Charleston, SC, was pretty smoky. Near tobacco country, I guess.
Nate | Homepage | 01.31.08 - 7:06 pm | #

Random thoughts: Baltimore has the stupidest population. No offense. Of course I agree you should be able to smoke in any bar that would allow it. You may also need to explain to your kids that you used to be able to light up in your office, the bank, supermarket, high school, and airplanes. In fact, I can only think maybe elevators are the only place where smoking has never been allowed. Anyplace else?
z | 01.31.08 - 7:58 pm | #

z,

you're right. no difference between smoking in a safeway, instead of a bar. my apologies.
Rob | Homepage | 01.31.08 - 8:24 pm | #

Rob, not sure I get your drift. Are you saying it's ok for government to outlaw smoking in Safeway because of the type of property it is, instead of letting the property owner decide? If so, seems like the type of slippery slope that led to the ban everywhere.
z | 02.01.08 - 10:39 am | #

No, of course I’m not making that argument. It was a poor attempt at mocking you.


My point -- admittedly clumsily worded at the end of my post -- is that banning smoking in bars, restaurants, pubs, etc, is culturally more significant and dramatic than just a ban in supermarkets, airports, bank, etc.

For one thing, it was the last bastion for smokers. For the last 20-30 years, in most places in our country smoking was only allowed in restaurants and bars. That means something for it to end. You didn’t go to the supermarket to share a smoke with a friend or companion. You smoked at a supermarket because you were a smoker, and you were allowed to smoke. So you would…smoke. For a lot of people smoking is a social activity. Bars and pubs are social gathering places.

So fundamentally, there is no difference between the government (although most of the businesses you cited went smoke-free on their own) banning smoking in a bank versus a bar; but banning smoking in a bar is much more significant, because you are saying that even those this product is legal, you can’t use tobacco as it has been traditionally used. They’re slowly taking away all the pleasures of smoking. It’s why I get so upset, because you can see where this is all leading in another 10-15 years. These people want to get rid of smoking entirely, one step at a time. And the fact that people are so non-chalent about smoking bans in bars really gets me, because if they don’t get worked up over this, than we are doomed. And it’s not just about smoking. It’s everything. My generation is the worse, coddled to death by their baby boomer parents. Those are the 20-somethings now. Absolutely comfortable with the government making every day life decisions for them, and too intellectually lazy to connect the dots and see where this all leads. At some point we will just become wards of the state….

But whatever. I’m hung over, can’t think and wasn’t planning on writing anything today. So what do I know….
Rob | Homepage | 02.01.08 - 1:07 pm | #

There are a lot of smokers in this country--tens of millions, and it's too bad they aren't as militant as gun owners. When politicians and activists pick a fight with gun owners, they get a fight. Most smokers just seem to aquiesce to any indignity hurled their way. It's sad, because if they'd throw-down against this crap and make some politicians pay at the polls, they might win a few battles against these assbags.
Billy | 02.01.08 - 4:56 pm | #

I remember smoking in airplanes (the back of the plane) and movie theaters (the back of the theater, so the smoke wouldn't cloud the picture) but I don't ever recall smoking in supermarkets.

The issue is not which venue is appropriate or not for a government ban. Rather it is that the entire concept of a government ban is inappropriate in any form. Proprietors should be able to make their own choices.

Rob, yes, 20 somethings are incredibly willing to let the government make decisions for them. Perhaps it is because they don't remember the great days when you could drive with a beer in your hand so long as you were not drunk and they also have helicopter parents and never got away and achieved scary, but wonderful, independence.
Leonardo | 02.01.08 - 7:53 pm | #

Minnesota drug intervention is basically here to give an individual suitable resources to get a person struggling with an addiction that doesn't think he requires it into a drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment.
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jonathan
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Drug Intervention Minnesota
JONATHAN | 03.04.09 - 3:09 am | #