by Lisa Elliott

Created on: October 04, 2008

I'll start first with the obvious, I smoke. I've enjoyed smoking for all of my adult life. I smoke about 1/2 a pack a day on average. I don't drink, I don't take drugs, I don't abuse my kids, my friends or anyone else. I have one vice I enjoy, smoking.

I've watched the price of a pack of cigarettes go up so much that at times I wonder why I'm being targeted for extra taxes for health issues when they don't tax candy for the making people overweight, and they don't tax alcohol that people drink so they can go drive and kill someone one. Both these have just as many devistating affects on society as smoking. Although I have to say the death of a loved at the hands of a drunk driver is certainly more devasting than being overweight. It amazes me when I'm told I can't smoke outside somewhere becasue of my smoke while the people telling this are inhaling the same air that thier cars polute, the ground that is filled with lead from all the leaded gasoline we used for years, and the toxins put in the air by all the factories. Even if I didn't smoke I would still be inhaling all of this, just like everyone else is.

Honestly, if you're going to say anything to anyone about their smoke when you're outside please make sure that nothing you do (drive a car in a public place, run your heater where the exhaust goes into the public air, run your boat in public in the water, dump your oil out behind your house, fart in public, need I go on?)is putting any type of toxins in the air I'm breathing. Tit for tat, right? Extreme thoughts, perhaps, but accurate none the less. Everything we do is done in public and affects the public air.

Now for public places. I understand no smoking inside buildings where people work, even I can agree it can be annoying and overwheleming to work in a smoke filled area. Been there, done that. But, how does one group of people decide what can or can't be done in public places (besides the obvious things not meant for the public)? If a bar wants to allow smoking they should have that choice and then you, as a concerned educated individual, should decide whether or not you want to enter a bar/restuarant that allows smoking. Just, as I, an educated/concerned person chooses not to go to bars where people are drinking. I'm uncomfortable with that situation so I make a concious choice to stay away and find somewhere that I will feel comfortable. MY choice.

I won't pretend to know all the laws in so many states, but it is getting to the point where the only place I will be able to smoke is in my home. I don't throw my butts on the ground, but I watch as people throw their beer/soda cans, candy wrappers all over the public places. If we continue to allow all these choices to be made for us it will come to the point where it will be decided how short your skirt will be allowed in public, or what kind of foods you can eat in public.

I don't want to sit at a table next to you in a restuarant and blow smoke all over you, in fact I don't smoke when peole are eating, but I should get to sit in the same public park as you do and smoke my cigarette while your car is running.

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