8 of 45

Write now Article Tools

What rights? If you want to kill yourself, go play in traffic. On second thought, your suicide may cause problems for the unfortunate driver who hits you. If you're really determined to end it all, just find a nice quiet spot to do it without hurting anyone else. If you smoke steadily for 20 or 30 years, your suicide pact with the tobacco industry will be realized.

My words may seem insulting and harsh, but they're much less offensive than the smoker's spreading of his smelly and lethal addiction around to those unfortunate enough to be near his lighted cigarette. For two generations, reliable medical information has warned of the health hazards of cigarettes, both to the smoker and those who unwillingly must breathe the second-hand poison. Therefore, when it comes to spreading that poison to others under any circumstances, the smoker has no rights at all.

I spent most of my working years before any kind of ban on smoking was enacted. I have friends and family who lost dear ones at very early ages because of heavy smoking. Others were young parents who smoked constantly while caring for their youngsters, which resulted in lifelong asthma and other respiratory ailments in the innocent children.

So many times I'd come home after attending large business meetings in confined rooms ... where I was the only non-smoker ... and immediately hang all of my clothing outside so that the smell didn't permeate the entire house. Before that, while in the Navy, I had to live with the smoke and smells in small, cramped shipboard quarters. I hope the Navy has wised up since those days.

Maybe I'm so prejudiced against tobacco because I've never been a smoker. Like all young teenagers, I wanted to look cool and show off when I bought my first ... and last ... pack of cigarettes. I smoked four or five, impressing no one, coughed for an hour and threw the rest of the pack away.

However, smoking is still legal in specified places. Those people who need to burn tobacco and breathe it in have adequate places where they can indulge in their addiction. If smokers have any rights, it is only to go off by themselves and puff as long as their habit forces them to do it ... but never if it affects anyone near them.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Smoker's rights?
We want to hear your view. Write now!