Editor, The News:
Re: Where others’ noses begin (Letters, June 20).
I always find it interesting that people trying to ban smoking in others’ homes always go on about personal freedoms.
I have been a smoker for 20 years. I make an effort not to blow smoke in people’s faces, to dispose of my butts so as not to litter and generally try not to inconvenience others with my habit.
It’s getting a lot more difficult to be conscientious after reading an article like this, though.
The studies on second hand smoke are mostly the results of smoke in a small unventilated space.
The smoking bans in parks are to prevent fires caused by people who do not dispose of their butts in a safe and consciences manner.
Banning smoking on balconies will only cause people to smoke indoors.
I like the mention of banning lawn chemicals. Most lawn chemicals now are non-toxic to humans and animals, though the ‘organic’ chemicals are highly toxic to everyone and everything.
Most of the toxins in the air today are caused by motor vehicles. Most of these toxins are from the vehicles that are exempt from AirCare.
And let’s not forget about the amazing number of toxins caused by the engines of airplanes.
Since these are a much greater health concern that the occasional wisps of second hand smoke that you are complaining about, perhaps you should work on banning those instead?
That would be a much more efficient use of your time and energy if people’s health was truly your concern.
Obviously the Canadian government doesn’t feel that cigarettes are truly a serious health risk because the taxes that it collects on tobacco sales were, for last year alone, just over $7.5 billion.
If the government truly wanted people to quit, it would ban the sale of tobacco products, not just increase the tax to make up the lost revenue from people quitting.
By the way, what about my rights?
Or did you conveniently forget about that because you don’t like cigarette smoke?
Thanks for your letter.
Thanks for telling me what I am and am not allowed to do in my own home.
Your nose obviously begins in other people’s business and perhaps you should stop looking over fences and into windows to find something else about your neighbors that offends you.
Chris Holisky
Maple Ridge
We have rights, too
Editor, The News:
Re: Where others’ noses begin (Letters, June 20).
Smokers have rights, too.
Do people really think cigarette smoke is the only toxin they inhale.
Look around at car exhaust, or industrial emissions.
As long as the government sells cigarettes, smokers should be allowed to smoke them and not be treated like second-class citizens.
Where have basic human rights gone?
Smokers are limited to designated areas and in their back yards and balconies.
I’m tired of hearing about the ‘horrible smokers.’ They are just enjoying something the government pushed on us years ago.
Go after the government. Get it to stop selling these filthy, cancer-causing sticks altogether.
It will never happen, and we all know why.
Wendy Selvage
Maple Ridge