[Mtneer12]

A smoker doesn't have be smoking to stink up a room. The putrid smell coming off their body and clothes is enough to make anyone gag. If I walked into the same room and let go a major beef-a-roni, I would be pummeled.
I would never tell anyone they shouldn't be smoking. People can smoke themselves literally to death for all I care. Cigarette makers should be free to make their products as strong and addictive as they want. If cigarettes could kill in 3 months instead of thirty years, there would be a lot fewer airpollutindrugaddicts, one way or another.

[AguaDulce]

Perhaps they should revisit the idea of keeping smokers confined to the indoors.

[AguaDulce]

Originally Posted by AguaDulce

Perhaps they should revisit the idea of keeping smokers confined to the indoors.

Indoors. In an area not accessible to the public. With no employees. A "private club" exemption.

[Sporin]

I agree it's an overreaching law but I can't say that I disagree with the premise. Smoking with your kids in the car is just awful and I don't care if you have a window cracked either.

I grew up with a heavy smoking father. When he finally quit (after a massive heart attack) the entire family went through post-smoking symptoms. In the 11 years he lived after that (before pancreatic cancer took him at 57) he was always vocal about how sorry and stupid he was all those years.

I was just in Vegas for NFL Wild Card weekend and I was literally shocked at the amount of smoking indoors (it's legal there). It permeates everything, it is oppressive even in the newer casinos with top-notch air extractors. There is literally no where on the east coast where you would ever be inside and surrounded by smokers... and I'm glad of it.

My little sister, the only one of my 3 siblings who became a smoker, is quitting right now for the umpteenth time, she's made it 32 days and counting. So far, her "reward" for quitting was walking pneumonia.

I hope she makes it stick this time because she's my favorite and I want her to live a long, healthy life.

[AguaDulce]

Originally Posted by Sporin

I agree it's an overreaching law but I can't say that I disagree with the premise. Smoking with your kids in the car is just awful and I don't care if you have a window cracked either.

I grew up with a heavy smoking father. When he finally quit (after a massive heart attack) the entire family went through post-smoking symptoms. In the 11 years he lived after that (before pancreatic cancer took him at 57) he was always vocal about how sorry and stupid he was all those years.

I was just in Vegas for NFL Wild Card weekend and I was literally shocked at the amount of smoking indoors (it's legal there). It permeates everything, it is oppressive even in the newer casinos with top-notch air extractors. There is literally no where on the east coast where you would ever be inside and surrounded by smokers... and I'm glad of it.

My little sister, the only one of my 3 siblings who became a smoker, is quitting right now for the umpteenth time, she's made it 32 days and counting. So far, her "reward" for quitting was walking pneumonia.

I hope she makes it stick this time because she's my favorite and I want her to live a long, healthy life.

So, would you vote for a ban on smoking in cars carrying children and homes where children live? What about other harmful things that parents expose their children to? What if I feed my kid fast food at every meal and allow him or her to play video games all the time?

[cgregor]

Sometimes the public cares more about the children than the parents do. There are some things we can do about a parent who is either ignorant of a child's needs or working out his/her agenda about life through imposing/inflicting things on a child, e.g., vaccination scams, Hitler worship or hyper-helicoptering, but we can't micro-manage much.

A lot of kids just have to take the hit. We might control what we can teach them, but we have little control over what they learn.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by looking4home

It's an overreach by government to eliminate or control what is perceived as negative, antisocial behavior. The problem is, those ideas are often driven by advocacy or activist groups, and the media, which loves hot-button issues. While the danger from smoking tobacco/nicotine has a genuine health/scientific component, there is also spurious data out there regarding secondhand smoke that has been distorted and used by those who want to eliminate or control certain behavior. It's ironic to me that the people who are so eager and feverish to constantly "ban" things and control behavior, are often the first to loudly object if there is any encroachment on what they think is acceptable.

It's all about revenue raising - making behaviors illegal so people will break the laws and pay the fines, therefore enriching local governments.

[darky]

I am torn between the fact that it is wrong to smoke in a car with kids and the fact that making more invading laws is just not the answer.
Is there any commercials/ads in VT about the fact that kids could get sick from second-hand smoke? If not, they should start with that.

[AguaDulce]

Originally Posted by majoun

It's all about revenue raising - making behaviors illegal so people will break the laws and pay the fines, therefore enriching local governments.

I disagree. Do you have any data about revenue generated through these fines? I never see people smoking where they're not supposed to anymore.

[AguaDulce]

Originally Posted by darky

I am torn between the fact that it is wrong to smoke in a car with kids and the fact that making more invading laws is just not the answer.
Is there any commercials/ads in VT about the fact that kids could get sick from second-hand smoke? If not, they should start with that.

It's also wrong to feed your kid nothing but fast food and let them sit and play video games all day and night. Among many other things parents do.