Smoking Bans

[TribalRats]

Well I quite smoking a few years ago and I must admit I miss it every single flippin day. Any who.....I am all for banning smoking in public areas the kids definitely do not need it, neither to the adults who choose not to smoke not to mention the pets. Did you know that second hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer in our pets as well? Any how that being said I have absolutely NO issues with smoking in a SMOKE shop. Pretty much if you are in a smoke shop you should expect...oh I don't know....maybe some SMOKE?

[Odetoadream]

One of the major reasons for the ban is for the employees who work there. They cannot avoid the smoking section. While some may just find a non-smoking environment to be employed in, not everyone has that luxury.

Myself, I hate smoking. But, then again, I'm watching my father who was a smoker fight for his life due to lung cancer. And he's not winning. So my view is a bit biased.

As for the smoke shop...if you are the only employee, I don't think it should affect the shop. But if you hire employees, they have just as much a right to work in a safe and healthy environment as anyone else.

I apologize if I offended anyone.
Sincerely,
Cinthia

[TribalRats]

I think that was very well said Cinthia. We area ll entitled to our opinions, it is how it is said that usually offends people and I personally think you said your opinion quite eloquently.

[GSD]

Originally Posted by Odetoadream

One of the major reasons for the ban is for the employees who work there. They cannot avoid the smoking section. While some may just find a non-smoking environment to be employed in, not everyone has that luxury.

Cinthia

Put in a filtration system. I've been in some places, a pool hall in IA that had a bout 40 pool tables plus a bar area, and everyone in that bar was smoking, and unless it was blown directly in your face you couldn't tell, cause it was gone. I think if you chose to work in a bar or smoke shop, then its pretty reasonable to assume you'll be around people that smoke, and NO a business owner should not be forced to have his business suffer just so someone that doesn't like smoking can get a job there.

[Jamila]

I think it would be okay to smoke in a smoke shop but other places I'd rather not have smoking. I use to smoke and still kinda do (I dont buy cigs i bum very few days). But ugh the smell is horrible.

[Odetoadream]

It's a delicate balance between the business and the employees health. However, jobs are not easy to come by sometimes, and non-smokers often are put in those positions because there are no other jobs. Should they be forced to put thier life at risk so the owner of the business can make money? Get another job is easy to say, but when you have a family and you have to take care of them, you often will do anything to feed and shelter them.

I don't mean to sound as if the business owner should be forgotten and his family. But if -everyplace- is smoke free, their business will pick up most likly. I've seen places that are smoke free, profit more then those that are a smoking establishment.

As I stated, this is how -I- personally felt. I'm in no way right or wrong. Just my opinion, which I admitted is biased, due to my own circumstances. In a perfect world, noone would suffer, business or employees, it's about finding a middle ground, where the business thrives and the employees are safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Cinthia

[sammy]

Originally Posted by bigdoglover

I think we all have some sort of "nasty habit" or vice. Nail biting is gross, just as an example. I don't want to shake hands with someone who has had their fingers in their mouth. Yuck.
Our immune systems are weak because we aren't exposed to certain environments...hence, we get sick more often. Children raised on a farm or around animals have a smaller chance of becoming asthmatic than those who are not.
Isn't it just as easy to avoid places that have a smoking area as it is to ban those that smoke?

Just debating here, don't go crazy on me!!

Very true that we all have nasty habits. However my nasty habits don't cause harm to other people or to the enviroment. Your rights end where the start to infringe on someone elses.
Exposing your children to smoke will absolutely NOT strengthen their immune systems! It will make them more prone to ear infections and upper respiratory tract infections and asthma attacks ( if they are asthmatic)
If smoking is allowed in public places it's very difficult to avoid. Shouldn't the extra effort be on the part of the people with the nasty habit and not everyone else?

[calgal]

I'm sorry to hear this Quincy. I was wondering just how well a smoke shop would do in this day and age because of the number of non-smokers sharply rising each year. Your very young and can always try a new adventure anytime you want.

[GSD]

Originally Posted by sammy

Your rights end where the start to infringe on someone elses.

Like people's right to go to a bar have a drink and smoke. If you want to live completely healthy, stay out of a BAR or smoke shop.

[quote=sammy]Exposing your children to smoke will absolutely NOT strengthen their immune systems! It will make them more prone to ear infections and upper respiratory tract infections and asthma attacks ( if they are asthmatic)
QUOTE

I have actually seen a few studies that showed children born to mothers that were exposed to moderate levels of smoke showed less signs of distress when exposed to smoke and contaminants in the air after they were born and while growing up. I thought it was pretty interesting, but have yet to see any recent ones. I don't think there are too many people giving out grant money to see those kind of results anymore.

[uncle_fred]

we just started with smoke bans here as well i am a smoker but i agree in restaurants OK with me or inside the house but in a smoke shop that is a bit too much i would say

[Mellie]

I do not smoke.
My live-in boyfriend does.
When home, he must go outside to smoke. This is for my health, and the health of our pets. Not to mention, I do not enjoy smelling smoke on furniture or clothing.

However, I believe bars, restaurants, smoke shops, and owners of such businesses should have the right to instate a smoking area or smoking room if they so choose.

There is a huge degree of social politeness (or lack of) when it comes to smoking.
I believe a smoker should at least ask if anyone nearby minds if s/he smokes before s/he lights up. This of course, is not necessary if that smoker is in a smoking-allowed bar. Or in the smoking section of a restaurant. But I hope you get my point.
A good friend of mine is a smoker. She smokes in her car. But when I am a passenger in her car, she will always ask me if I mind before she smokes her cigarette. And then she will roll her window down enough to allow as much smoke as possible to escape. Despite the fact that she is in her car, she shows common courtesy by doing so, in my humble opinion.

But I think the issue of societal acceptance/politeness can stretch to cell phones and other things as well.
I know when I'm in a public place, I do not enjoy when a nearby person blabs on a cell phone. I do not like when a friend answers or makes a cell phone call while sitting with me at lunch or in line or whenever. I do NOT mind, though, if that same friend excuses herself to answer a call, so that I and everyone around her are not subjected to her personal conversation.

You can't make everyone happy all the time. But you can make compromises.

[marley05]

Could go either way. but i like the law because whenever i walk into my school, ecspecially in the winter, people are all around the doors smoking andi have no choice but to go through it all. Or Go into Denys or something and as i eat my food i taste the smoke. So im happy. Its a bad habit any ways.

[sammy]

QUOTE

I have actually seen a few studies that showed children born to mothers that were exposed to moderate levels of smoke showed less signs of distress when exposed to smoke and contaminants in the air after they were born and while growing up. I thought it was pretty interesting, but have yet to see any recent ones. I don't think there are too many people giving out grant money to see those kind of results anymore.[/quote]
They may be less distressed than infants never exposed to smoke but they are also more likely to have health problems, have low birth weight and die from SIDS. Not really much of a choice there.
Childrens raised with certain allergens (dogs and cats) are less likely to be allergic to them- but being exposed *those* allergens isn't harmful (unless of course you have a child that is allergic to dogs /cats.) Smoke is a carcinogen and is harmful to everyone who is exposed to it.
I can see making exceptions for a smoke shop but why a bar? I like to go to bars and have a drink with my friends. Why should everyone in a bar have to be subjected to smoke?

[tessa_s212]

Both my parents smoke. My dad doesn't smoke that often in front of us, but my mom is home all day and can smoke up to two packs a day. I can't leave anything in my living room more than 5 minutes or it will reek of smoke. I can't even let my mother do my laundry, for she would leave it sitting on our couch for too long while she was either watching TV(AND smoking) or doing something else. My clothes always seem to end up smelling of smoke.

That being said, smoking is an idiotic thing to do. Whenever my mom buys a pack of cigs, I never forget to tell her that she is buying her own suicide. Not only is it damaging her health(she is constantly sick with colds and is losing her teeth due to a gum disease), but she could be damaging my and my siblings health... and then there's the dogs. They can't get out of the house during the day like us kids can(school).

[MazieDog]

My mom is a chain smoker and so is my uncle who lives with us. I spend most of my day in my room and outside, depends on the weather really. We're trying to at least get my mom to quit, but you can't really force someone to do so... I seriously thought my uncle was going to quit after he got throat cancer, but to no avail... He had I think 6 weeks of radiation therapy, and he still smoked at least 10 a day... now he's back to rolling his own, and I have no idea how many he smokes a day..

Mazie doesn't like the smoke either, and I don't blame her.. Mom was laying on the couch, waching TV and she called Mazie over to her. Mazie went over there and quickly turned around and left because she had a cancer stick in her mouth.. she gets mad at me and tells me I need to train my dog to obey... so I told mom to put that **** cancer stick out and try again... that set her off and she kept telling me that the smoke isn't bothering her and blah blah blah.... Mazie obeys my dad, my brother, my friends, and me... She doesn't obey my mom or my uncle.. that might be a coincidence; I don't know... Another reason why she doesn't obey them is because they smack her with a newspaper when she does what all puppies do.. My uncle insulted me by saying Mazie doesn't obey because she's stupid.. If she obeys everyone who doesn't smack her, I don't call that stupid; I call that smart. I'm slowly putting a stop to the smacking thing.. I laid down the law and told them if she's in trouble, don't do anything... Get my attention and I'll take care of it.

Sorry for taking this thread south... Just had to vent a little... Tessa, I know how you feel with your mom and her smoking... On my 18th birthday, mom give sme money... not for my bday... she wanted me to go the store and buy her a couple packs of cigs... I went to the store, and bought her $20 worth of bubblegum.. She refused to talk to me for like a week because of that... She constantly complains about not having any money, and yet she manages to buy cigs... Hmm... Starting today, I'm going to write down how many packs she buys when going to the store, how much each pack costs, etc. At the end of the month, I'm going to tally it all up and show her just how much we would save if she would just kick the habit...her teeth have fallen out, the walls in the house are green...they used to be pure white.... the windshield in the car has a permanent smudge on the inside of it that will not come off, no matter what we use. When I was in high school, I was called into the office on several occassions because I smelled like cigarettes and was "disrupting the educational process" as they put it...

Seven days to go until the smoking ban is put into effect, and I can't wait. Now I can finally go to a bar to have a drink with my friends and play a couple games of pool without having that cloud hovering over us... yay!