On the smoking thread for the past couple of days I've notice a trend to strip smokers of any personal accountability for their actions and run screaming for cover under the threat of "Big Tobacco." I'm an occasional cigar and pipe smoker. I'm personally offended by such nonsense. We've been talking about the ill affects of smoking for 20 or more years. There is no one that I know smoking as a result of "Big Tobacco." Whether its cigs, chew, cigars or pipes, it's about stimulation, relaxation and (except for cigs) flavor.
Big tobacco has no bearing in this debate other than how a ban will affect their marketing practices. It is not their marketing practices that will cause me to light a cigar when I walk home from work at the end of the week. It will be strictly my choice. This is about individual choices and accountability and acknowledging that if you still smoke, big tobacco isn't an excuse anymore. As for Mr. Nelson below, he dropped the moderation word. Alcohol, in moderation for some people (I don't think universality has been proven yet) can be healthy. Alcohol, unlike tobacco, can also kill you in a single sitting. Smoking in moderation is not a guarantee of causality. I'm a third generation moderate user of tobacco. None of my family members in my lifetime has died from smoking related causes. Red meat seems to be our bane. So when the militant anti-smokers claim compromises are evil, let's understand that their position is about having the numbers to push people around. As for a ban, I'm against this ban as it is worded. I would like to see a ban in restaurants and other public places. I find the notion that we would ban smoking in a tobacco store, as this ordinance would do, to be a little silly. As for bars, I have to admit that defending the health of people who are intentionally pickling their livers, or serving the poison that pickles livers, is hypocritical. I just don't think there is any legitimacy to that argument. Jeremy Wieland Northeast -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Steve Nelson Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 2:27 PM To: Barbara Lickness; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Mpls] Smoking > Barb Lickness > Whittier wrote > Will the bars and restaurants that have outdoor > seating be able to allow smoking for the customers > outside in the language of the new ordinance? > God, I hope not! Let's start adding to the exposure the public already gets when the walk into so many public buildings past all the employees standing outside having a cigarette. By the way, how come we don't see those same employees standing outside the door having a beer? It's okay to ban alcohol at work--a substance that has been proven to have benefits to us when used in moderation--but let's not keep cigarette smoke--a substance that is nothing but harmful from the first puff or second hand inhale--a practice done in the privacy of one's own home rather than exposing 82% of us to something we have chosen NOT to do. Steve Nelson Willard Hay 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 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
