~Smoking Banned Outdoors In NYC~

[Dabs]

Oh man, for a moment I went =O!!! But then I realized it was only parks and beaches. No biggie.

That said, this kinda news gives me a certain ambivalent feeling - as a hardcore extreme 30+ a day smoker it pisses me off but at the same time, I really do have to quit, so... I dunno. From a political ideological perspective, I don't agree that the State/city/municipality/whatever has a right to ban you from doing something to yourself, but why should random people be endangered by my nasty habit on public land? It's kind of like drunk driving, is it really an affront to your individual liberty to be able to be wasted while operating a two ton metal killing machine down the street? Or what about the litter aspect of it, is it an affront to my personal liberty that I'm not allowed to grab my trash can and empty it wherever I want? I would say no, but it's debatable. But it is sort of these [relatively] little things that unexpectedly lead to larger and more philosophical musings about what really is or should be the role of the state [if any]... and shit like that.

aodoihsapodaiahsdpaosdihapdsoi

I apologize, I did put the word 'outdoors' in the title line, but then parks and beaches are a part of the outside. And like some said, it's going to go further, it will soon be the entire outside. If places can already stop you from smoking in your car, there is no end.
I'm not even a smoker, and I don't think all this is fair.
If people want to smoke, it's their choice, they will smoke. My Mother smoked for 50 years, I lost her to lung cancer-yep, because she smoked. But after she was told she had cancer even, do you think she stopped?? Hell no.
It's the same with alcohol and soda, you can tell them they can't, but they're going to anyway.
It's getting to the point, I'm almost afraid I'm going to wake up one day, only to be face to face with an ugly man, telling me they are charging me for the air I breathe!

 

[jillian]

No longer just an indoor-ban, smoking in open spaces is now banned in New York City.

The indoor ban was one thing, but is this perhaps a little too far? The ban is designed to help curb exposure to secondhand smoke as well as reduce litter. Thoughts?

Here's a better article~

New York City outdoor smoking ban begins - CNN

smoking was not banned "outdoors" it was banned in public parks and on beaches.

And yes, it's too far.

on the other hand, when you're walking on the beach and step on a cigarette ibutt when you have bare feet is pretty gross

So fine them for littering.

Having said that, I'd rather step on a cigarette butt than a needle or glass. I'd rather have smokers on a beach than a bunch of kids drinking alcohol.

In the whole scheme of things, I tend to side with the smokers. If someone wants to own a restaurant catering for smokers, who the hell are we to say they can't? Who died and made other people the boss of us?

on march 2nd i celebrated 3 years of not smoking. so i sympathize with my smoking friends. and i've always thought that restaurant owners should be able to decide for themselves if they wanted to run a smoking or non-smoking establishment. i've always thought that bloomberg was over-zealous about this because he's a reformed smoker.

as for who died and made someone else boss... well, that's what happens when you're licensed. you stop being the last word.... kind of like you have to store food at certain temperatures when you run a restaurant.

as for the beach thing, i can't say i'll miss smoke and ashes flying in my face along with sand. i tend to believe that setting up areas in which people *can* smoke, though, whether on the beach or in a restaurant, is way more rational.

 

[Anachronism]

There WILL come a time when tobacco is illegal. Then what? Guess who is next? Yep. Alcohol.

Those would both be fine by me. I see no significant need for either one of them in society.

 

[rightwinger]

No longer just an indoor-ban, smoking in open spaces is now banned in New York City.

The indoor ban was one thing, but is this perhaps a little too far? The ban is designed to help curb exposure to secondhand smoke as well as reduce litter. Thoughts?

Here's a better article~

New York City outdoor smoking ban begins - CNN

smoking was not banned "outdoors" it was banned in public parks and on beaches.

And yes, it's too far.

on the other hand, when you're walking on the beach and step on a cigarette ibutt when you have bare feet is pretty gross

Check out the number of cigarette butts when they rake the beaches. Your beach is one big ashtray.

Smokers have always been pigs as they flick their cigarettes away and say..."Somebody pick that up"

 

[jillian]

There WILL come a time when tobacco is illegal. Then what? Guess who is next? Yep. Alcohol.

Those would both be fine by me. I see no significant need for either one of them in society.

and you're the arbiter of other people's actions?

yeah, i guess fascists are like that.

 

[California Girl]

There WILL come a time when tobacco is illegal. Then what? Guess who is next? Yep. Alcohol.

Those would both be fine by me. I see no significant need for either one of them in society.

and you're the arbiter of other people's actions?

yeah, i guess fascists are like that.

See, that's why you're a real liberal. You get that no one gets to be the boss of anyone else. I wish I had some reps left. Damn Gunny and his obsessive control issues.

 

[jillian]

Those would both be fine by me. I see no significant need for either one of them in society.

and you're the arbiter of other people's actions?

yeah, i guess fascists are like that.

See, that's why you're a real liberal. You get that no one gets to be the boss of anyone else. I wish I had some reps left. Damn Gunny and his obsessive control issues.

we'll be here all week. don't forget to tip your servers.

 

[uscitizen]

There is a certain Plano Texas technology campus who's namesake once ran for president. More than five years ago said campus outlawed cigarette smoking: even in ones own car.

I need not link as I am speaking from personal experience.

The University of KY campus has banned smoking on it's entire campus even in the student housing, outside, in vehicles, etc.

A red state thing I suppose.

 

[California Girl]

and you're the arbiter of other people's actions?

yeah, i guess fascists are like that.

See, that's why you're a real liberal. You get that no one gets to be the boss of anyone else. I wish I had some reps left. Damn Gunny and his obsessive control issues.

we'll be here all week. don't forget to tip your servers.

If I do, you have my permission to neg me. Twice.

 

[xsited1]

No longer just an indoor-ban, smoking in open spaces is now banned in New York City.

The indoor ban was one thing, but is this perhaps a little too far? The ban is designed to help curb exposure to secondhand smoke as well as reduce litter. Thoughts?

Here's a better article~

New York City outdoor smoking ban begins - CNN

Reminds me of the good 'ole days of Prohibition. Anybody know where the nearest speakeasy is?

 

[uscitizen]

No longer just an indoor-ban, smoking in open spaces is now banned in New York City.

The indoor ban was one thing, but is this perhaps a little too far? The ban is designed to help curb exposure to secondhand smoke as well as reduce litter. Thoughts?

Here's a better article~

New York City outdoor smoking ban begins - CNN

Reminds me of the good 'ole days of Prohibition. Anybody know where the nearest speakeasy is?

umm you mean Smokeasy?

 

[jillian]

No longer just an indoor-ban, smoking in open spaces is now banned in New York City.

The indoor ban was one thing, but is this perhaps a little too far? The ban is designed to help curb exposure to secondhand smoke as well as reduce litter. Thoughts?

Here's a better article~

New York City outdoor smoking ban begins - CNN

Reminds me of the good 'ole days of Prohibition. Anybody know where the nearest speakeasy is?

really? there's been a constitutional amendment prohibiting its sale and use?

who knew?

 

[rightwinger]

One of the biggest social reversals in my lifetime is what happened to smokers

When I grew up, smokers were the cool ones. All the movie stars smoked, ballplayers smoked ...it was a status symbol

Now smokers are social outcasts. They are driven outdoors huddled in the cold and rain as they try to draw that last drag. They are not allowed to smoke in their own homes as the family drives them outside. They are no longer welcome to smoke at work as employers become concerned about the number of smoke breaks they take.

How the mighty have fallen

 

[jillian]

One of the biggest social reversals in my lifetime is what happened to smokers

When I grew up, smokers were the cool ones. All the movie stars smoked, ballplayers smoked ...it was a status symbol

Now smokers are social outcasts. They are driven outdoors huddled in the cold and rain as they try to draw that last drag. They are not allowed to smoke in their own homes as the family drives them outside. They are no longer welcome to smoke at work as employers become concerned about the number of smoke breaks they take.

How the mighty have fallen

gee... when you put it that way, it sounds like revenge of the nerds.

 

[manifold]

Secondhand smoke causes close to 50,000 deaths per year...

People will believe anything apparently.

 

[Anachronism]

A red state thing I suppose.

Is Rhode Island a "RED" State? When I went to college in Providence, our campus was completely Alcohol-Free. Private possession of alcohol on campus (regardless of your age) was an immediate expulsion from school. The dorm I lived in had the same policy in regards to possession of tobacco products.

 

[uscitizen]

A red state thing I suppose.

Is Rhode Island a "RED" State? When I went to college in Providence, our campus was completely Alcohol-Free. Private possession of alcohol on campus (regardless of your age) was an immediate expulsion from school. The dorm I lived in had the same policy in regards to possession of tobacco products.

Private or state ran campus?

ON UK's campus it is on the entire Campus.

And on a federal level the VA hospital in Lexington has banned smoking on it's property as well. Where does the federal govt have that right per the constitution?

 

[manifold]

While I disagree with the ban, smokers have only themselves to blame. If they weren't such inconsiderate doucewagons this wouldn't be happening. In general, smokers don't give a shit about which way their smoke blows or who is getting blasted with it, and they treat the world like it's their personal fucking ashtray. Just a little bit of courtesy and proper disposal of butts and none this would be happening. I'm not arguing that this behavior justifies the ban, but it is responsible for creating the situation that gave rise to the ban.

Fact, not opinion.

 

[California Girl]

smoking was not banned "outdoors" it was banned in public parks and on beaches.

And yes, it's too far.

on the other hand, when you're walking on the beach and step on a cigarette ibutt when you have bare feet is pretty gross

So fine them for littering.

Having said that, I'd rather step on a cigarette butt than a needle or glass. I'd rather have smokers on a beach than a bunch of kids drinking alcohol.

In the whole scheme of things, I tend to side with the smokers. If someone wants to own a restaurant catering for smokers, who the hell are we to say they can't? Who died and made other people the boss of us?

on march 2nd i celebrated 3 years of not smoking. so i sympathize with my smoking friends. and i've always thought that restaurant owners should be able to decide for themselves if they wanted to run a smoking or non-smoking establishment. i've always thought that bloomberg was over-zealous about this because he's a reformed smoker.

as for who died and made someone else boss... well, that's what happens when you're licensed. you stop being the last word.... kind of like you have to store food at certain temperatures when you run a restaurant.

as for the beach thing, i can't say i'll miss smoke and ashes flying in my face along with sand. i tend to believe that setting up areas in which people *can* smoke, though, whether on the beach or in a restaurant, is way more rational.

Good for you! Seriously! Well done on giving up! That's some good old fashioned will power!

I'm comfortable with smoking areas - particularly in an enclosed space - and that good ventilation should be required... And I do get where you're coming from about being licensed. But being licensed for food safety is a completely different thing. Store food badly and you can make other people very ill. I don't see the rationale of banning smoking on the beach. It's not like there's no fresh air. That is overstepping the boundary of safety and waaaay into control for the sake of it. Fine 'em for littering, but they really are not harming anyone smoking outside.

I went to France just after they banned smoking in restaurants and bars. The French just ignored the ban. I asked some French people about it and they said 'the government can say what they like, but we are French, we don't obey the government'. I like the French.

 

[Dabs]

While I disagree with the ban, smokers have only themselves to blame. If they weren't such inconsiderate doucewagons this wouldn't be happening. In general, smokers don't give a shit about which way their smoke blows or who is getting blasted with it, and they treat the world like it's their personal fucking ashtray. Just a little bit of courtesy and proper disposal of butts and none this would be happening. I'm not arguing that this behavior justifies the ban, but it is responsible for creating the situation that gave rise to the ban.

Fact, not opinion.

While it is quite obvious some people do use the world as their ashtray, just tossing their butts anywhere they please, I do know some who do not do it that way.
There are some considerate people who will put the cigarette butt out, by pushing it into the ground, and then placing it inside an empty soda can. I have seen some who flush them. And I also have seen some...well one actually..just one, who after she finished smoking, and put the butt out completely, would stick it into a little baggy she carried in her pocket, and then throw it in the trash when she got home.