NYC smoking ban extended to parks, Times Square (New York, York: insurance, buying)
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The government always knows best and isn't doing enough to protect me from myself. As a fellow former Texan, I am somewhat surprised by your stance on personal freedom, but of course you are right, zdg.
I left Texas to get away from the "personal freedoms, public nuisance" people. Why are you here?
Do you have any idea how much public money is wasted every year on health care that would have been prevented by either the removal of first hand or second hand smoke? Why is that allowed more freedom than, say, heroin? Or arson? What if I REALLY, REALLY like setting fires to buildings? It's not hurting ME. Why should the government be allowed to stop me?
You just think it's ok for everyone to smoke because it's been tolerated this long. Should people be allowed to drink and drive too?
"I left Texas to get away from the "personal freedoms, public nuisance" people. Why are you here?" quote zdg
Funny, I moved to Manhattan over 20 years ago to get away from small minded conformists, experience different kinds of people and have the freedom to be myself. I also got a great job.
The Mayor is becoming a dictator, and he was talking about raising retirement age also this morning or something. ???
As far as the smoking thing, I have mixed feelings about it. While growing up with 2 parents and relatives that smoked all day long...(ugh,) I have already have of had my share of second hand smoke, So,No, I am not really worried about someone smoking 3 feet away from me. If it bothers me, i would just simply move away.
I work in a heavily industrial area with diesel trucks and the like, I can walk to the deli, (with not a smoker in site), but the trucks going by give off toxic fumes that I am breathing in, that has to be far worse than second hand smoke. Where is the mayor now????????
But as far as the litter aspect of it, yes, I will agree. We go to the new Brooklyn Bridge Park all summer long and it is so nice and clean, the last thing we need to have is butts all over the place. (blech)...also nothing is worse than setting up a blanket on the beach and also having butts all I the sand. It is disgusting, how can it not be.
It is just the point of the Mayor dictating to us what we can do. He does not care about out health, and anyone that thinks he does, is nuts. If smoking is supposed to be so bad, than just like it was said on the morning show with Rosanna Scotto (love her) just ban it all together, no more tobacco plants .....and end it all....but because we all know it is a big time money making thing, it will never go away.
I have just had enough of our mayor constantly tell us what we can and cannot do, it is enough already......and no, he wasn't supposed to have a third term, it was against the law, he broke the law, what part doesn't anyone get???????
Completely agree! I am not a smoker and while I do not like smoking in restaurants and bars or small confined spaces what Bloomberg is doing is horrible. You are denying the rights and liberties of people more and more. What is next? Like you said in another post....
Its disgusting and I pray that my family in NYC votes that dictator Bloomberg out!
we didn't like it, but back then everyone smoked everywhere.....so even though I am not a smoker, I do not believe that second hand smoke kills.....other wise I would have been dead decades ago.
My otherwise very healthy 86 year old Mother-In-Law, was diagnosed with emphysema a few years ago. She's been on oxygen for a couple of years now, but her breathing is just getting worse and worse. She suffers all the time and is not going to last too much longer. Her only great grandchild, turning 3 soon, will be devastated.
She never touched tobacco in her life, but sat across from a chain smoker among many other smokers at her job. Just people exercising their "freedom" unregulated.
I was a two and a half pack a day smoker when I quit thirty some years ago and believe people can use what they want, as long as they don't impact others. Nicotine addicts who don't believe it impacts others, are either in denial or just don't care.
To be fair, Times Square is too crowded to be considered "outside" and if you smoke there you are definately being a douche. Go to the side street or something.
Bloomberg is NOT denying the rights and liberties of others, unless you believe it is your right and liberty to poison me? By banning liquor sales to minors he is infringing on the rights of 5 year olds to get drunk...and by banning crack he is infringing on people's rights to get high. By banning toxic toys from China you are banning my right to buy chinese products for cheap.
What do all these things have in common? The societal costs outweigh the individual "right" to ultimately harm yourself and others. I would prefer the government not "tell us what to do", but if you don't want government telling you where and where not to smoke, then we should also do away with all the other things government tells us not to do, like crack, buying toxic/deadly toys, Vodka for 5 year olds, etc.
Furthermore, I am all for people doing all of these things and having these rights, but tax payers/government should not be responsible to clean up your mess..i.e. you smoke and get cancer, unless you have private insurance government/taxpayers ain't paying for you. If you want to be a crack head, there are no government/taxpayer rehab centers/services and you simply die, and you are welcome to buy toxic/deadly toys, but you cannot sue the manufacturers, or the government for not protecting you, and you better have your own health insurance cuz government/medicaid ain't paying for it.
As soon as the repercussions of your "rights" and "liberties" don't ultimately fall on the backs of government/taxpayers to protect and care for you, then I am all for your "rights" and "liberties" to smoke 10 packs a day, serve 2 liter Vodka bottles to your 5 year old, suck on lead based Barbies, and puff away on 80 viles of crack a day.
Get it?
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