Legislators aim to snuff out penalties for pot use!!

The way the laws are going soon there'll be no place for a smoker to go and what then?

Why should it be "default"  to have some place smoke free?  It's not "default" to have a place for smokers. In my town smokers make up for the majority and yet they are getting harassed at every turn.

 Because if there were no humans on Earth, there would be no tobacco smoke in the air (except for wildfires, lol). Thus, the natural "default" of our planet is to be smoke-in-the-air-free. It's "default" to be pollution-free, too, which is why we attempt to regulate emissions, general pollution, etc.

Basically, while you have a right to do whatever you want to yourself (more or less), you don't have a right to "mess up" community space. Whether that be by littering, blaring loud music, running around naked, or smoking.

That's just how I see it, of course. While I feel that most places should be "smoke free by default," I think there should also be enough places where smoking *is* allowed to as not to be burdensome for those who do smoke. I'm quite happy to have people smoke cigarettes, cigars, pot, whatever, I just don't want them to be near enough that I have to smell it.

oranges81

Why should it be "default" to have some place smoke free? 

That one is easy!  Everyone has the right to breathe!! 

oranges81

In my town smokers make up for the majority and yet they are getting harassed at every turn.

Harassment?  ROFL!  You barely know the meaning of the word! 

Smokers have harassed me all my adult life.  Every time someone decided to light up around me, I had to leave or get sick.  Any idea what it is like to be completely excluded from most social events?  To get sick attending office meetings?  Not to be able to go out dancing or to parties?  Etc., etc.

Whether smokers in your town are a majority or not, non-smokers can't just go to a designated place, breathe for a while, and then come back and not breathe.  Non-smokers can't create little bubbles round themselves to exclude smoke.

One co-worker I had worked with for several years came in my office one day and said "I just realized something.  Smoking is actually threatening to you, isn't it?"  I told him that he couldn't threaten me more by swinging a hammer at my head.

Not only do I have breathing problems around smokers, if I can't exit quickly, there is a high probability that I will have a severe migraine that may last days.  Do you really think you have the right to cause someone that kind of pain?  Should you have the right to force me to leave a public place to avoid it?

You chose to put that first cigarette in your mouth.  You chose to become a drug addict.  I didn't choose to have breathing problems or migraines. 

Believe me, I would love to be able to just ignore smoke, but I can't.  There are lots of people in the same boat I am.  It just didn't used to be socially acceptable to complain about it.

People keep talking about smoking as a "right".  The problem with that is that one person's rights end when they start infringing on the rights of other people.  Yeh, you have the right to poison yourself, but not when you also poison me. 

Most of you guys are probably too young to remember when planes had smoking and non smoking sections.  It was like the first half of the plane was smoking and the second half was non.  Do you think the smoke just stopped at row #15 and never got to row #16? It really made for some miserable flights, even short flights like the San Diego/Los Angeles run.  It did absolutely no good at all to request "non smoking" because really, there wasn't any such thing.

Joyce

janet_rose

oranges81

Why should it be "default" to have some place smoke free? 

That one is easy!  Everyone has the right to breathe!! 

oranges81

In my town smokers make up for the majority and yet they are getting harassed at every turn.

You chose to put that first cigarette in your mouth.  You chose to become a drug addict.  I didn't choose to have breathing problems or migraines. 

I didn't chose to smoke. I don't smoke. Never have never will. I also have breathing problems and get headaches from the stuff. But because I live and am married to a guy how smokes both, I see the world from both sides of the story. But I'm gonna back out of this one. I can argue both sides till I'm blue in the face. But I won't. I pick my battles. And yes I do know the meaning of "harassed". I may be young but I'm not stupid or blind. I see it every day in this town. *backs out of this thread now*  

oranges81

janet_rose

oranges81

Why should it be "default" to have some place smoke free? 

That one is easy!  Everyone has the right to breathe!! 

oranges81

In my town smokers make up for the majority and yet they are getting harassed at every turn.

You chose to put that first cigarette in your mouth.  You chose to become a drug addict.  I didn't choose to have breathing problems or migraines. 

 

I didn't chose to smoke. I don't smoke. Never have never will. I also have breathing problems and get headaches from the stuff. But because I live and am married to a guy how smokes both, I see the world from both sides of the story. But I'm gonna back out of this one. I can argue both sides till I'm blue in the face. But I won't. I pick my battles. And yes I do know the meaning of "harassed". I may be young but I'm not stupid or blind. I see it every day in this town. *backs out of this thread now*  

The way i see it is this--you make a choice to smoke.  Just like any behavior choice it comes with advantages and disadvantages.  if you choose to pollute the air around you expect that people are not going to be overly thrilled by this.  I used to smoke and it did suck in the winter when I was forced to huddle outside and freeze my ass off, but if I hated it enough I always had the choice to quit.....

oranges81

I didn't chose to smoke. I don't smoke. Never have never will.

Sorry, I should have known that from your previous post that you aren't a smoker.

oranges81

I also have breathing problems and get headaches from the stuff. But because I live and am married to a guy how smokes both, I see the world from both sides of the story.

With your medical problems I am really surprised that you married a smoker!  A man that smokes doesn't even get a date with me. 

oranges81

And yes I do know the meaning of "harassed". I may be young but I'm not stupid or blind. I see it every day in this town.

I assure you that I didn't mean to imply that you are stupid or literally don't know the definition of the word  "harassed".  Your youth merely means that you don't really know how bad it used to be for non-smokers. 

The degree of harassment that non-smokers used to endure in order to work, travel, and live their lives far exceeds the harassment endured today by either non-smokers or smokers.  When I was young there weren't even meds for migraines - or nicotine patches for that matter.

I am sorry that you have to suffer from both sides of the situation.  You have to deal with your husband's anger at being restricted and the emotions of non-smokers directed at your husband.  That is an uncomfortable position to be in.

sillysally

I used to smoke and it did suck in the winter when I was forced to huddle outside and freeze my ass off, but if I hated it enough I always had the choice to quit.....  

Congratulations on quitting!  Nicotine is a hard addiction to kick.  Your effort and hard work are appreciated!!!

On the topic of smoking, just in case anyone is interested in whether or not that Nicorette gum works .... it certainly appears that it does.  My oldest DS (37) started smoking when he was about 15 and in June decided to try the gum to help him quit.  He's on his second box and so far, so good.  A week or so ago he stopped at a local sports bar for a take-out burger and had a drink while he was there.  He said when he got home that if he didn't freak out and dash off for a pack of cigs after having a drink, he'd know he had it pretty well licked.  And he didn't. It's a bit pricey (although Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Rite Aid have their own brands for a bit less) but it certainly seems worth the expense.

Joyce

fuzzy_dogs_mom

On the topic of smoking, just in case anyone is interested in whether or not that Nicorette gum works .... it certainly appears that it does.  My oldest DS (37) started smoking when he was about 15 and in June decided to try the gum to help him quit.  He's on his second box and so far, so good.  A week or so ago he stopped at a local sports bar for a take-out burger and had a drink while he was there.  He said when he got home that if he didn't freak out and dash off for a pack of cigs after having a drink, he'd know he had it pretty well licked. 

janet_rose

oranges81

I didn't chose to smoke. I don't smoke. Never have never will.

Sorry, I should have known that from your previous post that you aren't a smoker.

oranges81

I also have breathing problems and get headaches from the stuff. But because I live and am married to a guy how smokes both, I see the world from both sides of the story.

With your medical problems I am really surprised that you married a smoker!  A man that smokes doesn't even get a date with me. 

We made some adjustments with his smoking so I can be comfortable.  He doesn't smoke around me unless we're outside then he makes sure the smoke goes away from me. Also in the house all the windows are open and air is always circulating and I've got air fresheners all through the house. Lol.

Yes it is hard getting the dirty looks from people because I travel with smokers but honestly when I met DH he was a HEAVY drinker. I mean going out to make 20$ just to drink for the day. I gave him a choice when we got together so I'd rather deal with the pot then the alcohol.  

oranges81

I gave him a choice when we got together so I'd rather deal with the pot then the alcohol.  

I do understand the problems that go along with heavy drinking.  My ex is the son of an alcoholic.  I saw what that man's drinking did to his whole family - including the grandkids.

My ex couldn't drink due to a peptic ulcer.  Today's meds probably would have cured him and allowed him to drink to self-medicate for depression.  As it was, he was forced to seek medical help for both the ulcer and the depression.