Crank Case

A bill before the New York State Assembly will outlaw smoking in cars, if kids are in them.

Thanks to: NRO

Comments

[Jeff Clothier]

Likewise, I've never smoked either, and for the same reason. Watching my mother slowly kill herself since I was a little boy, and having to breathe that vile odor, to go to school smelling like the burnouts who congregated in back of the gym - disgusting. Nothing more disgusting, in my opinion.

Still I support everyone's right to go to hell in their own way. I support smoking controls in public enclosures - meaning where public business must be transacted such as government buildings, places where citizens often have no recourse but to go - but a private property owner must be allowed to determine the environment inside his own establishment. Restaurant owners are savvy enough to know whether or not business will be enhanced by a no smoking policy, a no smoking area, or a free-for-all, smoke or not policy. Those who object have nothing forcing them to frequent that establishment.

A move to ban something that is not widely viewed as criminal is a sign of tyranny and an admission that one is losing out in the marketplace of ideas.

[Jeff Clothier]

Likewise, I've never smoked either, and for the same reason. Watching my mother slowly kill herself since I was a little boy, and having to breathe that vile odor, to go to school smelling like the burnouts who congregated in back of the gym - disgusting. Nothing more disgusting, in my opinion.

Still I support everyone's right to go to hell in their own way. I support smoking controls in public enclosures - meaning where public business must be transacted such as government buildings, places where citizens often have no recourse but to go - but a private property owner must be allowed to determine the environment inside his own establishment. Restaurant owners are savvy enough to know whether or not business will be enhanced by a no smoking policy, a no smoking area, or a free-for-all, smoke or not policy. Those who object have nothing forcing them to frequent that establishment.

A move to ban something that is not widely viewed as criminal is a sign of tyranny and an admission that one is losing out in the marketplace of ideas.

[Russ D]

I guess I should clarify that my example was a reason NOT to ban smoking in cars. If it was banned I wouldn't get the idea that it was unhealthy, only that some meddlers are pain in the ass.

[tzs]

Am anti-smoking and have watched the anti-smoking trend in the US with much glee (payback for all the times I suffered in coffee shops and restaurants with smokers happily puffing away under the NO SMOKING signs), but this is ridiculous.

Ditto for the restaurants and bars thing, I say. If a restaurant owner decides a non-smoking environment would be better at attracting customers rather than vice-versa, so be it.

[Bob]

What a bunch of rubbish! Who are these Nicatine Nazis? What's to stop them from banging down your door during the night and taking your children in the name of public health? Let those of us who know better save your poor children from that evil second hand smoke. Will the insanity never end??

[alkali]

At least it makes more sense than banning smoking in restaurants and bars.

[Ayatollah Usoe]

...but we'd still be allowed to listen to devil lyrics, right? So long as the kid is strapped into a child seat? Or would we have to switch to NPR?

[Jason Ligon]

No amount of Pantera would make me as likely to become violent as Diann Riehm does.

[david f]

for shame. it's for the children. we're investing in their future.

[Russ D]

I have never smoked anything in my life thanks to my father who smoked in the car all the time (until he quite smoking for good). On long trips I would get so sick, he'd have to pull over to let me hurl. A pretty good deterrent for me, I must say.

Of course, these long trips were in a Corvair van; with the engine-in-the-back design, it was sort of in the passenger area (covered by a remvoable floorboard) so if the cigarette smoke didn't get me, the residual engine air would.

[Bruce H.]

I think it's a great idea, only instead of ticketing the drivers, the police should beat them to death, right there with the kids watching. That'll teach them that smoking is bad.

[Dina Remilien]

Nobody should not be smoke

[sgt.miils]

you guys are all weird!!!! i say roll the windows down if you want to smoke with kids in the car. if there is no adequate ventelation then yes....let the fine roll out....but how bout we put a stop to all campfires at the same time. did you know that inhaling the smoke from nearby campfires for 15 minutes =equals many years of smoking cigarettes...but you didnt! chow baby!

[Cesare/Bartnicki Nikki]

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DATE: 01/20/2004 12:23:54
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