Tennessee, New Bill Would Ban Smoking In Cars With Children. (how much, inspector)

[bbkaren]

Damn skippy! Well put, TNHT!

[AlisonL]

Well darn it, I have to spread some rep around so gonna give it to Tnhilltopper right here.......RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by sonicido

I grew up in a smoke-filled home but it hasn't hurt me yet. I hated it and I would never do that to my own children. However, since there is no proof that it is going to kill a kid or an adult who grows up around it, then there is no reason to use it as an excuse to police the private lives of families.

And don't forget, Dana Reeves died of lung cancer at a younger age than I am now, and she was not a smoker, nor were her parents.

Smoke does injure children. Did you see my post about my cousin? It is unfair that he had to go through chemo and radiation because his mother was selfish. I see children everyday in the hospital suffering from asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and respiratory distress, including death because their parents SMOKED.

Dana Reeves died of lung cancer because she spent 20 years breathing second hand smoke in piano bars that she sang in.

The point is.....second hand smoke injures and kills faster than people who actually smoke.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by TnHilltopper

Good people do not need laws to tell them how to act responsibly, and bad people will usually find ways around the laws.

When I see the political body use the time old catch phrase, "If it saves the life of one child, isn't it worth it" or "Think of the children", I cringe. The number one killer of children under the age of 12 in the state of Florida is swimming pools, should we ban pools if it saves the life of just one child? Should we ban TV or the internet because some of what we may see is unsavory?

To shield men from the effects of folly is to fill the world full of fools.

As someone who used to smoke those nasty cigs, I can sympathize with children who do not have a choice about the air quality they breath when mom and dad are puffing away in the car with the windows rolled up. One would hope that this day in age the parents would understand the responsibilities in raising healthy children but we just take this idea of legislating behavior way too far.

We now depend upon laws to substitute for what we already know we should do, and in doing so, you let the government into your living room. I ask you, look around at the state of things, do you really want the United States government dictating to you how to live?

I don't mean to be disrespectful but.....this is a typical response from someone who is not in the medical field and who does not see children suffering from respiratory ailments due to second hand smoke. Unfortunately we live in a world where people do not use their best judgments when it comes to their children. Again, not to be rude but smokers are among the most selfish people that I know. Not only do they not care about their own long term health but they don't care about the people around them either. Children deserve a better life and their life spans should not be cut short because of someone else's addiction and irresponsibility.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by HengyMama

Smoke does injure children. Did you see my post about my cousin? It is unfair that he had to go through chemo and radiation because his mother was selfish. I see children everyday in the hospital suffering from asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and respiratory distress, including death because their parents SMOKED.

Dana Reeves died of lung cancer because she spent 20 years breathing second hand smoke in piano bars that she sang in.

The point is.....second hand smoke injures and kills faster than people who actually smoke.

Agreed.

But I still don't think the government should step in. The older and wiser that I get, the more I distrust the people that run this country. They don't do a darn thing for the betterment of us.

So, getting back to the intent of the original post...

I wonder if this will pass in Tennessee.

[TnHilltopper]

Originally Posted by HengyMama

I don't mean to be disrespectful but.....this is a typical response from someone who is not in the medical field and who does not see children suffering from respiratory ailments due to second hand smoke. Unfortunately we live in a world where people do not use their best judgments when it comes to their children. Again, not to be rude but smokers are among the most selfish people that I know. Not only do they not care about their own long term health but they don't care about the people around them either. Children deserve a better life and their life spans should not be cut short because of someone else's addiction and irresponsibility.

I moderate the political and election forums, there is little that I take offense to and to be honest, I appreciate the candor.

No one should ever have to suffer needlessly or forcibly through the actions of others, I get it and I agree with it. At the same time my mother worked for Smithkline labs for many years and I have heard the stories about how she could look at a vial of blood when doing HDL-LDL, etc... test and she would say to herself... how can this person still be alive, this test tube is pink from fat laden blood.

However, you simply can't legislate bad and good behavior. How many people are offended by smoke that stuff their gullets with the garbage that they try to pass off as food at every drive thru? Heart disease being the #1 killer in America, and those with the worst eating habits will pass on to their children these same habits. Do we pass laws to prevent parents from feeding their children trash? Obesity is an epidemic and cost Americans billions of dollars and thousands of lives but should we make it illegal to be overweight?

The problem with allowing government into your living room is that they will never leave. Today it is a law against smoking in cars, tomorrow it is illegal to be chubby, and the next day your child doesn't have enough Ritalin or your swimming pool at home doesn't have a lifeguard.

It is bad enough that I have to live amongst large numbers of people who don't have the common sense God gave a turnip, but continually allow government to determine what is good and bad behavior when they have been so successful with the war on poverty, the war on homelessness, the war on drugs, the war on ___<pick one>___.

I will continue to live by the law that already exist, the law of nature. Live a healthy lifestyle and increase my chances of living longer. Live a poor lifestyle and die sooner, it is really that simple and I don't need anyone to tell me otherwise.

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by TnHilltopper

I moderate the political and election forums, there is little that I take offense to and to be honest, I appreciate the candor.

No one should ever have to suffer needlessly or forcibly through the actions of others, I get it and I agree with it. At the same time my mother worked for Smithkline labs for many years and I have heard the stories about how she could look at a vial of blood when doing HDL-LDL, etc... test and she would say to herself... how can this person still be alive, this test tube is pink from fat laden blood.

However, you simply can't legislate bad and good behavior. How many people are offended by smoke that stuff their gullets with the garbage that they try to pass off as food at every drive thru? Heart disease being the #1 killer in America, and those with the worst eating habits will pass on to their children these same habits. Do we pass laws to prevent parents from feeding their children trash? Obesity is an epidemic and cost Americans billions of dollars and thousands of lives but should we make it illegal to be overweight?

The problem with allowing government into your living room is that they will never leave. Today it is a law against smoking in cars, tomorrow it is illegal to be chubby, and the next day your child doesn't have enough Ritalin or your swimming pool at home doesn't have a lifeguard.

It is bad enough that I have to live amongst large numbers of people who don't have the common sense God gave a turnip, but continually allow government to determine what is good and bad behavior when they have been so successful with the war on poverty, the war on homelessness, the war on drugs, the war on ___<pick one>___.

I will continue to live by the law that already exist, the law of nature. Live a healthy lifestyle and increase my chances of living longer. Live a poor lifestyle and die sooner, it is really that simple and I don't need anyone to tell me otherwise.

Right on! Well said and I second it!

[Beretta]

I have purposely stayed out of this debate but can stay silent no more. I am an extreme anti-smoking proponent and I make my livelihood in healthcare. I started out my anti smoking education outreach work in 1985 with the American Cancer Society in Johnson City. I would go around to local elementary schools and teach students about the dangers of smoking while still in college. I had this little smoke contraption that would show the kids the danger of smoking. We would actual "smoke" a cigarette in a clear tube and watch the smoke color the paper in the tube. My aunt, my dad's sister, died from lung cancer. She was a lifelong smoker. I have had countless patients, and seen several co-workers over the years suffer from the effects of smoking. I was a licensed foster parent for 5 years and have seen first hand, in my own home, a low birth weight baby whose birth mother smoked during pregnancy. When I got a divorce I wrote in the divorce decree that my ex-husband could not expose the children to any secondhand smoke whatsoever. I applaud the no smoking in public restaurant bans, laws, etc. There has been literature out that children exposed to secondhand smoke inhale one out of every 4 cigarettes. Can children that form nicotine addictions break free when they are old enough to make their own choices? Worrisome ponderances. Having said all of that I have to say that I agree with TnHilltopper. And I feel somewhat conflicted with that statement; however, if we legislate this what will be next? No more chicken nuggets? Bathtime must be in the evening and bedtime will be 8 pm? Perhaps I am being facetious, perhaps not. This is America and we must all remember that we have rights and should continue to exercise that freedom. I absolutely detest that children are exposed to secondhand smoke; detest it. But I love more the freedoms that being a citizen of the United States afford.

[bbkaren]

With great rights come great responsibilities.

Some will rise to the occasion and do the right thing; others won't. It's been that way since the beginning of time.

But once we take away the responsibilities, the rights go too.

You must take the bad with the good. Want a law against smoking in the car with children so stupid people won't do it? Well, with it, you'll get "smoking checkpoints" that will tie up traffic, as well as the tax implications of enforcement.

Want to stop people from getting fat by eating junk? Then when you're having a craving and want a dozen chicken nuggets you're gonna get turned away at McDonald's. Maybe your doctor will put you on a diet you're required by LAW to stick to. How will they enforce it? Spot visits from an inspector?

Want to stop kids from being shot because people leave guns laying around? Then you may pay the price of having an inspector stop by and go through your own house to make sure you're being safe with your firearms. Or worse, perhaps they'd outlaw guns and you're completely defenseless against a criminal who comes to terrorize your family for fun.

The list goes on and on.

I'll take the rights...with an extra helping of responsibility. And plenty of butter and salt.

[Eat]

Y'all act as if legislating against smoking in front of children in confined areas is some sort of foot in the door for government. It isn't. The government is already there. We have laws against child abuse. Which one of you will take up the drum beat in favor of the child abusers? Who will say no sane person would abuse a child, and we don't need government in our homes telling use how to raise our children?

Go ahead. Stand up for the child abusers. You have already started down that slippery slope by standing up for people who force second hand smoke upon their kids. They too are deliberately injuring their children.