Cigarette sales ban receives initial okay from Boston board

[The Straight Story]

Cigarette sales ban receives initial okay from Boston board

By Stephen Smith and David Abel, Globe Staff

Boston health regulators today gave initial approval to sweeping new tobacco control rules that would ban cigarette sales at Boston drugstores and on college campuses.

The restrictions, which would give Boston among the toughest antismoking laws in the nation, could go into effect early next year. The rules would also stamp out smoking on the patios of restaurants and bars with outside service; tobacco use has been banned inside since 2003.

And, after a five-year grace period, the city would shutter cigar bars, swank salons catering to tobacco connoisseurs, which were exempt from the earlier regulation.

"Smoking and tobacco use is a major cause of preventable illness and death. We feel it's very important as a city that takes the health of its residents seriously we do all we can. We're really working to improve the health and well-being of our residents," said Paula A. Johnson, chairwoman of the Boston Public Health Commission.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/09/hub_health_offi.html

[NeedleCast]

1. BAN MORE THINGS!

"Smoking and tobacco use is a major cause of preventable illness and death. We feel it's very important as a city that takes the health of its residents seriously we do all we can. We're really working to improve the health and well-being of our residents," said Paula A. Johnson, chairwoman of the Boston Public Health Commission.

Translation: We are better at making decisions regarding your health than you are. Do as we say!

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. What would John Spartan think?

[SoCalDem]

3. If people want something they will buy it

:eyes:

[radfringe]

4. ban everything - protect the easily offended... n/t

[MrCoffee]

5. So when are they going to throw out the fast food burger joints?

And the car dealerships...and the gas stations...and the liquor stores...and the bars...and the

[sandnsea]

6. Decriminalize drugs, ban cigarettes

Sometimes Democrats make no sense.

[Fumesucker]

8. They just decriminalized another drug...

They didn't put criminal penalties on tobacco, you are free to have all the tobacco you want.

You just can't legally buy it.


That's the essence of decriminalization.

[Winterblues]

7. Never fails to amaze me how people can defend such a poison to mankind.

We could have a 9-11 every three days and still more people would die from tobacco and yet people here want to defend it. Absolutely amazing..:shrug:

[NeedleCast]

9. Never Fails to Amaze me how many "progressive" authoritarians there are

I don't defend tobacco.

I will defend a person's right to make choices for themselves.

[Winterblues]

10. And if I want to make a "choice" to kill someone?

Is that any different? I could never in all my years kill as many as tobacco so it really doesn't matter does it? And why smokers always want their "choice" to infringe upon others? I could give a damn if anyone wants to smoke, but why must they bring their poison into the public and force it upon others? Why can't they just be satisfied with smoking in their own home? There are laws about drinking in public and I don't see the usual outrage about those laws here.

[The Straight Story]

11. Alcohol does as well, and is a big contributor to crime, fast food is a killer

what is the cut off number for deaths caused by something people freely choose to do before we ban it?

[Marrah_G]

12. Oh FFS- yeah that's exactly the same. WTIA

[NeedleCast]

15. Hello Strawman!

There is a law against murder. Additionally, murdering someone infringes on their rights (pretty much permanently). As an anti-authoritarian, I am against things that infringe on people's rights.

Smoking, assuming you're not lighting up in someone else's air space, does not infringe on the rights of others. See the difference?

I assume if you support a ban on smoking that you'd also support a ban on drinking alcohol, driving motorized vehicles, scuba diving (great white shark attacks kill 4 people a year!), etc?

After all, people must be protected from themselves...

[Winterblues]

17. Did you even read my post?

:shrug:

[NeedleCast]

18. Yes, You Set Up A Nice Little Strawman and then kicked it over

and then you edited your post to include some further bullshit after I relied, but I'll address that as well.

Is that any different? I could never in all my years kill as many as tobacco so it really doesn't matter does it? And why smokers always want their "choice" to infringe upon others? I could give a damn if anyone wants to smoke, but why must they bring their poison into the public and force it upon others? Why can't they just be satisfied with smoking in their own home? There are laws about drinking in public and I don't see the usual outrage about those laws here.

I have already explained why murdering someone is different from chosing to smoke. One thing is against the law and denies the rights of the victim. The other does neither.

On the rare occasions that I smoke, I do so in areas where it is legal to do so. It has been banned in most public buildings and just about anywhere else that authoritarians might possibly get a wiff of tobacco smoke.

So tell me, when was the last time smoking was "forced" on you?

[Winterblues]

21. Every single time I walk down a public sidewalk I am forced to endure

someone's cigarette smoke. It is poison and I don't like it one bit...Why do you insist you must do it in public?

[VP505]

13. How much CHOICE does one have

after one is ADDICTED?

[LanternWaste]

20. If one has both the...

If one has both the discipline and the willpower to quit, then it is indeed a choice. Many of my friends chose to walk away from the addiction, while I myself have chosen not to walk away from the addiction.

[sandnsea]

14. Prohibitions don't work

It's common sense. If the tobacco money had gone to helping people quit smoking, seriously helping them, we wouldn't be having this discussion at all. Villify and tax. That's all any of it is about. They didn't control alcohol because they gave a crap about people's health. They controlled it for the biggest alcohol producers and to tax it. It's one thing to ban it from inside locations, although inside locations have plenty of other dangerous chemicals that nobody seems to care about. But to control the behavior of individuals is just flat wrong.

[LanternWaste]

19. This smoker agrees with you.

This smoker agrees with you-- I cannot defend neither my choice nor my addiction, I can only (and at best) justify it; everything else on my part would simply be smoke and mirrors.

[katerinasmommy]

16. Authoritarian Bullshit

I stopped smoking five years ago when I found out I was pregnant and I will never smoke again if for no other reason than to avoid having my daughter witness me with a cigarette in my hand. It is, however, not the government's damn business if I want to go into my yard and smoke my lungs out. Furthermore I am so glad that Boston is such a paradise of calm, tranquility and plenty that they have nothing else to worry about. Too bad you can't ban the apparently irresistable urge to mind other people's business.