Fort Worth passes partial smoking ban (Dallas: taxes, live, restaurants)

[beowulf7]

^ Guten Tag. I see your viewpoint, but do you see the hypocrisy in your post where you say to not ban public smoking, but to ban fatty foods and alcohol in public areas?

Auf Wiedersehen!

[Gretchen_SDCA]

Originally Posted by michael65

For me as a European living in the US it`s very interesting to read the posts in those forums. What I don`t understand is the fact that everything here has to be regulated by law. It appears to me that "The land of the free is more a land of regulations and surveillance". Like this smoking thing. I do smoke ( did it all my life ) and really enjoy it. I would never quit except the Doc told me " if you don`t it`s gonna be over soon".
Where I am from ( Germany ) there is no such thing like a smoke ban ( except in Hospitals of course ) . You can even still smoke in most of the public buildings. And a Bar or Restaurant where you can not smoke would be closed in no time. They tried that once or twice in my hometown ( American owner of course , lol ) and take a guess. Nobody went there. Not even the Non Smokers. That really made me wonder. What makes it different back home is the way we treat each other. But it takes an adult personality to deal with this freedom and it takes some thinking and respect for each other. When I`m around a non smoker and he askes me to I don`t smoke. Even in the car or the house ( not mine of course , if he don`t like it he can leave ) . But don`t force your opinion on me. I don`t need nobody to tell me what`s good for me and what`s not. I am over 18 and know that already. If smoking is so dangerous and causes Billions of Dollars in health expenses every year make it illegal. Yes it`s that simple. Don`t use double standards. Don`t curse it but gladly put the Tax Dollars in your pocket. Besides if you do some serious research the Tobacco Taxes the Government receives is times higher than the so called smoking related health issues. One good thing about the smoking ban here is that we don`t go out that much no more. We used to go for dinner or Cocktails 2 or 3 times a week and spend about 400 or 500 Bucks a month in Restaurants and Bars. But I can`t enjoy a good meal or a Beer without a smoke afterwards. So we buy our stuff in the store , cook at home and drink our Cocktails at our pool. And many of our friends come over and spend some time with us ( smoking of course ) also not going out that much no more . Saves me tons of money and costs the entertainment industry. But I couldn`t care less if the community has a little less tax income from this source.They would use it for stupid things like Kindergartens or Schools anyway.
If it`s really all about health here be consequent and take care of the other issues too.
I have never seen so many fat people like here. And it effects me directly. I have to pay for increasing insurance cost to take care of those folks. Suggestion: Once a year the insured has to go to a health check. If he or she is overweight double the premiums and if it`s not getting better within a certain amount of time they are no longer eligable for health insurance . Start with the kids. I find it very disturbing to see all those children being fed this crappy stuff you buy in the drive through or put in the microwave for 3 minutes. Learn to cook a meal and feed your kids healthier things. And send them outside to play ball or run around. Don`t put them in front of a TV for hours and hours.
It`s amusing when somebody tells me smoking is dangerous and has two 12 year old 300 pounders in the back of the car chewing on a Big Mac and swallowing a gallon of Coke .
And ban the alcohol from Bars and Clubs. Statistically 8 out of 10 guests in a alcohol serving environments drive home by themselves. Yes there are laws for drunk driving but don`t fight the symptoms ( when it`s too late ) fight the cause. If they would put a law in place that there is no more public alcohol available ( except in Stores to take it home ) the death rate caused by alcohol related accidents would dramatically decrease. So make a law against alcohol in public.Make it illegal and the quality of our lifes will increase . And many of our children will live longer because there would be no more drunk drivers on the road killing them.

Hallo! Ich heisse Gretchen, und ich komme auch aus Deutschland, aus der Hannover Umgebung. Jetzt wohne ich in San Diego, Kalifornien. Ich antworte auf Englisch, weil die meisten Leute hier kein Deutsch verstehen koennen.

I miss many things from Germany, but one thing I do not miss is smoking everywhere. You sound like a very considerate gentleman, but many smokers are not like that. I remember going out, coming back from work etc. and all my clothes and hair would be smelling like smoke. I had a very strict rule about non-smoking in my apartment, and some friends took offense. I like that non-smokers here come FIRST, and that the burden should be placed on those with the SMOKING habit to accomodate those who don't - NOT other way around.

I do not wish to regulate smokers per se - that is why I do not agree with regulating chewing tobacco etc. However, when your secondary smoke affects your child or other people, then we move into a different situation. For my part, if you have children, then smoke outside. If you want to smoke in your house or car, don't have children. Simple as that.

[michael65]

I understand both of you and your points. And I agree . What I was saying in my post was is if you ban one you have to ban `em all. It`s not just one problem ; there are many others that need just as much attention.

[beowulf7]

I so badly want to relearn German. It's been a while.

[Gretchen_SDCA]

Originally Posted by michael65

I understand both of you and your points. And I agree . What I was saying in my post was is if you ban one you have to ban `em all. It`s not just one problem ; there are many others that need just as much attention.

Oh yes, I agree. There are many issues that need to be addressed; however, just remember that not all issues receive the same amount of protection under the US constitution. E.g. the government, under current interpretation of the Constitution, has more freedom to regulate certain issues than others, and that depends on whether it is the state/local government or the federal government regulating.

Incidentally, where are you from in Germany? How long have you been here in the US?

[MakeHayNotBones]

It is refreshing to see a state that includes all of it's taxpayers into it's arms. Calif USED to be like that, but now it is no more. We've lost our freedoms, taxpayers, and civility. I want to move to FW!!!

Our lungs hurt from all the forrest fires, yet we blame the smoker a mile away from us for this.
In the old days everyone smelled the same, give or take too much cologne or perfume. I miss the woodsmoke from the fp's in every home. My asthma is worse now than ever, because there is no tolerance build up.
I miss my parents. They smoked all their lives, but it was MY second hand smoke that killed them.

The teflon frying pan smokes up the kitchen, the grease attaches to my lungs, to my neighbor's lungs, yet it is my spouce's outdoor cigarette smoking that is clogging my lungs. He is killing me with his second hand smoke. Serves me right.

Anybody got a light?

[Harley Mike]

Out here in California they are even concidering banning smoking in condos and apartment buildings because they share a common wall. In Calabasses they've banned smoking near California live oaks, but you can drive circles around them in your car. Some of the rules they are coming out with are getting pretty redicules. It's my opinion that when Govt. reacts, they usually overreact.

[beowulf7]

I went to the Let's Talk Fort Worth site and suggested they widen the scope of the smoking ban to include bars. I hope they're listening!

[MakeHayNotBones]

Puff trivia:

1. How many puffs does it take to kill the person next to you?
A. 1 plus?
B. 1000 plus?
C. 100,000,000,000,000,000 plus?

2. Does 2nd hand smoke maim and kill the person next to you by:
A. consistant, non-interrrupted streams of smoke, such as in a laboratory envirornment?
B. occasional streams of interrupted smoke such as walking past a smoker sitting on the beach, or at the outdoor cafe?

3. Does the average person recieve their information:
A. 1st hand?
B. 2nd hand?
C. Non-partial and Non-biased research?

4. When did Road Rage and Obesity become prevailant?
A. When smokers were treated like animals and forced to quit due to "guilt trip" commercials?
B. When Bonnie and Clyde were taken down?
C. When X-box was invented?

[kdogg817]

I think they should ban smoking period I hate the smell of cigarette smoke.