CNN.Com: Ireland bans smoking in workplaces
I think part of the reason I ended up with double-lung walking pneumonia when I was there 6 years ago is that I was forced to breathe all the cigarette smoke. It was so bad that there were times I couldn’t be in a place for more than 5 minutes before starting to smoke.
After living in California (which has very restrictive laws), it was strange to move to the Midwest where there are smoking and non-smoking sections of restaurants. The local places don’t really separate them well and I’m usually gasping for my inhaler after going out to dinner. There’s talk of a ban on smoking in public places in Minnesota and I am overwhelmingly for it. People can go outside if they want to smoke. The ventilation is better then anyway.
And yes, I do believe that “smoker’s rights” is an oxymoron. I’m asthmatic. Your filthy habit has the potential to send me to the E.R., so of course I’m going to support any ban of your habit in public places and throw overwhelming support behind any taxes on tobacco. Deal with it.
Boulder has a ban on smoking in public buildings. this meant that I could go to any restaurant – even a bar – and not have to worry about coughing my lungs out later that evening. it was wonderful! I got so used to it that it seems odd when a restaurant employee asks if I want to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section.
I’m all for banning smoking in public buildings. I’m asthmatic too, so I completely know where you’re coming from.
I meant it seems odd to be asked “smoking or non?” now, in Colorado Springs, and in Beaverton and other non-Boulder places. š
There are still a bunch of restraunts here (in NH) that still have smoking and non-smoking sections, but it seems to be decreasing. Lots of restraunts are going to being non-smoking only. (Especially the smaller restraunts that can’t properly keep smokers and non-smokers completely seperate.)