No to the No-smoking Ban
Some people are surprised to find that even though I am a journalist, I am quite conservative. Most reporters are liberal. I’ve been told I’ve succeeded in writing both sides of the story — not editorializing when I write news. That’s the goal.
But here at The Delta Dirt I get to have an opinion: I oppose the smoking ban proposed by the Greenwood City Council. A public hearing is being held today at 5 p.m. at City Hall regarding the no-smoking ordinance, which would bar indoor smoke from bars, restaurants and other public places.
The main argument in favor of the ban is, of course, that long-term exposure to cigarette smoke causes lung cancer. True. And people have a right to clean air. Also true. But this is America, and people who want dirty air have rights, too.
When I hear that someone’s mother died of second-hand smoke from living with a smoker for 50 years, I believe them. Fifty years of exposure to second-hand smoke is a significant amount of smoke. I’m sure that’s enough to give someone cancer.
But the second-hand smoke argument does not apply to a smoking ban targeted at bars and restaurants! People who want to avoid the cigarette smoke of smokey bars and restaurants should avoid it — go somewhere else. No one is holding a gun to the head of a Smoking Ban Advocate when he or she makes the decision to enter a smokey bar or restaurant.
Most places do not permit indoor smoking. There are plenty of other places for SBAs to go. The rights of private business owners should not be infringed upon because of SBAs whose relatives developed nicotine addictions and died of smoking-related illnesses — or because of their relatives who lived with smokers and developed smoking-related illnesses.
It is tragic when someone’s relative dies out of sheer stupidity, but it doesn’t give that person the right to police other people. It’s not about whether one personally likes cigarette smoke or not, it’s the principle of the thing.
I wish people after “Big Tobacco” would get a new hobby. Maybe try to put high fructose corn syrup out of business. It’s in practically everything we eat. We’d all lose a few pounds, our risk of heart disease would plummet...Storm the FDA.
But here at The Delta Dirt I get to have an opinion: I oppose the smoking ban proposed by the Greenwood City Council. A public hearing is being held today at 5 p.m. at City Hall regarding the no-smoking ordinance, which would bar indoor smoke from bars, restaurants and other public places.
The main argument in favor of the ban is, of course, that long-term exposure to cigarette smoke causes lung cancer. True. And people have a right to clean air. Also true. But this is America, and people who want dirty air have rights, too.
When I hear that someone’s mother died of second-hand smoke from living with a smoker for 50 years, I believe them. Fifty years of exposure to second-hand smoke is a significant amount of smoke. I’m sure that’s enough to give someone cancer.
But the second-hand smoke argument does not apply to a smoking ban targeted at bars and restaurants! People who want to avoid the cigarette smoke of smokey bars and restaurants should avoid it — go somewhere else. No one is holding a gun to the head of a Smoking Ban Advocate when he or she makes the decision to enter a smokey bar or restaurant.
Most places do not permit indoor smoking. There are plenty of other places for SBAs to go. The rights of private business owners should not be infringed upon because of SBAs whose relatives developed nicotine addictions and died of smoking-related illnesses — or because of their relatives who lived with smokers and developed smoking-related illnesses.
It is tragic when someone’s relative dies out of sheer stupidity, but it doesn’t give that person the right to police other people. It’s not about whether one personally likes cigarette smoke or not, it’s the principle of the thing.
I wish people after “Big Tobacco” would get a new hobby. Maybe try to put high fructose corn syrup out of business. It’s in practically everything we eat. We’d all lose a few pounds, our risk of heart disease would plummet...Storm the FDA.
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