Feb 18 2008
Smoking bans ignore the real question
Here we go again:
Condominium owners tell smokers: Take it outside
Residents of a tony, high-rise condominium along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis are among the first to vote to make their building smoke-free, taking Minnesota’s battle over smoking bans into private homes.
The rule, at La Rive Condominiums near St. Anthony Main, covers individual units, common areas, garages and private balconies. Current owners who want to smoke will be grandfathered in, but future buyers will have to abide by the rule.
Opponents say the ban is an intrusion into private property rights that could hurt resale prospects at a time when the market is already soft. Supporters counter that, not only do they have a right to breathe clean air, but nonsmoking potential buyers will see going smoke-free as a plus.
“Just as we have seen business [use bans], we’re now seeing homeowners and landowners of apartment buildings and condominiums deciding that they don’t want their property to have smoking on it either,” said Doug Blanke, director of the Tobacco Law Center at the William Mitchell College of Law.
OK, while they may not be the first, as Seattle already banned smoking in their Housing Authority Units, they are one of the first that is taking the action as a private homeowners organization.
Now, I am showing my bias here, because I personally believe Homeowners associations to be an elitist, oppressive and disgusting abuse of power. But remove “who” made the ban in this case, and look at the bans themselves and you will see that there is still plenty of things to object to about them.
The ban on smoking is a fast growing movement, with only 18 states having no bans at all. It is clear that the bans will continue to grow, and there will be more and more oppression of individual rights.
Now. Let me qualify things right now and say that I have no love for smoking. I quit in 1991 and since several relatives have been diagnosed with Lung Cancer. I personally don’t like smoking and I think that anyone who starts smoking in this age is a complete idiot.
But that’s America, the freedom to be dumb. Drinking has health risk, yet people drink. Base jumping does too. So does rock climbing, driving too fast and eating Sushi.
American’s are notorious in their taking risk, smoking is just one more kind.
And yes, I hear the arguments that smoking is a special case, as the smokers endanger non smokers with their evil smoke. But I also have to acknowledge that there are many studies that refute the dire danger of second hand smoke, so whether you realized it or not, the danger is not actually as proven as they would claim.
In other words, this is essentially an issue of preference based on smell.
But let’s assume the dangers of smoking are what the American Cancer Society and other non smoking advocates claim.
That only leaves me with one simple question, which all these bans seem to sidestep:
Why the hell is smoking still legal? They banned red dye #2 and DDT for their dangers, and other substances have been banned.
Why not Tobacco?
Two reason. First, they are afraid of the backlash. They are chicken hearted cowards who claim to make this a public health issue then ignore the root cause of the health danger.
And two? Money. Cigarette$ and Cigar$ and $nuff and other form$ of Tobacco generate lot$ of money. They do this not just in the money pumped into the economy by their sales, and by the ever increasing taxes the governments add to each sale, they also do it in the jobs the tobacco industry generates and in the political lobbying that the tobacco industry sponsors. Not to mention an entire public health industry that depends on the dread weed. Light Up=Cha-Ching in so many ways, there will never be any credible effort to ban the production and sale of tobacco.
And remember, I said the magic word: Taxes. The governments around the country draw billions of dollars in taxes that banning sales would surely put a stop to.
Here is the ugly little secret your government will never admit: They want you to smoke. You, your kids…anyone who can. The more who smoke, the more they get paid.
So to me, all the smoking bans are hypocritical bullshit pseudo-enforcement. They are no serious, they are just a way to make everyone feel good and not admit the truth.
So go ahead, ban it here, and there and eventually everywhere. They will leave it legal enough to keep the new smokers lighting up.
Cha Ching!
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Quaratine/isolate the smoker.
Denormalize smoking.
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First on Homeowners associations. We would never live where one of those exist, where a group of people can tell us how to live, what we can put in our yard, etc. Specifically, hubby is a Ham Radio operator and must have his tower and antennas. Most places with homeowners associations won’t allow any kind of antenna.
Second on smoking, with new laws in Tennessee, businesses are having to decide whether they are going to be ‘restaurants’ or ‘bars’. Smoking is not allowed in any restaurant, so that means children can come in. But if you are a bar, you can allow smoking, but no children will be allowed. I like to have a meal now and then where there are no kids screaming and running around and we don’t smoke.
Third, at home I think people should be able to do whatever they want inside their home. We don’t smoke. Hubby did years and years ago.
You are right about the money and taxes. Another point is that so many people smoke who could use that money for other things. A true smoking habit can cost a LOT of money. But it’s their money and they can spend it however they want.
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An alternative to smoking bans
It is clear that separation of smokers from non-smokers combined
with air exchange technology is a complete solution to this largely
artificial problem. All it takes is regulating authorities setting the
standards for indoor air quality on passive smoke, and the technology
does the rest. Such air quality standards are common in industrial
and environmental contexts. But, to date, no country in the world has
set them for smoking areas. It seems clear that the reasons are not
scientific, nor are they economic or technical: they are political.
As to the annoyance of smoking, a compromise between smokers and non-smokers
can be reached, through setting a quality standard and the use of modern
ventilation technology.
Air ventilation can easily create a comfortable environment that removes not
just passive smoke, but also and especially the potentially serious
contaminants that are independent from smoking.
Thomas Laprade
480 Rupert St.
Thunder Bay, Ont.