Smoking ban rears its ugly head again!

[JLM]

I just heard on C.B.C. news that the "do good meddlers" are at it again in trying to push a smoking ban on all patios and parks. Just seems some people can't mind their own frigging business. I think every park should have a bench with ashtrays located in a remote area of the park where there isn't too much traffic. These people could do more good by removing 10 cars. Do they really think they are going to get people to quit smoking by pissing people off? If they want to do some real good get rid of muggers, rapists, dope pushers and child molesters that lurk in parks and leave law abiding citizens alone. As for the patios I think smoking should be allowed at one end (the downwind end if applicable) Time to start using common sense.
Smoking bylaw should have full patio ban - Health - CBC News

 

[Sal]

curious...do you smoke?

 

[Ron in Regina]

I smoke, & I'm in favour of an outright ban on smoking, or everyone just shutting
the Hell up already. One or the other....but no more of this other social engineering
horse plop.

 

[JLM]

curious...do you smoke?

Yep, 4 cigarillos a day on my patio!

 

[bill barilko]

It's already like that here in city parks.

The world changed when they banned smoking on Bondi Beach-once a symbol for unbridled hedonism is now a place where everyone can breathe.

 

[Sal]

they are beginning to make apartment buildings smoke free here in my area... I hope they make my condo building smoke free... some people complain about the smell of weed on one of the floors but they can't smell the tobacco smoke...that makes me laugh...I used to smoke one to two packs a day

 

[SLM]

I smoke, & I'm in favour of an outright ban on smoking, or everyone just shutting
the Hell up already. One or the other....but no more of this other social engineering
horse plop.

I hear ya!

they are beginning to make apartment buildings smoke free here in my area... I hope they make my condo building smoke free... some people complain about the smell of weed on one of the floors but they can't smell the tobacco smoke...that makes me laugh...I used to smoke one to two packs a day

See now how can they do that? It is, still, a legal product. Just like alcohol. Could they make the condo a dry zone? Somehow I don't think they'd get away with that.

And yes I do smoke, weaning myself down and hopefully someday off them completely, but that's honestly not the reason it seems so bizarre to me. Tobacco is the most hypocritical product for the government. The tax the hell out of it so of course they don't want to stop selling the stuff but then they legislate the hell out of it too. Now I can understand public places, but when it comes to legislating what people can and cannot do in their own homes with a legal product mind you, that smells far worse to me than lingering smoke.

 

[DaSleeper]

And they say that people who believed that the government is trying to control every aspect of your life should wear tinfoil hats???

 

[JLM]

I hear ya!



See now how can they do that? It is, still, a legal product. Just like alcohol. Could they make the condo a dry zone? Somehow I don't think they'd get away with that.

And yes I do smoke, weaning myself down and hopefully someday off them completely, but that's honestly not the reason it seems so bizarre to me. Tobacco is the most hypocritical product for the government. The tax the hell out of it so of course they don't want to stop selling the stuff but then they legislate the hell out of it too. Now I can understand public places, but when it comes to legislating what people can and cannot do in their own homes with a legal product mind you, that smells far worse to me than lingering smoke.

Well, I'm not sure the Gov't. is being hypocritical. Of course the best solution would be for everyone to quit smoking, whatever the chance is of that ever happening. Excessive smoking certainly does a lot of damage to health which the Gov't. has to foot the bill for, so I'm in favour of taxing it, as long as the money goes for treating sickness caused by it and for programs to help reduce smoking.

 

[SLM]

And they say that people who believed that the government is trying to control every aspect of your life should wear tinfoil hats???

I don't look good in tin foil. Besides my rant is righteous.

Well, I'm not sure the Gov't. is being hypocritical. Of course the best solution would be for everyone to quit smoking, whatever the chance is of that ever happening. Excessive smoking certainly does a lot of damage to health which the Gov't. has to foot the bill for, so I'm in favour of taxing it, as long as the money goes for treating sickness caused by it and for programs to help reduce smoking.

It is though when you also think about how much money is invested by the government for the anti-smoking campaigns. And yet there are zero dollars invested in any program that I've ever heard of to actually help people quit smoking. Just advertising. I wonder how it would go over if they pasted pictures of diseased livers all over Canadian Club that was 2/3 of the label?

I'm not arguing for smoking, I'm not pro-tobacco, I've tried many times to quit and will continue to try until I do succeed. All I'm saying is that it is an easy target because it's socially unacceptable yet still legal. Smoking is bad and heaven forbid anyone should defend their right to consume a legal product. So we can continue to push restrictions, legislate where and when and how and no one is supposed to say anything while at the same time continuing to collect very high taxes on the product. It's a Sin Tax because it's shameful.

 

[Sal]

See now how can they do that? It is, still, a legal product.

It is still a legal product. They haven't done any condo buildings here to my knowledge. There was a court case here in Kitchener where a woman sued her neighbour because he would not stop smoking and her claim was smoke allergy and that his smoking was endangering her health. I have tried to find it on line but a quick search turned up nothing.

They are now advertising some apartments as smoke free.

Just like alcohol. Could they make the condo a dry zone? Somehow I don't think they'd get away with that.

No but then the alcohol in my glass does not send it's fumes into my neighbour's home. The fifth floor in this building smells of smoke. Would I buy on that floor, nope.

Now I can understand public places, but when it comes to legislating what people can and cannot do in their own homes with a legal product mind you, that smells far worse to me than lingering smoke.

While I have sympathy for the rights of smokers I do not think that my condo value should hinge on someone else's addiction. My argument for my condo is when I had a smoker living below me for a very short length of time, when he smoked in his bedroom, the smoke came right into my office. I could smell it.

All the venting systems are connected. I don't want second hand smoke in my condo. Most people here go downstairs to the front door. Yes is smells sometimes when i walk out the door, but that I can live with. Still kind of like a brief whiff of it actually.

 

[SLM]

It is still a legal product. They haven't done any condo buildings here to my knowledge. There was a court case here in Kitchener where a woman sued her neighbour because he would not stop smoking and her claim was smoke allergy and that his smoking was endangering her health. I have tried to find it on line but a quick search turned up nothing.

They are now advertising some apartments as smoke free.

I'd be interested in it if you could find it. With rentals that would strike me as discriminatory if they denied based on whether someone was a smoker. I mean, what would happen if a current tenant took up smoking, evict them?

No but then the alcohol in my glass does not send it's fumes into my neighbour's home. The fifth floor in this building smells of smoke. Would I buy on that floor, nope.

While I have sympathy for the rights of smokers I do not think that my condo value should hinge on someone else's addiction. My argument for my condo is when I had a smoker living below me for a very short length of time, when he smoked in his bedroom, the smoke came right into my office. I could smell it.

All the venting systems are connected. I don't want second hand smoke in my condo. Most people here go downstairs to the front door. Yes is smells sometimes when i walk out the door, but that I can live with. Still kind of like a brief whiff of it actually.

Yeah fair enough, I can understand why people would want their neighbours not to be smokers. If your home is your home though, there should be no difference in what you're allowed to legally do in your home between a detached residence and an attached one.

I'd say the ventilation system in your building must be very poor if the entire floor smells of smoke.

 

[taxslave]

And they say that people who believed that the government is trying to control every aspect of your life should wear tinfoil hats???

Only the extremists on both ends. Worst thing that could ever happen to you is let a one trick pony get involved in politics.

 

[Sal]

I'd be interested in it if you could find it. With rentals that would strike me as discriminatory if they denied based on whether someone was a smoker. I mean, what would happen if a current tenant took up smoking, evict them?

Smoke-free apartment will be first for Kitchener | therecord

The article I was looking for was the one the woman where the woman sued and won.

Yeah fair enough, I can understand why people would want their neighbours not to be smokers. If your home is your home though, there should be no difference in what you're allowed to legally do in your home between a detached residence and an attached one.
I'd say the ventilation system in your building must be very poor if the entire floor smells of smoke.

At this point there is no distinction between single home dwelling and multi that I know of. However, in a multi, one's smoke definitely impacts many people.

The smoke travels underneath the doors and into the hall. I don't know how that could be prevented. From an engineering standpoint I don't know much about multiple unit air flow so I can't comment on whether we have poor air flow or not. I would think that actually we have really good airflow and that's why there is a problem and the smoke does not remain contained in a single unit.

I just know when he was smoking I knew it and he was below me. Could have been my air conditioner on my furnace pulling it in perhaps.

I also know someone here that sold their unit because the people below her smoked continuously on their balcony. The air would would blow up and directly into her living room so she could not have her balcony doors open in the summer. He would not quit smoking out there. She sold and moved. I do believe now, if she had taken him to court, he would have lost.

I think we will see a lot of law suits in the coming years with such things.

 

[taxslave]

I'd be interested in it if you could find it. With rentals that would strike me as discriminatory if they denied based on whether someone was a smoker. I mean, what would happen if a current tenant took up smoking, evict them?

Yeah fair enough, I can understand why people would want their neighbours not to be smokers. If your home is your home though, there should be no difference in what you're allowed to legally do in your home between a detached residence and an attached one.

I'd say the ventilation system in your building must be very poor if the entire floor smells of smoke.

Why not. They can legally ban pets .Also having extra people in your unit for an extended period.

 

[Sal]

Why not. They can legally ban pets .Also having extra people in your unit for an extended period.

good point, we have rules about pet size and number of pets per unit

 

[WLDB]

Im probably in the minority in that Ive never smoked. Ever. Not even as a kid as a form of rebellion. My parents were chain smokers (mother still is, father quit) and it repulsed me. By my teens the mere smell of it made me physically ill. Unfortunately that effect has stuck with me. Perhaps this proposed bylaw goes to far. Well, the patio part anyway. You cant drink in a public park, so why smoke? Laws restrict people from drinking in quite a few places.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Drinking makes you drunk...& thus the reason it's banned in public places like
a park, etc...& smoking makes you....???....well, not drunk.

 

[SLM]

Drinking makes you drunk...& thus the reason it's banned in public places like
a park, etc...& smoking makes you....???....well, not drunk.

I can understand where it does infringe upon others enjoyed use of a public space though. Similar to drinking in public places in that regard.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I smoke, & I'm in favour of an outright ban on smoking, or everyone just shutting
the Hell up already. One or the other....but no more of this other social engineering
horse plop.

I am all for an outright ban. But failing that, I think it should be something you do in the privacy of your own home or car (or friends home or car who has invited you and given permission). Everyplace else should not have smoking allowed (indoor or outdoor) unless the smoker can completely contain his smoke to his own enjoyment (some sort of giant bubble). I really don't enjoy second hand smoke that much and think people who smoke in public are generally as-sholes who are thinking of their own wants over others.