This post is definitely going to piss some people off but this is a topic that needs to be addressed. First of all, if you are over 18 you legally have the right to smoke and kill yourself with those nasty cancer sticks. Just don't take me down with you. What I mean by that remark is we need bars and restaurants to go all non-smoking. A smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a public pool. It just doesn't work. Also there are bars that have great live music and I would like to attend but too much smoke makes it hard for me to enjoy it. I have trouble breathing and when I get home my clothes stink. I'm not for making laws that ban smoking in those said places because that totally violates the constitution. It would be nice for restaurant and bar owners to voluntarily go non-smoking. Smokers can still smoke outside, in their vehicles, and in the home. My next remarks will definitely piss the smokers off. I think it should be considered child abuse if you smoke in the home where children are present or in your vehicles if a child is with you. Children are in various states of development and if you they are in an enclosed space with poisonous smoke, it will harm them in the long run. They are more prone to illness than children living in a smoke free environment. You can argue and say that children of non-smokers get sick too. That's true but I did say that children of smokers are more prone to illness. The smoke from a cigarette causes more lung infections and other respiratory illnesses. PD and I are proof of that. My parents smoked around me and my sister when we were kids. We always had bronchitis and I had asthma until I was 11. That was around the time they quit. When they quit, I made a vow never to smoke a cigarette and I held that vow. That was 26 years ago and I've held up that vow to this day. PD, on the other hand, had to live with her mom smoking her whole life. PD and her brother always had respiratory problems too. Mama is now smoke free three years now. We are all proud of her. Their house looks and smells better. We don't feel like we are struggling to breathe when we visit. It's great. Well, I've said what I wanted to say. Feel free to comment and I will debate the issue if I don't agree.
'nuff said.

Comments:

true...
so I hafta get over the love part of the relationship...

Yeah, I hear ya, even though I am a smoker...
I have been to non smoking bars and I really and truly don't have any issue going outside to smoke. It actually helps ME smell less along with everyone else! I also get to meet new people so it's fun all around.
I want to quit, sadly it's a love hate relationship... I know how bad it is for me and for everyone around me, but there is something that just lures me back EVERY time I quit, and I have quit for over a year before. Sucks yo. But I do agree with ya!

You are 100% right. People who smoke around their children ought to be charged with child abuse. And galloping selfishness. And crass stupidity. There...I'll help you piss 'em off.

comment by looserobes on July 8, 2008 3:15 PM ()

reply by kristilyn3 on July 9, 2008 8:09 AM ()

So far the pro smokers aren't wanting to comment. I would like to hear from the ones that would be pissed off.

reply by draco on July 8, 2008 4:43 PM ()

I perfectly understand. I have asthma and had bronchitis a lot as a kid. My parents smoked and then my Dad quit because he was told if he didn't he wouldn't live but maybe three months. That in turn gave him about 6 more years that he wouldn't have had. My Mom quit smoking 16 years ago but the effects from it has caused her health problems. We quit going to visit my in-laws because of the smoke and they don't smoke in their house anymore because they want us to visit. My son and I both have asthma. No we don't smoke. Very allergic to it though. If I'm around it or anywhere enclosed where there is smoke I have an asthma attack and end up in the E.R. Your analogy about the pool water is so right too. More and more of our restaurants here are smoke free. We have walked out of restaurants because the smoke is so bad. And children shouldn't have to breathe that. I think if parents choose to smoke then they need to smoke *outside of their house and not smoke in their car*. It is proven that it causes respiratory infections, asthma (not all causes of asthma) and it does scar the lungs. People get lung cancer from second-hand smoke. I lost my Dad because of cigarettes. It along with other factors has damaged my Mom's health. After watching my Dad die the way he did I would not want anyone to go through that. His lungs were burnt up and he had black stuff coming out of his mouth in the end. Sorry, if this was too long! I'll get off of my soapbox now and let you have your blog back now.

comment by texastar on July 8, 2008 11:18 AM ()

Thanks!!

reply by texastar on July 8, 2008 11:28 AM ()

No need to apologize.Post and reply as much as you want. I agree with you 100%

reply by draco on July 8, 2008 11:23 AM ()

comment by troutbend on July 8, 2008 11:00 AM ()

I'm really close to saving up all the McDonald's litter thrown around the countryside by their customers and delivering it back to the restaurants.

reply by troutbend on July 8, 2008 3:34 PM ()

I agree about the insensitivity part. They need to quit littering and pick up their butts. It would be funny to do like the guy in the car commercial. He followed a guy that littered all over the place and made a garbage plant and put it on his car with a note that read "you dropped this." I wish I had the time to follow a smoker like that and leave him/her a present like that.

reply by draco on July 8, 2008 11:26 AM ()