Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Yet another smoking ban in effect


Are you a smoker? If you are, everyone at a Seattle park now has a restraining order against you.

Smoke all you want in the park but make sure to avoid play areas, beaches, playgrounds and picnic areas (which seems like anywhere in a park). And of course, don’t come within 25 feet of anybody not smoking.

A violation of the new policy will have you banned for 24 hours from the park. Come back before then and it could be criminal trespassing.

The new ban is the first step in a gradual approach to ban the use of tobacco products in parks all together, says Seattle Parks Superintendent Timothy Gallagher.

This 25-foot ban was actually the ‘relaxed’ version of what Gallagher really wanted: a complete smoking ban.

Great, another ban!

It was only last week I was outside a bar smoking with a friend in the damn rain, pissed that this was the reality. One of those occasional miserable situations you find yourself in just to smoke a cigarette. And why are you in this situation? Because you got yourself addicted to cigarettes? No, you’re missing the point… Its all the nancys inside that are afraid of breathing in or even smelling one one thousandth of the much more concentrated cloud you suck down every damn day.

Chances are those Nancy’s who pushed for the ban aren’t even inside the dimly lit bar you had to exit anyway.

As well, have you looked at how many cigarette buts are right outside any given bar now? At least inside you can use an ashtray but who in the world actually brings a but back inside to throw away?–I say this ban incites littering? Maybe that’s a push. Maybe I’m just bitter that I missed those days when you could smoke inside at least a bar-which come on.. How did they not escape the ban?

But now it seems those same nancys weren’t content. Apparently second hand smoke is a problem in the wide open outdoors and the examples we set for the children are wrong.

A news release from the Parks Department said, “It sends a message to Seattle’s youth that the norm is for public places to be smoke-free.”-(This is funny because the stereotypical Seattle youth has a beanie, tight black jeans, black-rimmed glasses and a cigarette in his lips).

I think the youth should know that people do smoke. That they know it is killing them slowly and do it anyway. That’ll make ‘em think… Plus damn, don’t we have a smoking age anyways? One that makes kids wait until they are old enough to buy a pack, you know, when just seeing a guy smoke in the park doesn’t make them want to take up the habit. Seriously. Can we have another seat belt law too? Or some sort of law that makes it illegal for me to say mean things. I don’t know anything that doesn’t let me think for myself would be great!

Alright I know no one really gives a (**t about smokers- but you might say they are victims of the latest and super weak form of segregation- besides, did anyone tell Chief Sitting Bull to smoke his peace pipe 25 feet away from the tepee? Think about it, I haven’t.

It’s always, ‘ooo, sorry but you can’t do that unless you’re in our smoking area… its around the block in the ally, thanks!’

Man, what happened to the days you could smoke just about anywhere, and people wore hats? I sure missed out on those days.

At least the other rules that went into effect today made sense: No glass containers, acids, explosives or material capable of causing serious harm to others.

Can people’s bodies really not withstand a waft of a dissipated smoke cloud, even OUTSIDE? Whatever- inside, restaurants, bars and now parks-let the witch-hunt continue.

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