Comments on: On Smoking Ban and Personal Liberties

By: Sugar

Sugar — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:16:21 +0000

@Konstantinos

Allow me to disagree.

Smoking is not just annoying for non-smokers. It’s just plain unhealthy.
One cannot say the same thing about drinking.

And saying that “non-smokers get what they deserve” is kinda unfair, don’t you think?

By: Konstantinos Koukopoulos

Konstantinos Koukopoulos — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:25:52 +0000

I don’t think he’s kidding, because I’ve seen the same thing happen in many countries (the U.S. and the Scandinavians for example). Yes, smoking is an addiction and it can be an annoyance to others. So is getting drunk on alcohol. Leaving aside the question whether we should protect the smokers or the drinkers from themselves it is plain silly to say that we should ban their behavior because it is annoying. Especially when the people who supposedly are annoyed do not go to the slightest of trouble to avoid their annoyance.

Yesterday I went out on a date. My date, also not a smoker, chose a cafe whose air-quality made my eyes literally water. It was packed with people, many not smoking themselves. I insisted we leave so we tried another cafe but it was even more packed and smoky. I suggested we go to a nearby cafe I knew, which had good ventilation (and music) but only a handful of customers! It seems most non-smokers prefer to hang out with the cool smokers even if they are subjected to their annoyance. In my mind that means you’re getting what you deserve.

By: Sugar

Sugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:53:23 +0000

@michalis

You’re really kidding, aren’t you? Sure you do. Yup. That’s what I want to believe.

By: michalis

michalis — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:04:39 +0000

We have a smoking ban in Montreal, that has resulted in smokers being treated like outcasts. In winter we are forced to smoke outside, with temperatures at -35C. In regards to smoking we have no personal liberties at all. I hope the Greeks defy this law in anyway possible, in the name of personal freedoms.

By: Alexandros

Alexandros — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:07:44 +0000

For sports in which we are the world champions by far, I demand respect.

http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgallery/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13766483

By: adamo

adamo — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:29:58 +0000

It is more likely to get a drug addict or an alcoholic recognize that they are addicted, than a smoker do the same. As they say, they all can quit anytime they want.