Total Smoking Ban

[slacker]

Irregular News for 11.17.06

 

Belmont, CA -- Belmont is set to make history by becoming the first city in the nation to ban smoking on its streets and almost everywhere else.

 

The Belmont City Council voted unanimously last night to pursue a strict law that will prohibit smoking anywhere in the city except for single-family detached residences. Smoking on the street, in a park and even in one’s car will become illegal and police would have the option of handing out tickets if they catch someone.

 

The actual language of the law still needs to be drafted and will likely come back to the council either in December or early next year.

 

“We have a tremendous opportunity here. We need to pass as stringent a law as we can, I would like to make it illegal,” said Councilman Dave Warden. “What if every city did this, image how many lives would be saved? If we can do one little thing here at this level it will matter.”

 

Armed with growing evidence that second-hand smoke causes negative health effects, the council chose to pursue the strictest law possible and deal with any legal challenges later. Last month, the council said it wanted to pursue a law similar to ones passed in Dublin and the Southern California city of Calabasas. It took up the cause after a citizen at a senior living facility requested smoke be declared a public nuisance, allowing him to sue neighbors who smoke.

 

The council was concerned about people smoking in multi-unit residences.

 

“I would just like to say ‘no smoking’ and see what happens and if they do smoke, [someone] has the right to have the police come and give them a ticket,” said Councilwoman Coralin Feierbach.

 

The council’s decision garnered applause from about 15 people who showed up in support of the ordinance. One woman stood up and blew kisses to the council, another pumped his fist with satisfaction.

 

“I’m astounded. I admire their courage and unanimous support,” said Serena Chen, policy director of the American Lung Association of California.

 

Chen has worked in this area since 1991 and helped many cities and counties pass no smoking policies, but not one has been willing to draft a complete ban.

 

“I feel like the revolution is taking place and I am trying to catch up,” Chen told the council.

 

The decision puts Belmont on the forefront of smoking policy and it is already attracting attention from other states.

 

“You have the ability to do something a little more extraordinary than Dublin or Calabasas. I see what they’ve done as five or six on the Richter Scale. What the citizens of Belmont, and of America, need is five brave people to do something that’s a seven or eight on the Richter Scale,” said Philip Henry Jarosz of the Condominium Council of Maui.

 

“The whole state of Hawaii is watching” he said.

 

Councilman Warren Lieberman said he was concerned the city will pass a law it cannot enforce because residents will still smoke unless police are specifically called to a situation. Police cannot go out and enforce smoking rules, he said.

 

“It makes us hypocrites by saying you know you can break the law if no one is watching,” Lieberman said.

 

However, both Feierbach and Warden argued it is the same as jaywalking, having a barking dog or going 10 miles over the speed limit. All are illegal, but seldom enforced.

 

“You can’t walk down the street with a beer, but you can have a cigarette,” Warden said. “You shouldn’t be allowed to do that. I just think it shouldn’t be allowed anywhere except in someone’s house. If you want to do that, that’s fine.”

 

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[AR Husker Fan]

This is getting to be surreal. I don't smoke, so something like this doesn't affect me in that regard. But I absolutely detest the hypocrisy. The US considers tobacco to be legal; it won't ban it outright; rather, the government - municipal, state, federal - decides to further invade and errode personal rights.

 

Just freakin' incredible.

[BornNBredRed]

You're exactly right. I don't smoke and I hate to be around smoke, but what precedent could this be setting for the future and other restrictions of personal rights.

[Redman]

If the government did not get large stipends from the tobacco companies, by all means tobacco would be illegal. Plus, look how many jobs (cigarette companies, tobacco farming, etc) in South would cease to exist. Around 500,000 jobs are directly linked to tobacco industry in the United States, another 296,000 jobs derive from allied industries (the distributors, etc.), with these individuals spending their income to support another 1.6 million U.S. workers. Roughly ten billion dollars are annually raised in direct federal, state and local tax dollars from tobacco users. If this industry was done away with, it would have HUGE impacts on the American economy. The main impact would be on state governments though. Taxes from tobacco products raise vasts amounts of money for states to put towards other programs.

 

I would say that if this city bans smoking, than they should not be able to collect any state or federal money derived from tobacco taxes. It would seem, that since people could still smoke in their homes, that the city would still sell tobacco products. I would hope that the city would not get any money from the extra taxes on these locally sold items.

 

Don't allow, don't benefit from it!

[Hawkeyehusker]

Smoking bans are getting more and more popular. I don't smoke so it really doesn't bother me one way or another. But at some point smoking will be banned in private homes if children are present. Too many children are getting smoking related diseases lke asthma.

 

I woman I used to work with 10 years ago smoked about two packs of cigarettes a day and she was healthy as a horse. Her husband of 40 years never smoked a day in his life and he died of lung cancer. Go figure.

 

If one wants to do something that is considered dangerous, like smoking, drinking, or even riding a motorcyle without a helmet on you should be able to do it. As long as it doesn't effect other people or their safety.

[rawhide]

If I remember my history Prohibition was kind of a bust also. Money talks and BS walks. Just ask OJ. damn wrong thread. Just the health costs to the nation alone more than outweight the income derived from said industry. But then the same can be said for the wait for it ALCOHOL industry, the car industry and the fast food industry(obesity). Why oh why does all the really fun stuff cause people to wake up DEAD. I see people on a daily basis dying from all of these activities. Lung CA, cirrhotic liver disease and of course the always popular traffic fatalities. Oops forgot cardiac disease and diabetes. Where does personal freedom end and government interference begin. I don't know.

[HuskerNCo]

I do smoke as does my husband, although he only smokes when he cracks that beer open...bastard social smoker anyway...but I luv 'im.. but let me say this..we don't smoke in our house, never have, we don't smoke in our vehicles, never have and most importantly, we never smoked around my daughter, who is now 19.

I guess you could call is 'polite smokers'. Living in Colorado, we didn't even mind when all of the bars and eating establishments went to no smoking. Not a problem. We don't like smelling like smoke any more than anyone else. It's a nasty habit that is very difficult to quit.

 

What I really detest is, what I like to call, 'targeted discrimation'.

Cigarette taxes are always raised. I pay higher medical insurance rates and life insurance rates even though I'm a healthy white female. I don't get sick.

In some respects, it is not fair. Smokers are an easy target.

Now, this has nothing to do with smoking, but if you are a family of 3, (spouse, spouse, child) you pay the same $$ for medical insurance as a family of 10 (spouse, spouse, 8 children) Insurance in this country is F$%ked up.

 

I just feel like our local and state governments have so much more to worry about and take care of than 'let's ban all smoking, everywhere!!' It's so not important in the scheme of things.

Ok I'm done now. God, I get pissed off talking about this...need another glass of wine