Yeesh. The non-smoking people are ADAMENT. Go non-smokers! I really admire your drive. However, as a smoker, I tried really hard to see your side of things but have to say this:
1. When you go to the bar it is YOUR choice whether or not to frequent that establishment. Does the government need to protect you from your own choices? Does the establishment no longer have the right to choose what they want in their privately-owned business? Please think about what you are REALLY affecting here. 2. When it comes to legal substances the government supports and benefits from, not only is nicotine one of them, but so is alchohol. No, I don't reap the bad benefits of your alcohol consumption in the bar, but heaven knows there are enough drunk drivers out there to kill me afterwards. Let's just elminate all drugs that can potentially harm others if we feel a need to take this route. 3. You say we "make" you inhale the secondhand smoke (see #1) but you also "make" us stand out in freezing cold weather in most other public places and surely I have caught a cold or two (a health risk) doing so.... 4. The answer to me seems to be to just quit smoking so I can a) avoid freezing in sub-zero temps, b) bypass more of the colds I catch and b) stop annoying non-smokers. However, given that nicotine is more addictive than crack, and I'm not there yet - and so I will gladly support just a LITTLE freedom for smokers in the public realm. Heaven knows most other places are out... 5. I'm not about to take my Marlboro's and go home if the ban passes, but do think many will. Check out the links on quit smoking sites and you'll find smoking and drinking go hand in hand - and that there are many so-called nons-smokers who "smoke when they drink" out there and limit it to that. 6. Is the goal of the ban here to make sure the air is adapted to non-smokers or to actually eliminate the huge problem of nicotine addiction in the first place? I think the answer speaks volumes. 7. Be careful what you wish for: If too many of us were to quit at once there would be HUGE issues for the U.S. and local government who are counting on us to support the tobacco farms, bring revenue into giant corporations like R.J. Reynolds and die sooner than we should now that we are hooked. See you around the many wonderful clubs and bars Minneapolis has to offer - with or without a cig in hand, depending on this week's quit. If any of you would like to nurse me through the withdrawal process I am very up for that. In the meantime, maybe don't stand right next to me in a club... I DO support non-smokers. I was one for a whole three months and damn the day I went back to smoking. I will stand out in the cold to keep it away from you when I work, shop at stores, go to a movie, dine in a restaurant, look over books in the library, stand in line at the DMV (when I really could use one!) and fly on airplanes. Hell, I even avoid areas that are way too smokey myself! But I won't support a sub-issue (smoking ban) when the real problem (smoking addiction) is overlooked. Shawn Marie Christenson Central - Downtown/West REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
