TRUE WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION: CIGARETTES Ban Smoking In Restaurants VOTE YES FOR AMENDMENT 6

First Draft 10/04/02

I never thought that in the new millennium people would still be subjected to the same stuff as the old millennium.  It would never have dawned on me that smoking would still be prevalent, and that people would still be succumbed to Cancer from smoking. What kind of idiots are they? The facts are clear. Smoking is not only bad for your health but leads to millions of deaths every year. Is there any imbecile out there that really believes that smoking does not cause cancer? Why are we pussyfooting around with the tobacco companies in their quest to sell us more of their product so that we can all develop cancer? It can’t be all about money…….. Maybe it is all about money. But , if that were so, then the citizens of our country would want to save the billions of dollars in health care that go to treating smoking related disease. I submit to you that smoking is a weapon of mass destruction that very few people really reap the financial benefit. You can do something about this issue and vote YES for Amendment 6 in the upcoming November 5  election.

Here are some of the facts about banning smoking:

Fact #1 : Smoking kills you.  It causes amongst other diseases, cancer, emphysema, lung disease, and heart disease. Cancer Kills. Heart Disease Kills.  Anyone want to dispute this? Guess not. Smoking related diseases kill more people each year than drugs.

Fact # 2: The United States Constitution does not have in it anything that  guarantees the rights of the Smoker.  Here is the link to the Constitution ,  see for yourself.  However, there are a great quantity of laws the limit peoples personal freedoms for the protection of the majority.  For instance, laws affecting speed limits  affect the rights of the speeder.  Laws limiting the consumption of Alcohol limit the rights of the alcoholic. There is a violation given if you play your music too loud late at night,  there are even laws limiting our access to liquor stores, and many others that can be seen as restricting some peoples rights, for the protection of the majority.

Fact #3: The majority of the population is Non-Smoking.  There are state laws that protect the health and welfare of people when it comes to smoking.  Article 403.021(3) of the Florida Legislature  states that

“…..the citizens of this state should be afforded reasonable protection from the dangers inherent in the release of toxic or otherwise hazardous vapors, gases, or highly volatile liquids into the environment.” (complete article click here)

Since it has been proven that second hand smoke is harmful, are the citizens of this state not afforded reasonable protection from the release of the toxic gases from a smoker?

Fact #4 Smoking is offensive to most people:  I like using the following example:   A smoker walks into a bar and asks the people around him/her “Do you mind if I smoke?”.   Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?  How about this: A Non-smoker walks into a bar and asks the people around him/her “Do you mind if I not smoke?”. It is quite obvious that most smokers know that their habit is offensive to most people. 

Fact #5: Cigarette smoking is one of the major causes for fires, indoor and outdoor.

Fact #6: The Tobacco companies will do all they can in order to remove any limitation on smoking anywhere. This is because a limitation on smoking may reduce their sale of their product. I am not saying that the Sun Sentinel is influenced by the Tobacco companies. However, they do advertise in print, and where there is smoke….

Will Banning Smoking will result in no one wanting to visit  Restaurants?

What is it with people? Only smokers go to restaurants? Oh, I get it, only smokers spend a lot of money drinking coffee or booze. How about those restaurants that are not frequented by customers simply because their policy of allowing people to smoke keeps the air stinking and unappetizing? I submit to you two restaurants that I used to frequent that are now low on my list. One of them is the Old Vienna restaurant on Wiles Road. Here is a small restaurant that divides up its smoking section into right side left side. There is only 25 feet between the walls. You sit on the non-smoking section but smell the stench fro the smokers puffing up a storm.  Then there is the Bone Fish Willies restaurant where you walk in to the place and you immediate get a tobacco high. We have a non-smokers section they say, but you have to walk through the smokers to get to the clean air place.  Did you know that there is a law that says that you need separate Air Conditioning Systems when declaring a smoking area? The smokers can only breath their own air and the other side must not have a crossed system so that smoke can get into a non-smoking section. This is one building code that is never followed since most of the building inspections are smokers (I think).  When the smokers will get hungry they will leave their filthy habit at the doorstep of the restaurant and come inside to eat like every other civilized human being.

Should the Amendment for some stupid reason not pass, here are some creative ways that I thought about that can pursue this issue:

1. Ban on creating a fire in any place where there is a hazardous material. This will limit the ability of someone having a lit cigarette in an establishment that has natural gas or propane. other than the pilot lamp or stove.

2. Ban on polluting the air with smoke where children under the age of 18 are. There is a limitation to serving liquor to minors. There is a law that bans the selling of booze in our city until 1 pm. Sunday. There is even a limit to the sale of alcohol on New Years Eve. So let’s make it impossible for someone to smoke in front of children.

3. Enforce the separate Air Conditioning rule: We should be sending out our code enforcement officers to each restaurant to make sure they have separated the air conditioning systems so that non-smokers do not breath the cancerous substances aerated by smokers. Let’s make it part of the renewal of the occupational licenses that they prove to our inspectors they in fact have a separate system.  The mere cost of this to some restaurant owners will blow away the need to have a smoking section.

4. Change the Sign Legislation calling the smoking section of a restaurant “Cancer” and the non-smoking section “Non-Cancer section”.  Or how about  the Living Section and the Dying Section. It should have the visual impact we need to discuss this issue in the open air. 

5. Let’s only elect those politicians that agree with the ban on smoking.

A ban on smoking is not an issue to be compared to other civil rights and liberties. It is simply a health hazard that is costing us billions of dollars. It is a social issue where the death of a loved one because of smoking  results in the suffering of many of the living family members.  It kills million of people and is truly the number one weapon of mass destruction launched at us by special interest groups that couldn’t care less about your health, so long as it does not affect their financial fortune.  Let’s blow smoke in their faces and ban smoking in Restaurants in Florida.

 VOTE YES FOR AMENDMENT 6

Agree or disagree?

 YES  click here and email us at bansmoking@www.rfcj.com

  NO:  click here and email us at donotbansmoking@www.rfcj.com

Email other opinions if you want to editor@www.rfcj.com

Other Websites of Interest:

ACTION ON SMOKING AND HEALTH

The Foundation for a Smoke free America

Tobacco Free Kids

Some of your Comments:

I was with you on the website. I agree with many of your comments about the rediculousness of the City of Coral Springs government. But your call to ban smoking in restaurants? Sure, there is no right to smoke that is innumerated in the Constitution, but neither is there a right to a smoke-free environment. Ever hear of “freedom” and the right to live your life without being grossly hindered by the government?

Who gives you the right to meddle in a restaurant owner’s business? If “smoke free” was such a good thing, then let the market decide. You are free to open a restaurant that is completely “smoke free” just as I am free to open a restaurant that caters to smokers. Let the forces of business dictate. No one will force you to walk into my restaurant. Is it too scary for you to allow people to make their own choices? What’s next: a restaurant that can’t serve desert to overweight people? Maybe ban all but health foods at all restaurants and grocery stores in Coral Springs.

You are guilty of the same basic problem with the City of Coral Springs government – they want to be overly involved in my personal business. So back off. If you don’t want to smoke, don’t. I fully agree with the smoke-free concept for public buildings because any one of us could be required to enter. However, with regard to private establishments, let’s remember that this is still the United States of America. Let the consumer make his own choices. – E.F.

 You mean I can’t enjoy a nice Italian meal at the best restaurant in town because someone has an addiction problem? Is it a right to smoke or a right not to die from it?  The latest figure is that 5,000,000 people died because of smoke related illnesses last year. If you are going to pass laws, at least pass ones that protect the population. h.m.

One secret to avoid this problem, do not go there. There must be a reason that the owner of one of those great eating places would not ban smoking. Obviously if this was as big a deal to others as you, they would not frequent the place and they would change their policy. The fact that this has not happened says it all. Is there some right that one has to a no smoking eating establishment? Now I do not care for smoking having smoked and quit, but the fact is if I am offended by someplace, I do not go there. Seems simple enough.  T. M.

AS A SMOKER I COULD CARE LESS SINCE I DO NOT SMOKE IN RESTAURANTS BUT I THINK THAT YOU ARE TAKING IT TO FAR YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE EXPOSED TO CIGARETTE SMOKE FOR YEARS FOR IT TO EVEN DO A LITTLE DAMAGE FROM SECOND HAND BUT IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH A DRUNK DRIVER TO LOSE A WHOLE FAMILY. MAYBE WE SHOULD CAMPAIGN A LITTLE HARDER ON THE ALCOHOL ISSUE AND GET OFF A SMOKERS FOR A WHILE. — O.F.

What’s next? Ban Guns? Your just one of those communists that think they can remove our freedoms. If I want to smoke, I’ll smoke. If I want to carry a gun, I will carry a gun. It is my right to do what I want when I please.  F***ers like you can’t take it away from good people like me.  Now that’s what america is all about. Maybe all of us smokers can  blow some smoke up your ass. What’s the matter? There are no turtles for you to save,  you F***** liberal bleeding hart ass whole. (Name not given. probably Chicken Shit. )

Keep up the work. I like what you have to say.  – R.D.

YES I say ban smoking in the whole city! Why? Just look down at the ground. Hundreds, thousands of cigarette butts from butthead smokers who just throw them out the windows. I hate trash and smokers are probably the number 1 litterbugs of the world. Who cares if they die of cancer, one less cigarette smoker. But I do care about the trash they create and the health care expenses I as a tax payer ends up paying for (theirs and everyone they smoke next to). K.N.

Why don’t we go a step further and ban cars. Exhaust from a car has to be considered a toxic fume right? If we are going to start expanding what you can do and can’t do in this wonderful town of ours, ;lets go all the way. Let’s ban cars all together in coral springs, build garages on the outskirts and then everyone can ride bicycles to their cars. I am sure the commissioners would love those tax benefits. The mayor could build the garages and charge us a huge tax to park there and then blow all the money on some issue close to his heart. I am very cynical today, sorry but I am so sick of this smoking issue. Smoking outdoors does not cause anyone harm. There are no surveys that say that. Annoying for some yeah, but so is burping and farting and cursing etc. B.L.