Andrew Warner

I love it that because you agree with it than "the voters" are right. If you disagreed, I bet you would be calling this an act of civil disobedience.

Also this new smoking law is crap. It doesn't just go after smokers, or even bar owners - it goes after bartenders who will be fined when you call your snitch line. That's garbage. If you have ever worked in a bar, you would know that tending bar is not easy and now the state is going to fine you because somebody saw somebody in your bar smoking - what?!!!

So go ahead and snitch. I hope you choke on your moral smugness, while some poor bartender (which you will claim to be helping) is paying your tab.

Yossarian,

I didn't say it's not an act of civil disobedience. If smoking in bars is something they truly believe in then they will be willing to suffer the consequences of their actions – a very important aspect of civil disobedience.

If I believed their cause was just, and I don't believe hurting other people is, I would support their actions.

However, their actions, if they are successful, will just lead to more people sick and dying from secondhand smoke.

I think I will withhold my sympathy for a group whose end is not killing more people.

So why aren't you against a total ban on smoking (i.e. making smoking illegal)? It is killing people after all. I'll tell you why - free choice. You believe that people have a choice to kill themselves, just like they shouldn't have to wear helmets and so on.

Then why are you against people's free choice to eat or drink in a bar that they know smoking is going on? People know the dangers of second hand smoke, yet they still choice to go to bars. Also don't bar owners have the free choice to decide how to run their business?

So either make all smoking and tobacco products. illegal or lift this stupid ban on personal freedom

Your logic is all over the place Yossarian.

Generally I support the right to kill one's self (though the issue gets complicated with helmet wearing, when children are involved, etc.). I don't support the right to do damage to other people.

Someone may choose to go to a bar and grill to get a sandwich They may choose to drink a beer and do damage to themselves with alcohol. But they should not have to suffer the consequences of other people's bad choices in doing so.

Bad choices include smoking, but obviously that is not the only one. For example, you may eat at a restaurant, but you expect the chef not to spit or poop in your food. Using your faulty logic you would say "well you are going out, so you KNOW there is a risk someone might spit in your food. You should just stay at home if you are worried about it."

To build a society based on your logic is foolish. The government is expected to protect the safety of people from those who do harm to others, especially in public places. That is why there are health inspections, smoking bans, drunk driving laws, laws against violence, etc.

I'm so tired of the faulty personal choice logic it makes me sick. Please come up with an original, logical argument before posting about this topic again.

Read my argument again. Everyone knows that second-hand smoke is bad for them, thus going to a bar with smokers is a personal choice.

Also what about personal responsibility? If you don't want to get sick, don't go. If you want to risk it - have a great night out.

There should be places for people to smoke and risk be next to them. There is no laws against smoking itself and as long as people know the risks and have choice - then who are you to take that choice away?

No one is sneaking anything into their food (what? - worst argument ever - smoking leads to deification in restaurant food). If you don't like 2nd hand smoke - don't go. How is this a problem? Why do you hate freedom? Or is it that you just hate America?

Yossarian,

I read it again and still is full of the same crap.

Having an unkown cook sneak something into your food is a health risk you take when you go out (don't act like it doesn't happen). Just because there are big enough assholes out there to mess with someone's food and their health, doesn't mean we should make it legal for them to do so.

Yossarian, your "America" punishes innocent people and rewards people stupid enough to smoke cigarettes. You think someone should have to lock themselves in their house – that includes no recreational games of bowling, eating out, or drinking beers with friends – simply because they don't want to expose themselves to cancer.

Can you explain to me why people who harm those around them should have more rights than innocent people (ie the right to leave their house)?

"Also what about personal responsibility? If you don't want to get sick, don't go. If you want to risk it - have a great night out.

There should be places for people to smoke and risk be next to them. There is no laws against smoking itself and as long as people know the risks and have choice - then who are you to take that choice away?"

Now that is the worst argument ever. You ask who I am to take choice away while you take away the choice of those who don't want to die of cancer.

For some reason you think smokers should be given more rights than non-idiots. I'm glad the majority of the state is smarter than you.

No, you miss my point (again). Smokers should have the same rights as non-smokers. If a private business wants to allow smoking than the government should not interfere. If you are a citizen concerned about your health - don't go into that business.

As far as the food argument (which I repeat - worst argument ever) - You go out and see and smell people smoking. You know what you are getting into. AND if you are above the age of 18 and do not realize that 2nd hand smoke is harmful, well cancer is probaly the least of your worries.

And just because you think that you are smarter than people who smoke, doesn't give you more rights. Your smugness makes me want to take up smoking again.

So your argument is "people should be able to do whatever they want as long as they know there is some type of risk"?

Don't you realize that private businesses that are open to the public don't have rights like that? They can't allow gun fights, sex on tables, or shot girls that pass around heroin needles... No matter how much their customer base wants those things.

Guess you should get rid of speed limits too. No reason to make the roads safe for transportation as long as people know there is 25% chance of dying every time they step on the road – that is a personal risk they take, who cares if they need to get work.

Unless you are ready to give business owners the right to do ANYTHING they want, then your argument is garbage.

Please do start smoking again.