New York statewide smoking ban signed into law

[TurboJunky]

zam70l,
No it's not an empty argument, it's just that you're missing the point I've been making which is:

Everyone has the right to smoke tobacco and kill themselves, so what. If someone wants to wrap their lips around an exhaust pipe all day it's not my place to tell them not to. However I have the right to breath tobacco-free air and prolong my life. Who's right?...no one & everyone. The answer is where the line is drawn to separate the two. It's up to our legislators and courts to determine the extent of smokers rights when it comes to where they can light up. Simple as that. Our courts are there to interpret constitutional rights and at which point your right to do XXX violates another person's right to do XXX. God bless the USA.

 

[Two Lane]

Originally posted by Two Lane
Part of this ban goes into effect at midnight, tonight, right?

 

[Black Sabbath]

TT/A1233 said, “The answer is where the line is drawn to separate the two. It's up to our legislators and courts to determine the extent of smokers rights when it comes to where they can light up. Simple as that.”

I think the question that must be answered here is, why don’t the establishment owners get to choose? If an owner wants his establishment to be smoking, why should the government be allowed to step in and regulate it? Where in the constitution does it guarantee your right to go out to dinner? You will always have the option of staying home and cooking for your self, so no one is making you go into a smoking establishment. If all the non smokers who are the majority these days don’t want to go into an establishment that allows smoking then STAY OUT. If enough of you stop going to places that allow smoking then owners will be forced to change their policies to keep the money coming in.

You may see this as the government limiting where you can smoke, but the government really is regulating what an owner wants to do in his establishment. If the smoke is controlled in a building it is not flowing into the street and affecting passers by then the only way for this smoke to affect you is for YOU and only YOU to choose to go into the building. So now your choices as a non smoker are what exposes you to my second hand smoke. It is not if I am coming into your home and puffing away. You have the choice weather or not to allow smoking in your home why shouldn’t business owners be allowed the same freedom of choice?

Black Sabbath

 

[GNX112]

Interesting thread.....just curious about a couple of things.

If I owned a restaurant and felt I was losing potential customers because I HAD a smoking section, why wouldn't I just Voluntarily make it NO smoking. Right....because the opposite is the case. Because you want a Freekin cheeseburger in a non-smoking environment I have to say sayonara to a large part of MY Business. Why would anyone have a problem with that????

I can't wait until all alcoholic beverages are required to have graphic pictures of car accidents on them. The wait may be shorter than you think. Take a real good look at the Real world we live in and tell me second-hand smoke is at the top of the list of serious problems affecting you. Actually for some people it probably is.....and thats what scares me.

 

[TurboJunky]

Originally posted by Black Sabbath
I think the question that must be answered here is, why don’t the establishment owners get to choose? If an owner wants his establishment to be smoking, why should the government be allowed to step in and regulate it?

Black Sabbath

Well, the government has been regulating what goes on inside private businesses for years. Some examples of government regulations inside businesses for the greater good of all patrons include:
- Marked/lighted fire exits
- Maximum amount of patrons
- Standards on food preparation
- Construction/building code standards
- Mandatory fire suppression systems (varies on municipality)
- Regulations on material and food storage
- Mandatory handicap access
- Standards on restroom facilities

I can't imagine what I've missed but I know there's a lot more. Point is, these are regulations that promote safety for patrons, no different than anti-public smoking regulations.

Apparently these types of laws ARE legal since a few municipalities and states have successfully passed these laws. If anyone feels their right to publicly pollute others is being violated they can use the courts and challenge such laws.
God Bless the USA.