Readers Weigh In On Clayton’s Outdoor Smoking Ban
In the poll last week readers supported Clayton’s effort to ensure park visitors in their city parks can breathe fresh air:
Q: Effective January 2011 smoking in city parks will not be allowed in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton. Reaction:
- Good 65 [58.56%]
- Indifferent 23 [20.72%]
- Bad 19 [17.12%]
- Other answer… 4 [3.6%]
The four other answers were:
- not good but GREAT
- good idea, nearly impossible to enforce
- Bizarre; though I understand the litter issue.
- BULLSHIT- GOV. tell people what they can and can’t
I’m pleased to see such measures.
– Steve Patterson
I can understand banning smoking inside where smoke is confined to a finite area…but banning smoking outside…..if someone is smoking next to you and you don't like it move to the left or right 3 feet and you're fine…I have to agree with “other” answer #4. It's bullsh*t.
Even outdoors, smoke can be very irritating to others in the area. I often find smokers in Metro shelters. I have to stand outside the shelter to avoid the smoke. In this case, the shelter is probably concentrating the smoke, but this just goes to show it is hard to get away from smokers, even outside.
Like every law, it will only be as effective (and onerous) as its enforcement. Rarely will the police ticket a driver for littering for throwing a cigarette butt out of car directly in front of them. It'll take a highly motivated officer to a) look for violations, b) issue a citation for this violation, then c) have to appear in court to testify. I expect that enforcement will be limited to the “selective” form – a trumped-up reason to “talk”, like a burned-out taillight – and the the “grudging” form – in response to repeated complaints from the tiny minority of whining busybodies. While I personally might use the law's existence to confront a particularily obnoxious smoker, I doubt that I'd be calling 911 to have an officer respond . . .
If someone wants to smoke and they are next to me they should ask me if its ok if they smoke next to me and if they dont want to ask then they have to move somewhere else, not me. We all have the right to clean cigarrette smokeless air.
One thing that I dont like is that almost everytime I'm walking by someone that is smoking, that person looks at me and then blows smoke in my face has they walk by. They dont even realize what they just did either.
Just quit smoking, its bad for your health and smoking serves no purpose. Think about the money you would save if you didnt smoke. Like $800 a year if you smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a week. Some smoke more than that though.
You're assuming that addicts are capable of using logic. Most smokers know it's not good for them, and they certainly know what it costs, but they continue either because they choose to or because they have to. The same can be said of people addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling or food. “You” (the government) can say “no” as much as you want, but the addict will always (try to find a way to) sustain that addiction . . .
Crazy; I understand indoors, public buildings, hospitals, metro shelters (most cities have 25ft buffer from transit facilities), but when will this stop! I'm not a smoker, was for about 3 years and kicked it. I hate the smell and don't like getting a mouthful…but seriously people, what is going on! They tried to do the same thing in Seattle's' parks and the public went crazy. I just don't understand why…littering the butts is one thing that also should not be tolerated (should be enforced with fines). Stop taking rights from your fellow citizens…why is gov. even wasting their time with this!!!