I agree that there are many smokers out there who are just not considerate. However, banning smoking is not going to save your kids health. If we blame smoking, we also have to look at industry that adds pollutants and chemicals in the air we breathe every day! How about the cars we drive? The pollutants from cars are just as damaging!

Back to choices versus bans....shall we ban the use of cars or can we as individuals choose other transportation? How bout banning industry or can they choose to pollute less? Now what do you propose!? Is this ban truly the answer? If we are all given the right to choose--then you can choose to take your kids to places that don't allow smoking just as you choose already to smoke, but not in their presence! Let’s not take away people’s choices!!! There is always a bandwagon some where just waitng to make choices for you....

Yes, there are many things that we breath in that are not under our control that are bad for us, however, we have to start somwhere. Why are the choices of smokers so much more important them the choice I make not to share the smoke they (the smokers) CHOOSE to share with me. If smokers exhale in the air I breath then they have decided to make me breath thier smoke. I will repeat this again and again until smokers understand, I do not care if YOU smoke. I just want them to not share it with me. If they can not do that by there own acord then I must find ways to try to force them to keep it to themselves. I will not give up and will continue to be a pain in the behind of any smoker that CHOOSES to make me breath the smoke they exhale. I leave the area where smokers are, I do not go into businesses that cater to smokers, I will walk away from a conversation if a smoker is involved and starts smoking during the conversation, I will not use a taxi that stinks like smoke, I do not ever spend money in bars anymore, and most restraunts. A place that claims it has a nonsmoking AREA is just plain LYING because putting up a wall and ceiling fans does not mean nonsmoking it just means they are spreading it around for EVERYONE that is in the building. If a door is open between the bar and restraunt then they are still not smoke free, they may claim to have smoke free dining but it is NOT smoke free it is just reduced smoke. I choose to not smoke and will continue to not smoke and I will not allow the 20% of dumb people force me to smoke by breathing the smoke they want to share with me. Like it or not a smoking ban is on the way!!!!!! It will take time but we will win!!! I know that for fact and will help anyway I can. All I ask as a nonsmoker is that smokers keep it to themselves, why is that so tuff, it is not like I am forcing you to quit, just KEEP IT TO YOURSELVES!

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Spay or nueter your pets!!!!!!!

Implying_Ava, smokers take away my choice to breath air without smoke? How is that fair? You talk about choices, what about my choice to breath air without smoke, oh, that is right, I guess your right to share the smoke with me is more important then my choice not to smoke.

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Spay or nueter your pets!!!!!!!

I know that everyone breaths in toxins from factories, fires, etc; but we as people control are smoking and where it is done!!!! Like nugget says, it is our right to smoke but the non smokers have a right not to have to breath it. So when they say they want to ban smoking in public places, I am all for it!!!!!! I live in Florida and it has been like that for quite some time, except at bars where no food is served. Smokers cry about there rights, but if you listen to what you fighting for it sounds ignorant as well as it looks!!!! Just like a drunk whining about his right to drive----it is just ignorant and no one else should have to deal with someone elses bad habits, that we ourselves control!

Exactly, at this point YOU control whether or not you choose to be in a bar that allows smoking.
Absolutely, amen. YOU make the choice to be around someone else's bad habits (that you don't like) in a bar... YOU control that. And I salute you for acknowledging that fact, way to go!

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The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese....