on the high street and I want to smoke, I won't just sit down next to someone and spark up, I will find a place for myself.

I was stood outside a shop, waiting for my gf to finish shopping having a ciggy, an oldwoman around 70, walked past, then stopped, looked at me and asked me to put it out. LMAO?!? Now, if i was sat next to her and sparked up, fine by me, I had no right to assume she wouldn't mind, but she briefly walked past me? I just started laughing and moved a couple of feet away.

People seem to forget that smokers need as much consideration as non smokers, give to recieve and all.

EMM

reply to post by WyrdeOne


That was the most intelligent post I have ever read in my entire life!


I was just thinking of all the people who love that new car smell. And I realised that smell that everyone loves are the toxins coming from the new plastic and other materials. That might be something to think about the next time you get in your vehicle.

Originally posted by ElectroMagnetic Multivers

Originally posted by Trayen11
reply to post by ANTHONY33

 

Tell that to one of the my classmates who was hit by some idiot all cooked up on Pot......when they asked the kid why he didn't try to break the kids answer was...."I was so high i thought I was just seeing things"


Yeah Pot is so safe.

Lol, can I just say that dude sounds like an absolute idiot, don't tar everyone with the same brush.

EMM

I agree this sounds like a case of an idiot who shouldn't have been given a driver's license rather than an effect caused by smoking pot. I can tell you from personal experience I have driven many times after smoking pot and in each instance was acutely aware of my surroundings more so than when I'm sober. Most people who have never smoked weed and don't know people who do are prone to believing anything negative they've heard regarding it. Sure if you don't smoke regularly and then one day decide to smoke a whole joint by yourself, maybe you should use better judgement than to run jump in your car immediately afterwards, but even if you do the chances of you getting your car up to or over 35 mph are very slim.

As far as the legality of smoking in general(marijuana or tobacco) my stance is "freedom to do as you please" as long as your not infringing on others. I agree that I shouldn't be allowed to smoke in a confined area where the smoke is trapped, but I can't see how smoking outside is affecting anyone other than myself(far more carbon monoxide in the air due to cars). I would also like to point out the danger of cell phones, maybe they should be banned from public places since studies have shown they can be linked to cancer. There have also been substantially more traffic accidents due to the use of cellphones, handsfree type included, than have been attributed to people who were high on pot. I think a better arguement could be made for banning cellphones rather than marijuana or tobacco. Of course, again, my stance is people should be free to do as they please as long as they only affect themselves.

Real-life observations from our wacky world:

In Okinawa, in the karate dojo, it seems all the teachers and a great many of the students smoke like chimneys.

In Beijing, in the kendo dojo, it's the same thing.

So, I've often pondered as I observe these teachers and students enjoying a chesterfield during break, shouldn't these guys be weak and slow and feeble?

Well, baby, they're not. They're strong, tough, and have better stamina than I (non-smoker). And these guys seem to live forever.

Maybe it's the tea? They drink a lot of tea.

Anyway, I'm off to the corner store to start the habit. I think I'll pick up a pack of 'Black Devils'.

I dont smoke , i never have. but i have a problem with anyone or any law that says what i can or cannot put into my body. so i dont think it should be banned, but the chemicals they add should be.

Smoking will not be banned as there is way too much money to be made form growers to doctors but mostly manufacturers.
Laws that protect me from me (bike helmets, seatbelts etc) don't need to exist.


[edit on 14-12-2008 by AmericanDaughter]

Originally posted by Anti - Government
I’d like to first say that I am a very happy non - smoker and I don’t wish to offend anyone here but just to inform you of what I believe is something that we all should know about thoroughly because if we don’t know the effects and dangers properly we will do serious damage not just to ourselves but to everyone around you and im almost positive that you have heard that before but personally I think you should hear that as much as possible so let’s get down to business then

Im not exactly an expert on this but I have researched it a lot like I have for other various subjects such as:

• The Effects of Marijuana
  
• Meditation
  
• Spirituality
  

And I thoroughly enjoy researching and learning new things and now I am researching a very serious subject and something that I wish to share to everyone here The Effects Of Smoking The British members here will all tell you that smoking has been banned in all public places such as pubs and restaurants and that ban has caused the biggest fall in smoking ever seen in England

More than two billion fewer cigarettes were smoked and 400,000 people quit the habit since the ban was introduced a year ago, which researchers say will prevent 40,000 deaths over the next 10 years.

Smoking was outlawed in all enclosed public spaces in England, including pubs and restaurants, on 1 July 2007 after a prolonged political battle that split the Government and inflamed critics of Britain as a nanny state.

But longer term opposition to the ban never materialized: more than three out of four people support the law, and compliance has been virtually 100 per cent.

Personally I think that is incredible more than 2 billion less cigarettes on the streets as non smokers are walking but still whenever I walk past a pub there is always hundreds of people stood outside and the problem is still their maybe worse than before because at least less non smokers on the street were affected

Here’s a British advert about the effects of smoking

Now we all know here that smoking is bad for us but just how bad is it well I’ve researched and found some interesting facts

• Around 5.4 million deaths a year are caused by tobacco
  
• Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are highly toxic and over 40 of which are known to cause cancer. There is no safe 'low tar' cigarette and no safe level of smoking
  
• Male smokers may produce less sperm and their sperm may have more abnormalities than that of non-smokers. Women who smoke are more likely to have a miscarriage2. Several studies have found that women who smoke have decreased fertility. Of these, one study has found that smokers have about 72% of the fertility of non-smokers
  
• A smoker is 10 times more likely to develop lung cancer. Heavy smokers are 15 to 25 times more at risk than non-smokers4. 85% of all male cases and 77% of female cases of lung cancer are related to smoking5
  
• Smoking reduces life expectancy by 7 - 8 years. That means each cigarette shortens the life of the smoker by around 8 minutes.
  
• Women smokers who use the pill increase their risk of a heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases by about ten times
  
• Over 57,000 reports worldwide have examined the link between cigarette smoking and disease, making it the most researched cause of disease ever investigated in the history of Biomedical Research
  

Now seriously how can you keep smoking when seeing all of this I know that tobacco is very addictive but it ruins life’s and actually kills us aswell so that's why I seriously think that smoking should be banned from all places I think each and everyone of you knows that it should be aswell

Very good thread.
I don't think smoking should be banned but it should be restricted.
The reality is that when smokers light up in public places they do 1 of 2 things
1. Unwillingly expose others around them, to their smoke.
2. Violate non-smokers rights by forcing the non-smoker to leave where the smoker has decided to light up.

Not smoking does not injure the smoker but smoking does injure the non-smoker.

Originally posted by Buddy420 I agree that I shouldn't be allowed to smoke in a confined area where the smoke is trapped, but I can't see how smoking outside is affecting anyone other than myself(far more carbon monoxide in the air due to cars).

If I can smell it as you smoke it, then it's infringing on my rights. Especially if you're upwind from me.

The little toxic smoke particles don't just magically disappear as you exhale. I've been through cases where someone exhales just as their getting on the bus so the rest of us have to walk through it. I've seen bus drivers yell at people for that and been told to FOff.

So yes, smoking should be banned in public because there are enough people who couldn't care less about their own behaviour towards other people.

reply to post by jfj123

Well thank you everyone for all your replies so far ive read them all or atleast ive tried to anyway and ive actually had a change of heart because ive realised that no smoking shouldnt be banned atall it merely should be up to the smoker to be as considerate when around others especially children and to hopefully realize that it is bad for you

also alot of people brought up the dangers of Alcohol consumption and also car pollution and yes those things are very dangerous aswell i do still think that smoking is one of the biggest dangers but yes i thank you ATS because you have helped me realize that no banning shouldnt be an option it is up to us what we do to ourselves and noone else

Thank you for the kind comment about my first post and i just want to bring another poist i made [above]to everyones attention because i dont think it was seen by many

Originally posted by juniperberry

Originally posted by Buddy420 I agree that I shouldn't be allowed to smoke in a confined area where the smoke is trapped, but I can't see how smoking outside is affecting anyone other than myself(far more carbon monoxide in the air due to cars).

If I can smell it as you smoke it, then it's infringing on my rights. Especially if you're upwind from me.

The little toxic smoke particles don't just magically disappear as you exhale. I've been through cases where someone exhales just as their getting on the bus so the rest of us have to walk through it. I've seen bus drivers yell at people for that and been told to FOff.

So yes, smoking should be banned in public because there are enough people who couldn't care less about their own behaviour towards other people.

In England someone might get away with that. In the U.S. they would get their butt handed to them on a platter if they did that.

People can make their behavior annoying using just about anything. If you are basing a smoking ban on a few peoples bad behavior that is wrong. For instance, you sound like you are from England. How is that gun ban holding up? Pretty well you might say except when you look at the knife murders in London. People who want to break the law/be annoying etc. will find someway to accomplish that. Just because they annoy with smoking doesn't justify taking it away from everyone. Besides, as you pointed out, it is only a few molecules of smoke, you are not going to melt.

An interesting point too you made me think about is that the human body has only been without some sort of smoke for a very short time compared to our history. Before TA Edison and electricity, even going back to Dickens days of gas street lights, many lighting cooking and heating fixtures produced some sort of smoke and did not burn natural gas. I would think after thousands of years of smoke exposure we would have some resistance to it.

It seems that non-smokers don't like it when we 'infringe upon their rights'...

So, I say we push for a ban on Non-Smoking, along with Straight Marriage, Failure to Abort, and Recycling.

F' these tree-hugging hippie liberal noobs!

=D

[edit on 12/14/2008 by systemic.aberration]

R: Obama smoking/White House

I saw a news clip somewhere on this. There is no smoking in the White House EXCEPT in the residential area. So, Obama can smoke all he wants IF Michelle will let him. I don't remember if they said anything about smoking outside on the grounds.

I smoke and am always considerate of those around me. The only place I smoke inside is my house (I live by myself and out in the sticks) and truck. If anyone wants to come to my house or go anywhere with me in my truck, I make it clear to them that I smoke. They then have the choice. I don't smoke around people that don't smoke unless they tell me it won't bother them if I do.

Fortunately, I have never been outside smoking and have someone come over and say something to me. Probably a good thing too, since I would probably tell them to go hug a root.

What this boils down to is that when given a hand, the non-smokers can't wait to chop off the arm..

First there was a ban on smoking in hospitals and other public buildings.
Didn't have any problems with that, really, there still where designated smoking areas where people could turn to.

Then, the ban in café's and restaurants.. I have much more problems with that, but hey, I can still go get a couple 6-packs and have a private party with my smoking friends, so it's just the owners of the establishments that lose out..

Then, the ban from the 'working floor' , which goes so far as to forbid truckdrivers to smoke in the confines of their own truck.. how can this not be a violation of freedom of choice?

Somewhere along the line, they also tightened the laws to ban smoking from public buildings alltogether! In one hospital in Belgium I know of, smoking has even been forbidden on the grounds outside of said prison.. err.. hospital. So now the smoking areas have been removed, too.

Next thing you know, people will be fined stiff penaltys for lighting a smoke in the confines of their own homes! (allready happened at least once with a couple living in an appartment block.

I smoke. And if I have one more of those hypocrite smoke-fiends railing against me for smoking, I can not be held accountable if I smack said fiend's nose and make him eat the thing.. depending on my mood, I'll decide then wether or not to extinguish it before the facts..

Not really going to do that I guess.. but it does bother me a lot all us smokers are getting the cooking frog technique employed against us.

And when they're through with smokers and finally realize their wet dream of outright forbidding a large segment of the population to enjoy a relatively harmless vice, they'll find another 'wrong' they feel they must 'right'.

When they come after alcohol, or sugar, or, heck, even the Internet, don't say you weren't warned. And by then, a lot of (ex?) smokers won't be around to help defend your rights, after we've been incarcerated in re-education camps for the crime of smoking..

[edit on 14-12-2008 by Phatcat]

you can take my cigarettes when you pry them from my cold dead fingers.

i mean come on even in george orwell's 1984 they were allowed to smoke

reply to post by Anti - Government
I'm astonished that the Nicotine Nazis are still going after folks hammer and tongs; depleted uranium, which is lethal if ingested or inhaled in the form of particulate matter as minute a 1 micron, gets not a single word. DU is fatally contaminating the earth, water and air where ever DU munitions are expended, plus anyting down wind. You don't smoke? Goody. Do you eat food, drink water or breath? Why don't you tighten up yer wig and go after DU, which has a lethal half life further into the future than the first known homonid is behind us. Of course the continued use of DU will ensure that there's no one upon the planet to buy cigarettes, so maybe THAT'S your goal.