BlueJay is my new nic.

Stupid registration would not accomodate J R and I do not need to fuel the JR or junior nonsense.

I was not more than a few feet from you and indoors. I had smoked during my walk there.

And the rest of your post?

Chilling. I mean that.

Black Americans are not a majority. Neither are gay Americans.

And neither are pro life Democrats such as yourself.

I think we want to watch about bending to the will and demands of the majority. Err to tolerance at least?

We were OUTSIDE, JR…if we had been in an enclosed space you’d know I was allergic to it.
Smokers only make up 30% of the population, and that number is declining…a smoking ban won’t be bad for businesses if they don’t cater to a minority of the population..right now non smokers avoid places without good ventilation..even then it’s still hard to be around it. We’re the majority…businesses will flourish if smoking is banned because then non smokers won’t stay away.

When I said that?

I was referring to folks like “Kev”.

Fella? You don’t gotta light up.

But you might want to lighten up.

Elsewise you might die from a full blown hissy fit.

I don’t mind it so much. It’s inconvenient, but my family and most of my friends don’t smoke, so going outside is something I’ve done for a long time. I’ve never felt it was my right to smoke and pass the smoke on to others.

Of course nonsmokers can “go somewhere else” but why should they have to? I have often found myself at the bar of a restaurant with other smokers who are trying to be as considerate as I am by not smoking at the table where nonsmokers are.

It’s not the end of the world. Just the end of smoking indoors.

And Bill Hannegan is wrong – it was a citizens’ initiative. Not that it matters, since the ACS, AHA and ALA are not big, nefarious corporate monsters anyway. They promote health.

Years ago I saw a design for a smokeless ash tray. It had a small fan that pulled ‘idling’ smoke through a charcoal filter. Add those Purifans to the mix and I think we might be onto a win-win for smoker and non-smoker alike.

Why would there need to be a vote?

If a smoker quits it’s because they made that decision. I’m not sure it’s something that can be done for someone or because of someone or something. A personal decision.

I don’t light up now after 5 years because I don’t trust myself to make it through another FIRST SIX MONTHS. Guess that means I recognize my weaknesses. Still sometimes I don’t mind sitting next to someone who is smoking, leaning in and taking a deep breath. :-) The stale smell of butts is stiinky and many people smoking in an unventilated area can be overwhelming and unpleasant, but I can always remove myself or not go in or not stay.

As he walked by, he announced to his son “(Cough-cough) SOME PEOPLE ARE SO RUDE!”. I was a good thirty feet from the entry doors and it was not I would was being rude. Until this subject was brought up about a year ago. I was not aware there was any restaurants left in Wichita that even allowed smoking!

When Felipee’s east went non-smoking I quit going there and even then I would step out side because my wife does not smoke. After they moved to a new location they went back to having a smoking section.
BUT I didn’t know that because I had not eaten there in over five years and that is my favorite restaurant!
I do respect someone right not to smoke or be exposed to my smoke, I just wish that others would show as much respect.

But because it would be common sense to let the people decide generally means it won’t ever happen in this town!

You can quit.

Those cigs are getting real expensive these days.

Thus the decision was easy. I was uncomfortable the first day, I would have periodic craving every once in a while the first 6 months, but those temporary discomforts passed.

Quitting was not that difficult for me. Deciding to quit was. But, I’ve never regreted the decision.

I am glad I quit. My daughter when she was about 4 years old would call me and tell me that some medicine on TV that could help me quit. I am glad that she and I don’t have to worry about that problem any more.

Now I KNOW that the fact I smoke hangs on me. My kid tells me his friends can tell he lives with a smoker.

But.

I’ve met you a couple times Mary. You did not SEEM to have any averse reaction despite standing only a few feet away from me. If you did, you did not say so.

At the first meetup, I even ASKED if anyone would be bothered if I smoked.

At the risk of sounding like a conservative?

Let the market work on this one. IF a business owner chooses to go no smoking fine. I’ll take my self elsewhere. But allow us smokers places of our own.

Not indicting you Mary, but on the whole?

The people who are really anal about smoking are just not much fun to be around anyway. I mean really. There was a woman in a park once. Her and her kid were like 20 feet away from me.

She VERY loudly told her little one, “Don’t go anywhere near that filthy smoker!”

There’s no excuse for crap like that.

freedom to choose! It works.

YOU are a former smoker. And having tried to quit before, I KNOW you must nearly die for wanting a smoke every time you are near it. I sympathize.

But it does not entitle you to make me a pariah.

Ya know? I have a pretty sensitive stomach myself. I don’t know how many over perfumed women or occasionally men who have forced me wretching from their presence. How do we legislate that?

It sucks to smoke. It sucks to try to quit. It is a dirty, nasty habit with no redeeming qualities.

UNLESS someone is rude to me first.

Look I wish I didn’t smoke. If my kid ever starts I’ll make him eat a whole damn pack of the things.

But ENOUGH with trying to exile smokers the the dark side of the Moon already!

Sheesh it was inculcated into our culture for more than half a century. The tobacco companies gave away cigarrettes the military to hook a whole generation.

If my smoking bothers you? If it makes you feel unwell or your kid have an asthma attack? Just say so nicely.

But the folks out there who just want somebody to persecute? I don’t know how ya deal with them.