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Objectively, the tobacco industry paid professional to bury the long term effects of smoking and 2nd hand smoke. It is only in recent times that the truth that smoking is carcinogenic is taken seriously.
Smoking would be banned today if it was not for the revenue that it still generates for Governments.
As an asthmatic growing up in a home of 2 smokers, I can tell you that the smoke triggered me many times. I had no rights. Propaganda back then convinced them it was not the smoke. It wasn't until the truth started coming out, they realized the impact that it was having on their children. They then moved to smoking outside, then stop smoking.
Whilst you are worried about your rights as a smoker, you're being ignorant of the impact on those around you. Why should we have no rights and be forced to inhale your by-product of smoking?
Graeme
"I fear not the man who has practiced ten thousand kicks one time, but I fear the man that has practiced one kick ten thousand times!" - Bruce Lee
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Playing devils advocate, while I agree with what you said, start extending that thought, and things may get out of hand fairly quickly.
Quote: Whilst you are worried about your rights as a [insert your objectionable behavior here] , you're being ignorant of the impact on those around you.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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jeron1 wrote: Playing devils advocate, while I agree with what you said, start extending that thought, and things may get out of hand fairly quickly.
Without consideration for others, it is exactly that.
Graeme
"I fear not the man who has practiced ten thousand kicks one time, but I fear the man that has practiced one kick ten thousand times!" - Bruce Lee
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I re-read your comment about being the "devils advocate" and it's ignorant of addressing the medically proven negative impact that second hand smoke has on bystanders.
Going back to the mid-nineties, when smoking inside the workplace was prohibited, it was after hours and I could smell cigarette some. It turned out it was a guy over 100 metres away on the other side of the building. It turned out he felt it was his right to smoke at his desk because it was after hours, so the rules did not apply. The issue was his desk was directly under the air conditioning intake and it was sucking up the smoke and distributing it to both floors of the building.
I approached him and explained what was happening. He told me it was his right. I saw his briefcase on the floor. I said to him, if he feels it is okay to flagrantly smoke indoors against policy, then I am free to whip it out and fill his briefcase. He put it out and HR was informed the next day. They had to spend money professionally cleaning the air conditioning system.
Do smokers really think that they have rights beyond those of others who choose not to?
We have public toilets. I think that we should have public smoke boxes where all the smokers can go and puff to their heart's desire, sharing second hand smoke with each other. The building should prevent smoke from leaking into the public space. They get what they want, and we're free to breathe fresh air. Governments suckle on the tax revenue that cigarette sales generate, so they have plenty of money to invest in this type of scheme.
Graeme
"I fear not the man who has practiced ten thousand kicks one time, but I fear the man that has practiced one kick ten thousand times!" - Bruce Lee
modified 14-Aug-23 12:10pm.
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The devil is aware of the studies  . I was simply coming at it from the standpoint of, other behaviors (drinking, gambling, gun ownership (U.S.) :ducks:,...) where studies have shown negative impacts on those around these behaviors.
Graeme_Grant wrote: Do smokers really think that they have rights beyond those of others who choose not to?
Trying to justify their addictive actions?, and no it's not right.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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I saw a smoker's window box in an airport once. I think it was Dallas-Fort Worth. It was really weird looking at the smokers through the glass in their haze.
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Graeme - this is my story TO THE LETTER as well! My dad was one of those "you are just a complainer" guys who towed the smoking line into his late 70's, even after he stopped smoking. Then one day he realized, after DECADES or reading news on the harmful effects of 2nd hand smoke, that he had three children, none of whom ever smoked, but who all had asthma or lung issues. He said "I can't believe we used to smoke in the car with you kids, with the windows rolled up."
The cigarette industry committed fraud on a massive scale and what they paid was not enough. But that said, if you want to smoke go ahead, just don't do it where it poisons anyone else.
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Bah.
It's tyranny of the majority with little to do with actual harm when it comes to 2nd hand smoke.
They had the flare up over gas stoves recently. I always knew the 2nd hand thing was a ruse and people twisting fact just to get a toehold for screwing over the rights of others in the name of their convenience and comfort.
The gas stove stuff just proves it. Oh the people like gas stoves? And they'll fight for them? Nevermind then.
Granted, kids have little authority/control over where they are. But it's not as though smokers even make rank on the list of bad parents they have to contend with.
Ignoring the impact on those around you? Go elsewhere then. It's not any different than any number of things people may be doing to annoy/offend. Painting it otherwise was always bullshit sham.
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jochance wrote: Ignoring the impact on those around you? Go elsewhere then. It's not any different than any number of things people may be doing to annoy/offend. Painting it otherwise was always bullshit sham.
A very ignorant and selfish point of view.
Graeme
"I fear not the man who has practiced ten thousand kicks one time, but I fear the man that has practiced one kick ten thousand times!" - Bruce Lee
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Yeah it's not at all myopic stupidity to conflate desire with fact and claim numbers making your case. There's no subjective valuation of numbers and might making right to be considered. That's just ignorant.
What can go wrong twisting science and populism into a brand of political rule? I wonder if there are any historical examples?
I might know, but it's already horribly selfish to be insisting that people should be able to do what they want and if others do not like it they can go be around other people. It's not like entire countries basically operate on such a premise of different strokes for different folks, that'd be 50 shades of dumb.
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Smoking is a very strong addiction. Stronger than alcohol and in the same league with hard drugs. So, any measures to prevent young people from getting into this habit are justified. With that said the stigma against smokers is absurd. Smokers should have every amenity to get along with their habit. For example, those smoking boots in the European airports are like gas chambers. Whoever invented and approved these should be ashamed.
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I disagree.
It's easy to quick smoking.
I did it thousands of times
"Mistakes are prevented by Experience. Experience is gained by making mistakes."
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Mark Twain? 
Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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Single Step Debugger wrote: For example, those smoking boots in the European airports are like gas chambers. Whoever invented and approved these should be ashamed.
Why? Smokers get a place to smoke, they have an extra ventilation pipe that gets out of the building without mixing with the rest. Non smokers are "safe" as long as one of those getting out of the room, does not sit just next to you.
And I have been hard smoker and used the rooms a lot of times.
M.D.V.
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Smoking is disgusting (both tobacco and the herb). Secondhand smoke is real problem. You can get a secondhand high too from the herb. If you want to destroy yourself, that's fine. People do it all the time with their diet. It's your right. But, your right to do that stops at my right to breathe clean air. It's not victimless. I have to breathe your crap if I'm around you.
Back in the day, before the herb was made easier to obtain, you could have a neighbor that smoked cigarettes and they'd be stinky, but you woudln't get a buzz... unless maybe you went right up to them and barely with even that. These days, stoners who lit up right before going grocery shopping, their stank will give you a buzz just from standing next to them. This should not be acceptable (and no intelligent person would buy the medicinal argument). What if I have kids standing next to that stoner in line? Am I not supposed to care about their health?
The problem is you cannot legislate decency or morality. These people are filthy but try making "don't be a nasty arse" a law. It's absolutely abhorrent that humanity is as such a stupid state right now that people cannot figure out how to at least keep their vice to themselves and care little enough of others to do something about it (generally speaking here btw... not targeted at you directly).
Anyone who thinks that weed stank is acceptable needs to live in Vegas for a year... not as a tourist. It'll fix you, assuming you like to think and are a decent person.
Jeremy Falcon
modified 14-Aug-23 9:53am.
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Do you find yourself stood next door to people smoking 'herb' often then? That's a very rare occurrence in my life, and I don't think I've heard of getting second-hand smoke buzzes. Not disputing it mind, just very eye opening.
Regards,
Rob Philpott.
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Yeah... It's probably location dependent. If it's rare for you, consider yourself lucky. Not really sure how much I can say in the lounge, but in some places in the US it's become very easy to acquire said herb. So easy in fact, I never thought once about moving to a different country until now.
Jeremy Falcon
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Jeremy Falcon wrote: So easy in fact, I never thought once about moving to a different country until now.
Don't move to Spain then...
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
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Good to know. 
Jeremy Falcon
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I don't know how the legal status is over there right now, but I can tell you that for the last 20 years people have been smoking cannabis and weed on the street. When I go visit my father, you can smell the neighbour's appartment from the elevator (and it is like 25 to 30 m away).
I have started to drink coffee in the inside of the bars, because outside you get the sun in the face, but if you are not the only person outside, the chances are 70% that they will smoke cigarretes and 50% that it will be a joint
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
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Sorry to hear that man. That was pretty much Vegas... and it was everywhere. I'm in a "nice" part of Texas now and I just went to a "nice" grocery store this morning. Walked right by people camping in their car overnight in the parking lot blazing it up and caught a buzz. That just happened. Vegas was worse, but still... it's too much.
I dunno about you, but it's making me lose my faith in humanity. Not that there are losers that live on that crap, but the fact nothing is being done about the losers caring little of others.
Jeremy Falcon
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Jeremy Falcon wrote: I dunno about you, but it's making me lose my faith in humanity.
I lost it a while ago 
M.D.V. 
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Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
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Or Portugal, IIRC. And as for Amsterdam in The Netherlands...
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Good to know. Thanks.
Jeremy Falcon
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My impression of Amsterdam was way cleaner than places I have seen in other countries. Yeah, you might buy in many places, but I didn't see /smell people smoking in public. When I was there as a young adult the hotel people told us to be careful on the street.
That's the good thing of having it regulated, you are allowed what you are allowed, and the rest can be punished even harder.
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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