Pa None Smoking!

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · May 18, 2006

Did I miss the obesity related health problems thread? I thought this was on the topic of smoking.

Fair is fair - if you want to discuss economic impact of health care costs caused by lifestlye related medical problems, you have to include others for comparison.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · May 18, 2006

Fair is fair - if you want to discuss economic impact of health care costs caused by lifestlye related medical problems, you have to include others for comparison.

You do, huh? Okie ..... guess I'll stay out of this discussion.

cadillac05 · May 18, 2006

So, you're against seat belts and helmets too?? Are you ok with children in the back of pick-up trucks?
Unfortunately (for you), laws are the answer. That's why we live in a society dominated by laws. It's called a democratic republic. My lawmakers are speaking for me and for you-and they're saying no to smoking.

The unfortunate thing is that laws are not always the answer. By the way, the United States of America is a republic form of government. During the past few decades, those who want everyone else to conform to their ideas have pushed for laws to force everyone to comply. Since someone will benefit financially (ie. manufacturers of infant seats, helmuts, etc. or lawyers), our oh-so-honest politicians (not) willingly pass the laws. It has been tagged "slowly chipping away at personal liberty" for a reason.

Do I believe that seatbelts, infant seats & helmuts, among other devices are important tools for safety? Yes. Should there be laws requiring their use? No. People on the other side of an issue may have equally legitimate arguments. The point is, laws that limit personal behavior are not always the best thing to create.

nursecher · May 18, 2006

First of all, can the OP please tell me where they got the information pertaining the new law in PA? I live in PA and have not heard this nor can I find any information on the net about it.

If this law being passed is true, I am in complete agreement with it and think it is well overdue.

For all of the people who do not live in PA that are commenting on this topic and trying to make their point by saying "Children should not be in bars anyway" should be advised that bars are not the only establishments in PA that allow smoking. Most resturaunts (yes even family resturaunts) in my area have a smoking section. Also, children are not the only citizens that deserve healthy lungs.

I smoked for years. I have not smoked a cigarette for 4 months. I will never smoke a cigarette again.

I do not think the government should take away the right to smoke. You should have the freedom to put whatever you want into your own body regardless if it is going to shorten your life or not; however, you should have the right taken away from you to blow your toxins into my air and possibly take days off of my time on this earth.

That is all.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · May 18, 2006

Similarly I think wearing seat belts in a car, and a crash helmet on a bike, is a good idea but no one should be forced to it. If people had to make their own arrangments concerning medical insurance, and they wanted to ride helmet free, they could just arrange a higher risk rate with their insurer and pay a higher premium. It would all be their choice.
The issue for me is always about coercion. If we want a mature and responsible society we have to give citizens back their responsibility to make decisions for themselves. This is the other side of the Rights coin. No rights without responsibility.
Of course this also means we have to allow people to make their own mistakes .

Here's the problem with all that. We don't live in a mature society. People don't take responsibility for themselves or others, and so we have to make laws that you find 'absurd' but that the majority is fine with.

Allowing people to make their mistakes costs us in the end. Not approriate. Too bad you don't like it-elect an official that sees it your way and change it. Good luck finding officials that like to politcally endorse smoking, especially in these times when we are trying so hard to make it a turn off for children.

The good thing is, I don't care about changing people's minds on this topic. Smokers and former smokers are going to have strong opinions on this. So are sick people and asthmatics, who just want to go someplace in peace and not have to risk their health for someone's dirty, nasty habit. So we will be split, except where the law is concerned. We all gotta follow that!

LydiaNN · May 18, 2006

Fair is fair - if you want to discuss economic impact of health care costs caused by lifestlye related medical problems, you have to include others for comparison.

Uh... I don't remember reading that in the rule book. Seems to me if you'd like to discuss obesity (more than it's already been discussed around here, which is quite alot), ''fair'' would be to start a thread about that. Comparing health related costs of obesity and smoking isn't even an accurate comparison, because obesity costs pertain only to individuals, and smoking related costs pertain to any of the thousands of people that person has exposed to a known carcinogen over their lifetime.

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · May 18, 2006

Rule book?

Man, y'all are taking this way too seriously!

G'day folks.

FroggysMom · May 18, 2006

Here's the problem with all that. We don't live in a mature society. People don't take responsibility for themselves or others, and so we have to make laws that you find 'absurd' but that the majority is fine with.
Allowing people to make their mistakes costs us in the end. Not approriate. Too bad you don't like it-elect an official that sees it your way and change it. Good luck finding officials that like to politcally endorse smoking, especially in these times when we are trying so hard to make it a turn off for children.
The good thing is, I don't care about changing people's minds on this topic. Smokers and former smokers are going to have strong opinions on this. So are sick people and asthmatics, who just want to go someplace in peace and not have to risk their health for someone's dirty, nasty habit. So we will be split, except where the law is concerned. We all gotta follow that!

You are SO right about not living in a mature society. I was tailgated this evening by a woman with an unbelted child in the front seat (I could tell by the way he was bouncing around in the seat that he wasn't restrained). I tried everything in my power to get farther ahead but when I met up with other traffic I couldn't go any further and there she was again, plastered to my bumper. I wasn't so nervous for my tail end - I carry insurance - but I was extremely nervous for her child and prayed hard that no one in front of me had to make any sudden stops so that she would have been suddenly surprised and had to slam on the brakes - or into me. Oh, and did I mention she had a cellphone plastered to her ear?

pattymwrn · May 19, 2006

PA just passed that it will be a none smoking state and resturants and bars have to comply within 2 years!! :balloons: WOOOHOOOO:balloons:

Hi....Was wandering where you got the info on pa. becoming a smoke free state? Can't find anything in the papers about the law being passed.:balloons:

mm82 · May 19, 2006

At my school, there are smokers always hovering around the entrances smoking, and it is enough to aggrevate my asthma symptoms. I hope that smoking in all public places will be banned in my state. Until then, I try to avoid entrances where I see smokers, but there are times where I am forced, to breath in their carcinogens. Only smoke-free restaurants get my business.

Balder_LPN, LPN · May 22, 2006

Here's the problem with all that. We don't live in a mature society. People don't take responsibility for themselves or others

Dont worry, we dont have to, the LIBS will do it for us!!!! Paternalism at its best

Angie O'Plasty · May 22, 2006

We have non-smoking laws around here too. When I go to places that don't have it I always get a little surprised when they ask "smoking or nonsmoking?" at the restaurants. It's so nice not to have to worry about it, because even in those nonsmoking sections, we all share the air and I can still smell it.

I heard someone say once that "having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool"! I thought that was a pretty good analogy.