Once again spoken like a true smoker,JOhn. The implied violence, if some one would point out to you that you‘re being inconsiderate. The denial; I’m a few yards away and I’m not blowing my smoke in anyone’s face so I’m not bothering any non-smokers. Honestly, where do you think the smoke goes? Do you really think it just vanishes leaving no trace? The simple fact is you are addicted and will deny others of their right to breathe smoke free air just so you can have your next fix.
Freedom is often confused with being able to do anything you want no matter what the effect is on others.
I smoke. But does that make me a bad person? No... I smoke because I'm addicted. Plain an' simple man. Half of me does wanna quit but hell here I am. I do my best not to smoke in close proximity to those who are allergic to it or don't like it. But I'm me an' when I need a smoke I need a smoke.
No, smoking does not make you a bad person and yes, the addiction does cause some smokers from time to time to disregard others but that's the nature of addiction. But there are those who defend foisting their addiction on others as a right and a freedom, I just think they're getting a little carried away. They are thinking of themselves and their needs only and do not bother to think of the fact that they are denying non-smokers their rights and freedoms. And because they have gotten away with denying non-smokers their rights for so long they believe it’s their right to continue to do so. Going outdoors to smoke, consider it a nature break, where you get a chance to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer. At the same time you can consider it a loving kindness to your non-smoking buddies. May you enjoy true freedom, OWB
Pretty self explanatory. What do you think would happen if you went about telling people to stop smoking when they are enjoying themrselves? Exactly. It is like Einstein said, "Every action has a reaction". And knowing that not every human being is as civilised as the next.
Freedom is only freedom if everyone has it. I think this is impossible , you get the strong or a majority saying this or that is freedom . if the person in johns example gets attacked for trying to stop people smoking he will either be able to impose his will on people who dont agree with him, or they will impose their will on him . its a matter of who is stronger or has the most force
hit em round the head with a baseball bat, round the head, round the head hit em round the head with a baseball bat, till they're dead, till they're dead, till they're dead pass a light mate
Yes they could have put it towards cancer research or towards palliative care units in hospitals or towards education or towards public information campaigns. They put it towards banning smoking in public spaces which gives people an incentive to stop smoking or smoke less and starts to make smoking a social taboo making smokers more likely to try to give up and non-smokers less likely to start, reducing drain on healthcare resources in coming decades and proportianately reducing the requirement for anti-smoking funding in other areas. Money exceptionally well spent:cheers2:
No one should regulate health as far as I'm concerned, a persons body is theirs. Any law that directly or indirectly bullies people into good health (as you are actual implying here lithium by saying it's peer pressure causing people not to spark up) is oppressive. Smokers not only pay their national insurance, they also pay shitloads in taxes every time they buy a pack, fact of the matter is, there wouldn't be the treatment there is for smoking related illnesses if it wasn't for the taxes on tobacco. Think back to before the smoking ban, there were smoking areas and non smoking areas, smokers pubs and non smokers pubs. You can't wax lyrical about how smokers are being inconsiderate for smoking in the same enclosed (or often partially enclosed) public space when at the same time you tell them they should simply go out in the rain or cold. If it's that simple, you could do it yourself when you see someone take out a lighter. I'm not against the right of people to not have to put up with second hand smoke, but I am against the idea that the government can simply tell people that they cannot allow people to smoke in a private business.
Once again spoken like a true smoker! "Get a fucking grip"? Nice to see that you can carry on a civil discussion without being abusive. I can see why you would feel that you foisting your smoking on others isn't a problem. If you really believe this then why do you keep talking and acting like it does? I agree also, smoking does not have to make you a bad person but what you say next gives a better idea about what kind of person you are. "All this bollocks about how for years, non smokers have been repressed." Bollocks? How would you know? You're a smoker, what would you know what non-smokers have been going though? What would you know about sitting and watching the rain outside while sipping tea, and having a smoker light up next to you, because that table is in a “segregated” smoking area, and getting instantly nauseous because that is how smoke affects you and getting up and leaving your tea unfinished because you are now sick? You call this segregation working? It may have worked for you and other smokers but this never worked for non-smokers. The problem is that now that the shoe is on the foot, you don’t like having to go though what non-smokers have had to go though for years. I say get over it!
"If it's that simple, you could do it yourself when you see someone take out a lighter." Honestly, how many times do I have to say; that is exactly what non-smokers have been doing for years? Do I really have to relate how many times I’ve gotten up and left food and drink behind or left a quiet spot or a concert because some smoker decided to exercise his “right” to smoke? Now smokers have had to do it for what, a year, and their all ready bellyaching, my rights, my rights. I just have to ask what about my rights?
No, they are not contradictory man. My smoking habit is not cultural it is inner. I do not smoke in smoking resturants, I do not smoke around anywhere in side. If someone asks me to get away from them while I smoke I do. Or to put it a bit simpler. I'm addicted but I do my best to not force others to be. Oh an' as to your post OWB heres my take. All people have the right to not be near smoke. I agree man, I agree. I mostly spend my time with smokers an' if I'm around a non smoker I try to stand a decent (yet still conversational wise) bit away from them an' be outside ya dig?
Smokers have the perfect right to do whatever they like with their bodies as long as in doing so they are not harming the bodies of others in places where people have to work. Giving people an incentive to act healthily is the knock on effect, it's not bullying people to act healthily. What it is doing is 'bullying' people to stop causing harm to others, which is a very laudable thing. Freedom is the right to harm yourself, but not the right to harm other people, as has been said many times in this thread...
