September 20, 2005
Squeaky shoes bad for hearing
I see that the Portland City Council has voted to ban smoking on walking trails throughout the city.
Way to go.
Listen, I'm not a big fan of smoking. In fact, I changed my tune on smoker's rights when the ban on smoking in bars and restaurants went into effect awhile back.
I like having a brew in a smoke-free place.
But that's inside.
Outside? On open-air trails?
Nice idea, but I really think you council folks have too much time on your hands.
Another ordinance that feels good, but can't be enforced. A bit silly, in my view.
Why not just ban the evil smoking all together?
Never gonna happen.
Making smoking illegal would dry up the wealth of tobacco money that has come pouring in to government coffers, redistributed if you will, from Bad Tobacco.
The beer industry is next. I'm telling you. And then I'm going to get really p----d.
You know, I've got a pair of running shoes that emit a loud and rather obnoxious squeak when I wear them into Hannafords when I grocery shop. The shrill noise has just got to be bad for people's hearing.
Will the city council label me a public health hazard and and ban my New Balance 903s from the grocery store?
Are you kidding? Are you baiting us? You continue to amaze me my friend. There is no upside to smoking! The more bars, towns, hotels, etc. that can ban this awful disgusting habit the better. The less our culture enables it to continue the better-be it inside or out. Saying we should allow smoking because of the tobacco monies is like condoning large scale war because it provides jobs. My hat is off to the Portland City Council and anyone else who recognizes that tobacco is one of the world's greatest banes and should be eradicated from the human culture post haste!
Of course, I may be prejudiced as I have battled with the smoking demon for 35 years, but I just can't see how there is any negative to banning smoking-anywhere... Vive` le fresh air!
Posted by Pete
September 21, 2005 08:18 AM
Have another cup of Joe and read the post again Petey boy! If smoking is such a health hazard (and it is), then make it illegal altogether (fine by me). But the pols won't do it because of the obvious Catch-22.
Posted by
CareySeptember 21, 2005 10:06 AM
What about forest fires? That's a good reason to bad smoking on trails.
Kinsey
Posted by
kinseySeptember 21, 2005 11:58 AM
I am not a big fan of smoking or of breathing smoke, but the thing that bugs me is the loss of freedoms. For a free country we sure do set up a lot of rules to ban freedom. Next thing you know we won't be able to go out to a bar for a drink because alcohol is bad for you too. Plus, if you get to a bar you have to get home so that means driving. In the last 20 years we have gone from a pretty happy-go-lucky society to one where there are rules on everything! Can't people just take RESPONSIBILTY for themselves (evil word these days) and not worry about what everyone else is doing??
Posted by
KimSeptember 23, 2005 03:44 PM
I hate smelling BUTTS when someone driving in front of me flicks the BUTT out their window and it lands on my windshield! I think that people should only be able to smoke in their homes.
Posted by
ralphSeptember 24, 2005 07:45 PM
You are brave treading on such smokey, hot ground...in your squeaky 903's! :) This certainly is a topic that elicits stong opinions on both sides. My pet peeve are those many smokers who treat the world as their ash tray and think that the filters are not trash - so they throw them out car windows (that one really bugs me, a lit butt flying my way),onto the sidewalks, lawns, trails ....
Posted by Baby Cat
September 29, 2005 03:34 PM
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