Public Smoking Ban (Des Moines, Salem, Kent: how much, home, neighborhoods)

[British Bulldog]

I see you will soon may have a public smoking ban in Iowa I would like to know what Iowians think.We have a blanket ban in England where you cannot smoke in any public area such as pubs,any dining area and if you have them ,Bingo halls.It also applies to public transport and any commercial vehicle,so if your driving a truck,post van and the like you can be fined.In fact,our nanny state minded Labour goverment annouced that they might bring in a £10 ($20)licence fee to buy ciggies.Has a none smoker it dont bother me but lots of places related to the pub trade are closing down.Outside every premises now you will see little groups huddled round lighting up!

[DMRyan]

I think it's time to get this implemented. This legislation is coming at some point, whether a person agrees with it or not. I don't see this affecting bar businesses in the US, and in most places, it's already expected that you can
t smoke in a public place. Most bars will probably want to make reasonable accomodations to have a smoking patio outside though.

I would rather see the state give local control over this though. Instead of Iowa intruding into local government, give each city or county the ability to pass an ordinance on their own.

[metro223]

I think it's past-due and I'm surprised it took this long.

[Luke9686]

I can see the public places like bars and restaurants, but in your car or truck I don't agree with. Just another way they are trampling on the rights of Americans.

[metro223]

Originally Posted by Luke9686

I can see the public places like bars and restaurants, but in your car or truck I don't agree with. Just another way they are trampling on the rights of Americans.

Luke keep in mind the OP said "public cars and trucks" not your own private vehicle.

[LPerkins33]

I'm all for it. And they will soon ban it in your own car if you have kids in the car. This should be common sense to not smoke with your kids in the car but obviously people are stupid.

Now if only we could ban it on public sidewalks so I don't have to smell that crap on my walk to class. Sure you have the right to smoke but I also have the right to not inhale your toxic garbage.

[Luke9686]

The problem with bans like these is where does it end. Soon you wont be able to smoke in your car/house. Next you wont be able to play music above a certain level. Then you wont be able to play a certain type of music. Next they will tell you what music to listen to.

You see where this is going, right??

[metro223]

Originally Posted by Luke9686

The problem with bans like these is where does it end. Soon you wont be able to smoke in your car/house. Next you wont be able to play music above a certain level. Then you wont be able to play a certain type of music. Next they will tell you what music to listen to.

You see where this is going, right??

No I don't think I see where this is going. I think it will stay in public places, the only reason they're doing it is because it's such a huge health hazard.

And yes, actually I believe Des Moines is doing something about how loud you play your music after a certain time at night now, they don't want people going through neighborhoods at 2 am with their bass cranking. Makes sense to me.

Where did you pull out that they are going to dictate what music you are listening to?

[Pearlbob]

We have a public smoking ban in TN and I love it. LOVE IT. You don't know how wonderful it is to eat and drink in public without having to gag through a cloud of smoke until the smoke is gone.

It's all about public spaces. If my neighbors are listening to their music loud at midnight and keeping me awake, then heck yes I would call the cops...their music is affecting the entire neighborhood. It doesn't matter if they are listening to country or rap.

You can play any song on the radio, as long as you bleep out the curse words and explicit lyrics...the radio is a public space. But you can still buy the music for private listening without the bleeps. Same with smoking - if you want to smoke in your own home and give yourself a multitude of health problems, go for it. Just don't expect me to ever visit

[downthathighway]

Originally Posted by Luke9686

The problem with bans like these is where does it end. Soon you wont be able to smoke in your car/house. Next you wont be able to play music above a certain level. Then you wont be able to play a certain type of music. Next they will tell you what music to listen to.

You see where this is going, right??

Yes, but to mention music choices, well, getting a little 'off topic'
"People are like sheep, easily led" but " Even sheep should have brains enough not to follow the wolf"

Anti-smokers have an agenda and are using lawmakers to further their cause. Result- more "don't do this, don't do that " laws.
It has become a world-wide 'witch hunt'. Think colonial Salem,Mass,,or Rebs vs Yankees,,or Adolph Hitler, Henry Ford, and Fr. Coughlin vs. Jewish,, McCarthy and most of the US looking for communists,, Anti-Arabic,, Anti-gay marriage,etc. In later years many regretted having so much hate. Do NOT read that this is an opinion on any of those issues, please.
In many cases,Public opinion could decide where smoking is not acceptable. Many fast food restaurants banned smoking without need for laws, they wanted to keep their restaurants air family friendly.

And before all these laws, did not people speak up for themselves,as in "please do not smoke near me" Cannot the lawmakers instead penalize those who smoke where signs prohibit such? That's how they enforce handicapped parking. If a sign is posted, and the law broken, then tickets are written.

Smokers have become pariahs, and most already are conditioned to avoid smoking in public buildings.
California is one of the states with least smokers due to public opinion and the native instinct to follow the crowds.

I won't deny cigarette smoke is toxic, its rather obvious. But so also is auto exhaust fumes, fumes from the meat cooking, fumes from wall paneling, inside new cars, factory exhaust, even some dust in the home from many sources, (not to mention those deadly fumes from anything containing peanuts, perfume scents for those allergic, the list can be added to...)

Lexington Kentucky banned smoking in all public places, even bars. To stay in business some bars added outdoor patios. I was in one bar there couple years ago. 100 seats indoors, only 6-7 in the building. About 50 were out on the patio. And one Nazi seated inside the bar needed something to complain about, went outdoors to join friends and proceeded to complain that the fumes were going to kill him and smoking (outdoors) should also be banned. Do the math, would the bar stay in business?
I would favor big warning signs that there is smoking in a building.

States have collected billions in cigarette taxes and penalties from the tobacco companies. Have they banned tobacco sales? What? and lose that revenue? How much of that is spent on smoking cessation assistance? Those prescriptions can be expensive. As a result we see college age or younger kids taking up smoking when they know it is not healthy.

Lawmakers have not addressed a possible loss of tax revenue when more quit. Instead they raise the taxes "for their own good" to compensate for less tobacco sales. Sounds like it could not be true. But when we all conserved heat and gasoline in the 70's, taxes and utility rates had to be raised to keep the same revenue stream.
We 'did the right thing' then and were penalized for it.