Right to smoke?

[manu1959]

I'm no longer in college, I graduated in May. Thanks for caring! The flaw in your argument is that DUI IS outlawed. Like DUI, you can still smoke in public places where it has been banned--you'll just be punished if you're caught. You might be fined or asked to put out your smoke or move to a designated smoking area. I don't know where all the racial issues come from. I think that is another thread. As for it not being "American." I can't speak for Canada and South and Latin America, but in the United States, our elected officials can ban anything within the legal confines of the Constitution that the majority of the electorate wants banned.

so banning gay marriage, abortion, booze, etc... would be cool with you as long as our elected officials ban it within the legal confines of the Constitution and that the majority of the electorate wants it banned.

 

[sitarro]

I'm no longer in college, I graduated in May. Thanks for caring! The flaw in your argument is that DUI IS outlawed. Like DUI, you can still smoke in public places where it has been banned--you'll just be punished if you're caught. You might be fined or asked to put out your smoke or move to a designated smoking area. I don't know where all the racial issues come from. I think that is another thread. As for it not being "American." I can't speak for Canada and South and Latin America, but in the United States, our elected officials can ban anything within the legal confines of the Constitution that the majority of the electorate wants banned.

How very current you are Celine, cute. Latin America? Where is that ace? You weren't refering to Central America were you. Is Latin America what all the kids are calling it this week? What are you as a citizen of the United States Of America called? Aren't you an American?

I noticed that you skirted by the question about drinking and driving. Whether it is against the law or not, I would guess and I'm sure you'll deny it like Clinton denied inhaling, that you have driven home impared on one thing or another. I would also bet that you drive over the posted speed limits every day. Both of these are very dangerous for society as a whole, how can one that is so concerned with the possibility of second hand smoke being dangerous act in a way that is dangerous for society? Wouldn't that be called hypocritical?

Racial issues? I thought we were discussing what is detrimental to society as a whole and what you would choose to ban. I was merely using these examples to gauge just how hypocritical you are.

 

[Hagbard Celine]

so banning gay marriage, abortion, booze, etc... would be cool with you as long as our elected officials ban it within the legal confines of the Constitution and that the majority of the electorate wants it banned.

Something I didn't mention earlier that should be brought up with the mention of these issues is that this is a state issue. All these issues, gay legal-unions, abortion, alcohol, are states rights because the Constitution doesn't explicitly mention them. However, some of them, like gay legal-unions and abortion I think would be overturned by the Supreme Court because they would unconstitutionally place restrictions on minority groups and women. Plus gays getting married and women having abortions don't affect me. They affect gays (raise your hand limp-wristedly if this is you) and pregnant women who don't want their babies (raise your hand limp-wristedly if this is you). That's a different thread. Smoking in public places affects all of us because we all breathe the same air. Have you ever been to a bar where a smoking ban has been put into effect? It's wonderful. You can still wear your clothes the next day, your eyes don't get bloodshot and you can breathe fresh air inside the bar.

The better issue to compare the smoking issue to I think is alcohol. There are all kinds of restrictions on alcohol. The most annoying and notable I can think of is the Sunday alcohol ban that is enforced down here in the South in numerous places. It sucks, but we live with it. We just stock-up on Saturday Many cities don't let you drink in public either. You can still smoke-up your own homes and smoke in designated smoking areas. I know my office has a designated area for smokers to go to. What's the big deal? Isn't the measley inconvenience of having to go outside to smoke outweighed by the greater public's general health and well-being?