"Smoking Rebel&quo
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(acrylic painting on paper, 24X36, 1999)
"People always come up to me and say that my smoking is bothering them... Well, it's killing me!"
Wendy Liebman
"Asthma doesn't seem to bother me any more unless I'm around cigars or dogs. The thing that would bother me most would be a dog smoking a cigar."
Steve Allen
I would never advocate smoking, but I'm still opposed to smoking bans. I don't believe that a government should dictate to people how they should live their lives anymore than it should tell businesses what they can or can't allow on their private property. I believe that if I club wants to allow smoking inside, a warning such as: "Enter at your own risk" should be sufficient enough.
Almost all addictions, except for smoking, are perceived as sicknesses in our society. We are taught to feel sorry for people addicted to drugs, alcohol or gambling. We always try to look for the reasons that led people to their addictions, such as bad parenting, tough life or emotional problems. There are many programs for addicts and they are being treated almost as handicapped. Nonetheless, when it comes to smokers their weakness for cigarettes is treated just as that – a weakness. However, if we would be fair and treat their addiction as a handicap, like we do with other addictions, then we should provide smoking rooms in every bar and restaurant, the same way we provide handicap ramps for people in wheel chairs.
Of course, one could argue that if people wanted to smoke in a restaurant they could just go outside. But would it not mean that smokers would be considered as second-rate citizens, because while non-smokers would have the privilege of staying inside at all times, smokers would have to go outside and freeze their butts off, when it’s cold? We're not Nazi Germany, so I think the government should just butt out and let businesses decide what kind of places they want to run.
