Article: New smoking rules not well received

[cpu.]

So that sheep farmer sitting on his stoep in the karoo puffing away on his pipe affects you, or can you taste it in the lamb you buy in the shops?

Sheep on a stoep with a smoking farmer...mmm. At least he's far away from people while he smoke.

 

[icyrus]

So does driving your car to work and back. Don't see any complaints about screwing up the health of all those poor pedestrians?

As ponder said, this can keep going back and forth. The more non-smokers try to chastise smokers, the more their hypocrisy shows through.

The idiocy of comparing public smoking to automotive transport is staggering. Yes cars pollute the air, hence many governments have regulations to try and control the levels and severity. However automotive transport is a necessary evil. Without cars, trucks and buses there is no economy. Smoking on the other hand is a drain in every possible way.

If you're dumb enough to smoke, go right ahead and do it but at your house with people who have chosen the pleasure of your company, not in public were other people have to be.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

If you're dumb enough to smoke, go right ahead and do it but at your house with people who have chosen the pleasure of your company, not in public were other people have to be.

Nobody is forcing you to enter a designated smoking area.

 

[Ho3n3r]

I don't think it's your place to decide what people spend their money on, and how useful it is to them. And driving a car is far more unhealthy in terms of second hand smoke.

Neither is it your place to decide to adversely affect others' health

 

[Ho3n3r]

I think you're fat, maybe government should police your diet....anything more than a bowl of pap a day can cause you heart diseases... you don't need your house, its to big, lets get government to remove that waste of time..

You're still missing what he said. Smoking have a negative impact on those around smokers. Him being fat have no impact on your life (unless you stand close to him and he spill McDonalds ketchup on you).

Well, fat people can be a burden on the healthcare system, either costing tax money, or making medical aid companies raise their premiums.

...and he can sit on you.

So when he has a heart attack while driving his car on the highway and takes out a family of four it has no impact on people. We can keep on spinning this both ways.

A whole conversation based on the incorrect jealous retort that I'm fat, classic

I dunno, my experience around smokers has really been one where the vast majority genuinely don't want to be a nuisance or be an ass just for the sake of it. I also dislike people who throw their cigarette butts out of their car window or randomly on the ground, but I dislike any littering, so this is no different.

Where? Would really like to meet them! Would be an honor.

The idiocy of comparing public smoking to automotive transport is staggering. Yes cars pollute the air, hence many governments have regulations to try and control the levels and severity. However automotive transport is a necessary evil. Without cars, trucks and buses there is no economy. Smoking on the other hand is a drain in every possible way.

If you're dumb enough to smoke, go right ahead and do it but at your house with people who have chosen the pleasure of your company, not in public were other people have to be.

That's what I said, but the thickness of the smoke on some's brains seem to be blocking this logic from arriving where it should.

By the way, I would like to hear how you would get a hold of smokes if there wasn't the bad sinful evil of transport around to get it to you from Mozambique/Malawi/wherever the tobacco fields are, and to get you to the shops to buy it... All ears.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

By the way, I would like to hear how you would get a hold of smokes if there wasn't the bad sinful evil of transport around to get it to you from Mozambique/Malawi/wherever the tobacco fields are, and to get you to the shops to buy it... All ears.

Think you're missing the point. Smokers aren't complaining about transport, just pointing out the hypocrisy in people who complain about smokers.

 

[Ho3n3r]

Think you're missing the point. Smokers aren't complaining about transport, just pointing out the hypocrisy in people who complain about smokers.

No, you're missing the point.

The difference between us is I could go without transport today if I could survive without it, traffic is not exactly a thrill to me. You can go without ciggies but don't want to because it makes you happy. Or something.

 

[eltherza]

So you avoid everything that could lead to getting harmed? That must be hard work.

Taking it to the extreme? Sigh, if you must let me explain.

Funny thing about life, most of us try to survive the best we can by avoid things that can kill us. There is always risks though.

Through out your life you are actively evaluating the risk vs reward aspect. Some people do stupid things to get a thrill rush, or for youtube fame or to make some jackass movie. For them, the reward is greater than the risk.

So in my life, I try to lower risk and max my reward. I have to drive my car on the highway to get to work. The risk is crash and I die, the "reward" is actually getting a salary. To me, the reward is worth the risk. Now, I can lower my risk by wearing a seat belt, having an air bag. There are some risks you dont have great control over. Sun can give you skin cancer - but you can lower that risk with sun screen.

Now here comes the important part, pay attention.

Smoking is HIGH risk, and LOW reward.

You could even argue that smoking is high risk with no reward - as the "feel good" is actually just the addication. You aren't "feeling good", you're just not "feeling crap" because you fulled your addication. But this is stuff is up for debate beyond my reply.

So did you understand that?

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Where? Would really like to meet them! Would be an honor.

Well, this is obviously only my experience. My smoker friends for starters, but also just smokers in general. People you run into in a bar, a restaurant or on the street. When they see their smoke is bothering me they immediately make efforts to minimise this, instead of being asses about it. There are naturally exceptions, but this has been my general experience over the years.

Can't say I'll miss smelling like an ashtray, though.

 

[STS]

Well, this is obviously only my experience. My smoker friends for starters, but also just smokers in general. People you run into in a bar, a restaurant or on the street. When they see their smoke is bothering me they immediately make efforts to minimise this, instead of being asses about it. There are naturally exceptions, but this has been my general experience over the years.

Can't say I'll miss smelling like an ashtray, though.

i've also encountered that, much like a person speaking too loud on a cell phone or doing something that makes you uncomfortable. smokers aren't some evil lizard people out to make you suffer

 

[STS]

Taking it to the extreme? Sigh, if you must let me explain.

Funny thing about life, most of us try to survive the best we can by avoid things that can kill us. There is always risks though.

Through out your life you are actively evaluating the risk vs reward aspect. Some people do stupid things to get a thrill rush, or for youtube fame or to make some jackass movie. For them, the reward is greater than the risk.

So in my life, I try to lower risk and max my reward. I have to drive my car on the highway to get to work. The risk is crash and I die, the "reward" is actually getting a salary. To me, the reward is worth the risk. Now, I can lower my risk by wearing a seat belt, having an air bag. There are some risks you dont have great control over. Sun can give you skin cancer - but you can lower that risk with sun screen.

Now here comes the important part, pay attention.

Smoking is HIGH risk, and LOW reward.

You could even argue that smoking is high risk with no reward - as the "feel good" is actually just the addication. You aren't "feeling good", you're just not "feeling crap" because you fulled your addication. But this is stuff is up for debate beyond my reply.

So did you understand that?

you're missing the ultimate point.

It is THEIR choice

i don't care, i don't smoke. i also don't go sky diving or get pissed every weekend. i have made my own choices and that is my life. now they can make their own choices and that is their life.

people come to their own conclusions and make their own sacrifices. you might think being broke an buying cigarettes is stupid, but there are people who are broke here who pay for their internet which could roughly cost about the same. there are people who when they have enough cash go out and buy alcohol and get drunk on a street corner. that is their choice.

people will quit if they want to. sometimes people lead stressful lives and i've seen people stop only to start again once stress at work has picked up. you are judging smoking on your opinion, not theirs.

 

[Nick333]

The more of the citizenry you can turn into criminals by default, the easier it is to control the citizenry.

 

[STS]

The idiocy of comparing public smoking to automotive transport is staggering. Yes cars pollute the air, hence many governments have regulations to try and control the levels and severity. However automotive transport is a necessary evil. Without cars, trucks and buses there is no economy. Smoking on the other hand is a drain in every possible way.

If you're dumb enough to smoke, go right ahead and do it but at your house with people who have chosen the pleasure of your company, not in public were other people have to be.

let's get retarded then.

smoking is a necessary evil. you know why? because it's infringing on peoples right to choose. i'm assuming you are human and that you have interests, habits and hobbies, and that you'd be pissed if the government came along and took one of them away based on majority vote.

 

[STS]

You're still missing what he said. Smoking have a negative impact on those around smokers. Him being fat have no impact on your life (unless you stand close to him and he spill McDonalds ketchup on you).

on top of that being fat is an inconvenience. have you ever tried to pick up a fat woman who has rolled over? or do you just leave them there? or call over two mates to come and help you pick her up?

people have their right to be fat too, if they are happy being fat, that's their choice. but we can't go around banning everything because we're desperate to control other people's lives and want everyone to live to 100. we may as well impose limits then on gaming and how long people can sit in front of computer screens, or how many drinks a person must have before they have to go home

 

[cpu.]

you're missing the ultimate point.

It is THEIR choice

i don't care, i don't smoke. i also don't go sky diving or get pissed every weekend. i have made my own choices and that is my life. now they can make their own choices and that is their life.

people come to their own conclusions and make their own sacrifices. you might think being broke an buying cigarettes is stupid, but there are people who are broke here who pay for their internet which could roughly cost about the same. there are people who when they have enough cash go out and buy alcohol and get drunk on a street corner. that is their choice.

people will quit if they want to. sometimes people lead stressful lives and i've seen people stop only to start again once stress at work has picked up. you are judging smoking on your opinion, not theirs.

Choice. Everyone have a choice.

Transport, in it's current form, is a necessary evil that we can't live without and therefore tolerate. Negatives and all.
Smoking in a public place (with people around, not alone with sheep on a stoep) is something that we can deal with, legally and health wise. You see, I choose not to smoke and you (smokers) take that choice away.

A better analogy would be you grabbing me American Pie-style and force beer down my throat. And that is exactly what happens when you smoke around people - force them to smoke.

 

[STS]

Choice. Everyone have a choice.

Transport, in it's current form, is a necessary evil that we can't live without and therefore tolerate. Negatives and all.
Smoking in a public place (with people around, not alone with sheep on a stoep) is something that we can deal with, legally and health wise. You see, I choose not to smoke and you (smokers) take that choice away.

A better analogy would be you grabbing me American Pie-style and force beer down my throat. And that is exactly what happens when you smoke around people - force them to smoke.

Smoking is banned in many restraunts, malls and shops. Even in a lot of houses, people go outside to smoke to be respectful. People are not going to die from a whiff of smoke, just like i am not going to die because our neighbour practices drums once a week late at night.

People can be anal about anything, we can stop people from smoking, stop people from having dogs preventing yapping, we can stop people from buying loud motorcycles, we can stop people from having a garlic plantation out back, we can stop a lot of things. The ultimate reality is that you are not going to be able to avoid everything in life and we have to make space for each other.

If you have a store and you don't allow smokers in, that is your choice. Likewise if i have a store and i don't allow fat people in or children in, that is my choice. You have to weigh up if your fear of suffering from secondhand smoke is greater than staying at home, just as smokers have to live with deciding if they should go to a place with no smoking versus staying at home

 

[BigBullBully]

It wasnt an argument, it was mockery.

So you openly admit you are a troll.

 

[nogard]

So that sheep farmer sitting on his stoep in the karoo puffing away on his pipe affects you, or can you taste it in the lamb you buy in the shops?

Hardly a public place.

Nobody is forcing you to enter a designated smoking area.

But we are hoping that government reduces the designated smoking areas to the stoep of the above mentioned farmer.

 

[J0n0]

As a non smoker I say the current laws are okay? Having a designated smoking area for smokers in restaurants is fine with me. I don't have to go sit in that section because I have the choice not to.

 

[porchrat]

As a non smoker I say the current laws are okay? Having a designated smoking area for smokers in restaurants is fine with me. I don't have to go sit in that section because I have the choice not to.

I agree with this. I'm perfectly happy with a smoking and non-smoking section in restaurants etc., there really is no need ot go beyond that. Stopping people from smoking outside in public seems really stupid.

But we are hoping that government reduces the designated smoking areas to the stoep of the above mentioned farmer.

By "we" do you mean "those of us that believe in unicorns"?. I know you don't mean non-smoking society because I am part of non-smoking society and I certainly don't want smoking banned from public places.