JD on Feb 20, 2008 2:53 am

The frightening thing about this ban is that it allows the government to say what you can and cannot do in your own private property. I live in the same building in which my business operates, and by this law I can be fined for smoking inside it... so basically, I am no longer legally able to smoke in my own home.

Since the smoking ban, I have suffered from bronchitis that developed into pnuemonia, which I feel is from having to stand outside in Jan and Feb so that I can enjoy a cigarette.

I have never been sick before. I smoke Winston Ultra Lights which have no additives because I believe it is the additives that make people get ill from smoking, not the tobacco-- which is just crumbled leaves, for goodness sake.

In my opinion, car exhaust is more hazardous than cigarette smoke.

The recent trend to pass laws to "protect" us from ourselves is just another step toward our once proud and free country becoming just another Totalitarian state. Bring on the Nazis, right? So long as it's for our own good.

David R Holmes on Jun 13, 2007 4:16 pm

Akron, OH June 2007 staus: less than one month after the new law began to be inforced 2 long time businesses dowtown have closed it's doors. Akron has went the extra mile and banned smoking in a large OUTDOOR area where the public is invited to free weekly concerts (called Lock 3), completely at the will of the mayor. There's no going back, is there? So wrong! I want to help repeal this insanity power tripping crap. HOW?

Eric Munson on May 22, 2007 11:20 pm

Independence Missouri recently enacted a smoking ban with no exceptions of any kind. Bars, private clubs, even cigarette/tobacco shops are now no smoking areas. The wording of the legislation even bans the use of incense for any reason (guess the Catholic church will have to get involved). Many of the bar owners have retained lawyers, who are working on finding a way to get the ban declared unconstitutional. Well, the ban does meet constitutional muster, unfortunately. So, we smokers in Independence are going to take a different tact. We are going to make the city enforce the ban to the letter. Any violation; whether it be someone smoking inside their own business after closing, a city employee smoking in a city vehicle, or a business that has not posted a "No Smoking" sign in accordance with the ordinance will get a complaint registered. The city's health department is responsible for enforcing the ban, and as such will soon be inundated with complaints that they are legally bound to investigate, and cite the violators. We plan to make this law such a hassle and such an expense to enforce, that the city will alter it or repeal it. So far, even K-Mart, Hardee's, several law firms, the US Post Office, and even the insurance agency owned by the man responsible for funding the drive to get the ban on the ballot in the first place have had complaints registered against them for failing to post "No Smoking" signs.

We may not have a constitutionally guaranteed right to smoke. But, neither does a person have a constitutionally guaranteed right to a smoke free environment.

NANCY BREWSTER on May 17, 2007 12:56 pm

I thought that I was an American living in America, more and more I am beginning to doubt it. It is creeping on us very slowly, our rights are being taken away. As far as secondhand smoke, naturally if you put a bunch of rats or any other animal together in an area that contains lots of cigarette smoke, they will get some form of disease or death. Also, back a few years, there was a statement from the surgeon general, that secondhand smoke was not as harmful as they thought. Most of my friends are non-smokers and they don't object to smokers, and I respect the fact that they don't want someone smoking in their homes, and I expect that I have a right to smoke, naturally there is a lot of places that is only common sense not to smoke there. Why do the people that voted on the smoking ban, hate me so much. I have been a decent citizen all my life. What right am I and other smokers going to lose next.