Quote:
Originally Posted by Lakesrider
KTO, well actually most of the things you, listed. DO hurt others. Indirectly, maybe, but it drives up health care costs, and our taxes increase due to them as well.   Some day we will all be wearing little one peice Hazmat suits with dark glasses, live in little sterile oxygen bubbles and such!  |
Smoking actually is a revenue base (taxes) and a money saver for the general non-smoking population. Smokers die, on average, 7.5 years sooner than non-smokers. You anti smoking folks should thank us for helping save the social security trust fund.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c...ract_id=227498
And, saving you taxes.
http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/22477.html Be sure to read the last paragraph of this one.
A simple Thank You would be OK with me.
Seriously folks. I smoke only in places that couldn't possibly bother anyone. I have no problem with the "banning" at Weirs Beach, or any other venue, indoors or outdoors. Frankly most smokers I know feel the same way. I admit to avoiding hotels that are 100% non smoking when I can choose one that has “smoking rooms”, And, I will avoid the Weirs if the ban extends beyond the beach area. For the record, I agree that people smoking at any beach and littering the sand with butts is disgusting.
But a simple fact remains; government banning anything reduces someone’s rights. ( Pineneedles is not believing this from me right now
)
Sometimes that is a good thing, when the "greater public good" is concerned. Examples would be, and not limited to, drunk driving, child abuse.. and so on and on.
The big issue really is where is the line between the “Greater Public Good” and
“Individual Rights”? I have more than a little problem with the whole idea that "banning" is decided by a few elected officials and often changed by the next set of elected public officials. (See.. Shoreline Protection Act)
Just think how nice it would be if people, not officials, all decided it's not good to do anything to break the common sense rule that says.... be careful that what you do, dosen't bother other people. (Breath, Pineneedles.. I’m still a democrat, I haven’t slipped to the dark side )
Just think, we wouldn't be worried about boat speed limits, wake sizes, fellow drivers, smokers, drinkers, people with kids in restaurants’, neighbors with dogs, trash after the fishing derby... etc.
Polly Anna? Probably.
"Can't we just all get along?" (Rodney King)
