For First Time, Majority in U.S. Supports Public Smoking Ban

[alp227]

PRINCETON, NJ -- A majority of Americans (59%) support a ban on smoking in all public places for the first time since Gallup initially asked the question in 2001. At the same time, fewer than 2 in 10 support the idea of making smoking totally illegal in this country.



full: http://www.gallup.com/poll/148514/First-Time-Majority-Supports-Public-Smoking-Ban.aspx

via: http://www.drudge.com/news/146257/majority-us-back-public-smoking-ban

[RandySF]

1. Wow. I'm just old enough to remember when people smoked EVERYWHERE.

Restaurants, airplanes, elevators, stores and even offices were subject to cigarette smoke. I'm loving the cleaner air.

[panader0]

2. So what is a "public place"? Anywhere off your own property?

I heard that California bans smoking outdoors on your own property.
I think those who are so adamant about smokers should quit driving those polluting cars. I enjoy tobacco.
I work outside and have about ten cigs a day.
Now I hear that here in Az the gov wants to lower the Blood alcohol level to .04. That's one beer.

[William769]

3. +1000.

[SteppingRazor]

7. That's not just one beer. That's cough syrup.

A few doses of cough syrup can put your BAC well above .02, and above .04 after just another couple spoonfuls. Look, I'm not pro-drunk driving (who is?) but the .08 limit is already ridiculously low. Lowering it even further would cause all sorts of injustices.

[mh74562]

9. +100000

[ZombieHorde]

4. The war on drugs increases. nt

[nosmokes]

5. That's one one helluva stretch to attempt to tie tobacco in with the WoD.

Considering tobacco is legal, well regulated and taxed and the sellers and users, so long as they abide by the law and are of age aren't subject to the arbitrary whim of often-time capricious law enforcement agencies and geographic anomalies, which is why many of us are fighting for an end to the War on Drugs.A solution where some substances are treated like tobacco and alcohol would be considered a solution.

[bluedave]

6. We have

gotten WAYYYYYY too civilized--give meeee a break!

[SteveM]

11. I'm afraid da Zombie may be right...

And you might be "right" as well. There is a distinct move to make smoking tobacco illegal in all public places, and it would seem that includes outdoor public places. (I believe 2 California cities do this now.) In Austin, TX., well-funded adds now show a truck "fumigating" people with smoke as the announcer piles on the "data" about how second-hand smoking is dangerous. And the places where actor-people are coughing? ALL OUTDOOR places; parks, jogging trails, benches, etc. If this is the case, the anti-tobacco people may very be trying to place tobacco into a hazy prohibitionist status, along with pot-smoking. It depends on which government-enforced compromise you want to go with. A ban on cigarette-smoking extending could into one's residence if children live there, using the assistance of various state child-protection services agencies, which seem open to social engineering schemes. If this kind of prohibition comes about you will have:

(1) Criminalization (the most satisfying aspect to prohibitionists);
(2) Smuggling and the attendant expenditure of public resources and the crime which acretes from prohibition; and
(3) Loss of tax revenue as people go for smuggled or hot-house dope... I mean tobacco.

Note that cigarette smuggling has gone up considerably the last time I looked.
BTW, "taxation" is an alternative way to spell "prohibition."

[libguy_6731]

10. yep

[Javajunki]

8. Ban Alcohol in public too

I wouldn't support total prohibition but feel drinking shouldn't be allowed in any public establishment/venue either. If a person cant legally smoke a joint in their own home I don't see why its legal to drink known poison in public places.

As far as smoking: I feel a business owner should have the right to allow smoking if they so choose. It's their right. And in case anyone thinks it, no, I don't believe this right extends to race, gender or sexual preference. Discrimination is not a right.

[WAFS]

12. In public, on public property? Yes.

However, the government should stay out of my private property....and yours as well.