Tough new outdoor smoking bans proposed

[MuggedByReality]

  Someone I know who smokes and takes out private health insurance says his premiums would remain the same whether he smoked or not.

[Russ]

They won't for life insurance

[Duck]

I will never smoke and find smokers annoying but I disagree with these proposed laws. The nanny state can f**** off and let us live our own lives. I want to live in a free country.

[Souljette_93]

I will never smoke and find smokers annoying but I disagree with these proposed laws. The nanny state can f**** off and let us live our own lives. I want to live in a free country.

But what if it's harmful for both the smoker and the passive smoker?

[stonecold]

I will never smoke and find smokers annoying but I disagree with these proposed laws. The nanny state can f**** off and let us live our own lives. I want to live in a free country.

But what if it's harmful for both the smoker and the passive smoker?

I agree.  If you disliked smoking that much you would support these laws.

[AzureBlue]

Hope it does too, I can't stand smokers

+1

Moderator action: removed real name, sorry for the inconvenience

[Duck]

I will never smoke and find smokers annoying but I disagree with these proposed laws. The nanny state can f**** off and let us live our own lives. I want to live in a free country.

But what if it's harmful for both the smoker and the passive smoker?

If it's outdoors then you would have to be standing pretty close to the smoker to be inhaling passively, in which case you should take a step away. Motorbikes and fast cars are dangerous to their drivers, pedestrians and other road users, when people mow their lawns or plant certain plants some people get hayfever, alcohol harms drinkers and others (drunken acts of violence). Should any of these things be banned? No. Because we live in a free country

[Souljette_93]

I will never smoke and find smokers annoying but I disagree with these proposed laws. The nanny state can f**** off and let us live our own lives. I want to live in a free country.

But what if it's harmful for both the smoker and the passive smoker?

If it's outdoors then you would have to be standing pretty close to the smoker to be inhaling passively, in which case you should take a step away. Motorbikes and fast cars are dangerous to their drivers, pedestrians and other road users, when people mow their lawns or plant certain plants some people get hayfever, alcohol harms drinkers and others (drunken acts of violence). Should any of these things be banned? No. Because we live in a free country

Living in a 'free' country shouldn't mean that one can do what they want without restrictions.
If something is dangerous, harmful,offensive or even discriminatory then it shouldn't be allowed.
That's why there is 'rules' and this is just another initiative into becoming a better place.


I often try to stay away from smokers, but there are times where I cannot avoid them, & I find it affecting me.

[Mao]

I would like to hear some examples where you are forced to be around smokers in public. The only places I can think of are rooftop bars, and that's only when your own friends smoke.


I think these laws are too restrictive and even discriminatory. smoking is a lifestyle choice, smokers have a right to enjoy their lifestyle in public just like people who choose not to.

[stonecold]

I would like to hear some examples where you are forced to be around smokers in public. The only places I can think of are rooftop bars, and that's only when your own friends smoke.


I think these laws are too restrictive and even discriminatory. smoking is a lifestyle choice, smokers have a right to enjoy their lifestyle in public just like people who choose not to.

Going to school in the city the past two years, almost every day I am forced to walk past or behind people smoking on the street.

Some days the city just wreaks from the smell.

And smokers generally know their habit is not tolerated.  I loved watching ACA a few weeks back (yeah BS program in general I know) where they were going around the CBD finding people who were taking 'smokos' on their company's and colleague's time.  They were all embarrassed by it and trying to hide it.

And when you think of current law, such as not being able to smoke in a car with children, or the fact that you cannot smoke if you are under 18, smoking in public where underage people also walk the streets is hardly fair or in line with the law.

As a friend of mine said in his oral last year.  "If you decide to take an ecstasy tablet, then that is your decision.  Why then when people decide to smoke, is the community forced to involuntarily consume potentially toxic and carcinogenic poison."

I think it is inevitable.  Smoking in public will one day be banned.  A Brisbane council has already followed suit.  I applaud their decision.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/smoking-to-be-banned-in-brisbanes-queen-street-mall/story-e6freoof-1225949792410

[Chavi]

Good point. If smoking is not banned, why should the government infringe on people's rights to consume marijuana, ecstasy and LSD legally? Using the same yardstick with which smoking is permitted (if you want to smoke it's your personal choice), why not unban other illicit substances?

[Duck]

Chavi that's an entirely different argument which centers mostly around the mind altering effects of those drugs, which are widely perceived to be dangerous and/or unbecoming of civilized society.

Stonecold I refuse to believe that you were completely surrounded by smokers. Cross the street, slow down, speed up, etc. There are a number of options are your disposal none of which erode society's freedom.

[ninwa]

If something is dangerous, harmful,offensive or even discriminatory then it shouldn't be allowed.

From whose point of view? I'm sure it is not offensive to the smokers themselves.

Boxing and skydiving are dangerous.
Drinking alcohol is harmful.
Monash's engineering scholarships for women are discriminatory.

Should they be disallowed too?

[Souljette_93]

If something is dangerous, harmful,offensive or even discriminatory then it shouldn't be allowed.

From whose point of view? I'm sure it is not offensive to the smokers themselves.

Boxing and skydiving are dangerous.
Drinking alcohol is harmful.
Monash's engineering scholarships for women are discriminatory.

Should they be disallowed too?

I was speaking more of a general sense and had religion and the back of my mind, not specifically smokers. I don't get offended from smokers, I get annoyed, frustrated & irritated.

1) I don't like boxing, can't really speak for skydiving (but if they are deadly and fatal to the lives of others, then why not?)

2) I wish alcohol can be banned altogether, here and everywhere else in the world. ( seems like never going to happen though...)

3) maybe they have a reason why?

My point is if it's harmful for others, and yourself, then why should it be allowed? Shouldn't everybody live in safe environment?


And for Mao, having to wait for public transport ( my area, anyways), going through youth centres where mothers and youths are smoking, and the shopping centre. Ideally I move away, don't want to hurt my health, but at these times I can't.

[chansthename]

If it's outdoors then you would have to be standing pretty close to the smoker to be inhaling passively, in which case you should take a step away.

Let me put it to you this way. I live in a small country town where smoking is not that common, (maybe it is) but either way you don't see that many people around compared to Melbourne CBD. In the CBD there are a lot of people in small areas (such as waiting to cross the street) and the 4 or so smokers in the crowd are emitting enough smoke that you can't get away since everyone is so closely packed. I go home smelling of cigarette smoke when I goto Melbourne. It's horrible since I can't stand the smoke.