by Robin Landry

Created on: August 10, 2009   Last Updated: August 22, 2009

Except for a brief "experimental period" during my college years some twenty-five years ago, I am, and have always been, a non-smoker. As a result, I found myself welcoming the smoking bans which came, first to my workplace and then, eventually to all public spaces in my small, Illinois town. The fact that my cigarette-smoking grandparents died of high blood pressure related strokes at relatively young ages (59 and 64) and my non-smoking parents still appear to be going strong today at ages 78 and 79 was enough to convince me that the Surgeon General's cigarette warnings are not based on "junk science" as many "smoker's rights" groups frequently claim.

I would not, however, describe myself as "passionate" when it comes to the issues related to the dangers of second-hand smoke. I am not an anti-smoking activist by any stretch of the imagination. I agree that there are definitely some dangers associated with long-term exposure to second hand smoke but I also think that automobile and factory emissions probably present similar levels of danger.

For me, second hand smoke was more of an annoyance. I disliked the smell of smoke in my hair and clothing that resulted when my office still allowed employees to smoke at their desks (circa 1985). I also didn't understand smokers; how could they justify spending so much money on something that tasted bad and smelled even worse? And as the years went by and I began to notice, (usually at my high school reunions) that my skin and hair remained much more youthful-looking than that of my cigarette smoking former classmates I found their preference for tobacco all the more confusing. But, I've never been one to presume to lecture smokers on their "bad habit"; nor do I believe that smokers are inherently inconsiderate or evil people. So, as I began casually searching the Internet for ideas on how to address the debate question of whether smoking should be banned in public places I was stunned to discover the level of animosity that seems to be growing between smokers and non-smokers. I can't help wondering whether our newly segregated society which severely limits social contacts between smokers and non-smokers is at least partially to blame.

The levels of extremism (on both the smoking and the non-smoking sides of the fence) were disturbing to say the least. First, I found the FORCES International (Fight Ordinances and Restrictions to Control and Eliminate Smoking) website which included an article entitled "Fighting Anti-Tobacco

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