Do smokers have rights ?

[Latindancer]

I am having a debate with someone about whether smokers have rights.

I maintain that as cigarette smoke is a pollutant, smokers have every right to do so, as long as it is away from other people who it would affect. In my mind, this would be similar to the right to commit suicide (which I think is a right).

I maintain that it is unacceptable that they smoke in public places, as cigarettes have been shown time and again to have serious deleterious effects on human health.

However there seems to be a core group of smokers who confuse "smokers rights" with being able to smoke anywhere they like.

Here in Queensland, Australia, smoking is now banned in many public areas but there remains an unfortunate grey area....that of balcony smoking. Some smokers think they have the right to smoke on their balconies simply because it is not expressly banned......despite it going directly into the units of those next to or above them. I think this is seriously deluded thinking as there cold easily be children living in those affected units.

I invite comment on this subject.

[BaitongBoy]

Define rights...Right to vote?...Right to root?...Rights to lefts?...

Cheers...

[Latindancer]

Ok....specifically, whether someone in a unit has the right to smoke on their balcony.....which, apart from the fact that it could sicken the adults next door or above, could be seriously affecting the health of children in neighbouring units.

[BaitongBoy]

It's "your" balcony...And the outside air should help the smoke dissipate...And they could give fair warning that smoking will be commencing in 5 minutes...Heh...

Doubt there would be too much danger outside on a balcony...A bit over the top, I'd say...

[Maanaam]

Some smokers think they have the right to smoke on their balconies simply because it is not expressly banned

Then they do have the legal right.

.....despite it going directly into the units of those next to or above them

Then they don't have the moral right, in my mind.

I'm a smoker (and found Brisbane's public smoking laws a bit draconian when I was there in October eg can't smoke within 5 metres of a building on the city streets). Nonetheless, I'm very self-conscious about my 2nd hand smoke. At home I always walk down to the end of the street at the edge of a swamp to smoke. I could smoke on my porch, but the next door neighbour sits only a metre away, so it's not fair on him. I do smoke on my balcony because the neighbour never comes out on to his balcony.

[bobo746]

I smoke and live on the top floor and smoke on the balcony no problems.
I don't smoke inside or in the car or around anyone so it's all good.
The pub that we drink at has an smoking area there are more non smokers out there than smokers,does that mean smokers are cool people.

[harrybarracuda]

Does this apply to any pollutants, e.g. vehicle exhaust?

[Latindancer]

Of course not. But I do remember that you are a smoker, hence the mild troll

[ENT]

I am having a debate with someone about whether smokers have rights.

I maintain that as cigarette smoke is a pollutant, smokers have every right to do so, as long as it is away from other people who it would affect. In my mind, this would be similar to the right to commit suicide (which I think is a right).

I maintain that it is unacceptable that they smoke in public places, as cigarettes have been shown time and again to have serious deleterious effects on human health.

However there seems to be a core group of smokers who confuse "smokers rights" with being able to smoke anywhere they like.

Here in Queensland, Australia, smoking is now banned in many public areas but there remains an unfortunate grey area....that of balcony smoking. Some smokers think they have the right to smoke on their balconies simply because it is not expressly banned......despite it going directly into the units of those next to or above them. I think this is seriously deluded thinking as there cold easily be children living in those affected units.

I invite comment on this subject.

You're more likely to suffer respiratory and circulatory problems living in built up areas from breathing traffic exhaustfumes than from sniffing some neighbour's tobacco smoke.

[hick]

IMO, they have no rights to smoke...or shouldn't.

They do however have a responsibility to take their coughing, polluting, stinky asses as far away from others as conceivably possible.

- ex-smoker who strictly practiced the above

[Maanaam]

IMO, they have no rights to smoke...or shouldn't.

They do however have a responsibility to take their coughing, polluting, stinky asses as far away from others as conceivably possible.

- ex-smoker who strictly practiced the above

Current smoker....I agree.

[Pragmatic]

Does this apply to any pollutants, e.g. vehicle exhaust?

It should do. A fcuking lorry overtook me, whilst I was out cycling, just before a steep hill. The cnut then struggled to maintain his speed and started to belch out thick black diesel exhaust smoke. I became stuck behind this Mother Fucker. Do I quit cycling or suffer the fumes?
I should have stopped and restarted after he'd fcuked off but I decided trying to avoid the fumes was better than restarting on an hill. Cycling will be the death of me.

[Cold Pizza]

I am having a debate with someone about whether smokers have rights.

I maintain that as cigarette smoke is a pollutant, smokers have every right to do so, as long as it is away from other people who it would affect.

IMO,

People are free to smoke if they want to. As you note, don't smoke near me or other people.

1. second hand smoke is a carinagen [sic]
2. it stinks / smells terrible
3. ashes are filthy
4. at times it can be a fire hazard.


I know a couple of guys who started smoking in their teens and by my age now, mid-40s (like them) they are already dead. They never made it to 50.

And one of our founders, dirty dog, left way too early because of smoking.

[Nicethaiza]

In thailand when walk on street see many people smoke ...I really dont like they smoke by not care other will smell that shit lol...

[Digby Fantona]

Smokers are feeble-minded people who suck their cigarettes just like babies suck their dummies/comforters. They should all be placed in a giant sealed container and allowed to smoke themselves to death. Worthless creatures all of them.

[raycarey]

1. second hand smoke is a carinagen [sic]

[ENT]

IMO, they have no rights to smoke...or shouldn't.

They do however have a responsibility to take their coughing, polluting, stinky asses as far away from others as conceivably possible.

- ex-smoker who strictly practiced the above

Equally, drivers should take their stinking poison spewing vehicles off the planet.

[hick]

^ They really should, but then we're getting into Federal laws regarding catalytic converters, emissions checks, etc.


Blowing smoke near others or otherwise creating a foul area is a choice.

They smoke (A LOT) on a balcony outside our office at the workplace currently.

It fucking blows inside our office through the air-con vents and every "monday" morning, you open that door and it might as well be a 3 day old ashtray.

Nasty shit. Something's gonna' snap. I can handle it...but 4 other guys are 'pure' non-smokers.

[Digby Fantona]

All smokers should be fitted with catalytic converters.

[tomcat]

specifically, whether someone in a unit has the right to smoke on their balcony

as someone who has suffered from my unsuspecting neighbor's balcony smoking, I believe he has the right to smoke there as it's his property...it is, however, inconsiderate to move the offending ciggies too quickly for my globs of spit to put them out...

It's "your" balcony...And the outside air should help the smoke dissipate

in my case, it doesn't...smoke goes right up my nose, pollutes the taste of JWB and ruins the serenity of river-viewing...

I could smoke on my porch, but the next door neighbour sits only a metre away, so it's not fair on him

I admire your decency and consideration for others...

However, I own shares in many of the "sin" companies (alcohol, tobacco and, I hope in the near future, dope, etc.) because I believe that folks should enjoy themselves in the way that they want...however, I want them to knock themselves out in a manner that doesn't annoy or endanger others...

[harrybarracuda]

Of course not. But I do remember that you are a smoker, hence the mild troll

Then you're a fucking hypocrite and this is just another subtle preaching thread from the anti-smoking version of Mary Whitehouse.

[ENT]

.... second hand smoke is a carcinagen [sic]

True but less so than air pollution caused by diesel exhaust fumes

[Maanaam]

^ couldn't even correct the spelling properly.

And note the "sic"? Denotes he knew it was wrong and quoting from somewhere.

[tomcat]

True but less so than air pollution caused by diesel exhaust fumes

different but same-same...

[Maanaam]

True but less so than air pollution caused by diesel exhaust fumes

different but same-same...

Different but different. Most exposure to diesel fumes is not to the same degree as tobacco smoke for smokers.
If it takes 5 minutes to smoke a ciggie, and 20 a day, that's 100 minutes of direct inhalation, plus the heat. Bike riders caught behind a truck don't have nearly the same exposure to the poison.
If what old ENT is suggesting was true, there'd be just as much, or more, lung cancer in cities among non-smokers as among smokers living in the countryside.
It's just ENT trying to be a know-it-all again and failing again.

Cue some poorly understood googling.