by Bob Schmidt

Created on: August 25, 2007

Do smokers have rights? I suppose that depends upon who you ask, but you should think about it. Every time that your government steps in, and restricts what you can, and cannot do, your personal freedoms alarm should sound an alert. Whether you smoke, or not, you should be concerned when someone imposes restrictions upon your behavior in any fashion.

Admittedly, smoking is at best a bad habit. No one should be forced to breathe unhealthy air, either. Therefore, it is easy to bash smokers, and their habit. On the other hand, the U. S. government subsidizes the growth of tobacco, and recognizes it as a legal product for consumption. It sure seems like hypocrisy for the federal government to permit the growth, sale, and consumption of tobacco products, and then state or local governments restrict, or ban its usage.

Since the debate about smoker's rights centers upon "clean air", why does no one suggest requiring air testing for its purity? If a restaurant is able to provide clean air in a location while permitting smoking, what is the problem? The truthful answer is that clean air is not the only issue. The real issue is that a non-smoking group wants it banned, regardless of anything else. That amounts to an imposed morality, which is not permitted by the United States Constitution.

One of the definitions of fascism is when a majority imposes its will upon a minority. A local college professor, and opponent to smoking, pointed this point out to me recently. He views the imposition of non-smoking in public buildings as a good example of fascism. Appropriate areas could be easily designated, but that is not satisfying to the anti smoking groups.

Obesity is an equally significant threat to public health in my opinion. If those who wish to smoke are denied their "right to do so", then perhaps the obese should be banned from "all you can eat" buffets. High fat, and high calorie foods should be heavily taxed, if not banned as well. Forget alcoholic beverages, they certainly have to go. After all, it is for the general good of all Americans.

All activists of any sort should take up the cause of smoker's rights, because it is only the beginning if fascist thinking is permitted to prevail instead of good common sense. I force no one to smoke my cigarette with me, but I also defend everyone's right to have no one else's' morality upon them. That is simply stated, not American!

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