From: Mike Jensvold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[snip]
Sensationalized medical stories like the Helena study are a dime a dozen. Smoking (and secondhand smoke) is bad. Really bad. Everyone knew that already. Does this story really add much to the debate? Note that estimated deaths from secondhand smoke are lower than car crashes (about 50k/year and rising). We could save a lot of lives if we instituted a national 35 mph speed limit, but for some reason there is no outcry for this.[snip]
I agree. Although I don't like smoking (I have been an on again off again smoker for 6 years) I also don't disagree with it. There are places that one can choose to avoid smoke, just as there are places to avoid alcohol. A city-wide smoking ban would be detrimental to the bar culture that has existed in my beloved NE for 100+ years. This may disturb some people but small neighborhood bars such as the Knight Cap or Jimmy's or the NE Yacht Club are like people's living rooms. These establishments depend on the rights of their patrons to consume alcohol and smoke tobacco. A nuisance to some, these are neighborhood gathering places where one expects to encounter tobacco and drinking. I don't like cars, they cause death and pollution, but can I ban them from being used near my house or the places I frequent? Probably not.
Rather than a ban, perhaps they could establish a smoking license or a tax break for bars and restaurants that go non-smoking- Just like the breaks being proposed for hybrid car drivers. A ban would improve health but so would a ban on gasoline, alcohol, painting, piercing/tatooing, campfires, television, fat, etc. Keep it a choice.
Sean Ryan Audubon
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