Cities (and some States) across the country have recently begun banning smoking in vehicles. The latest city to pass such a law is Bangor Maine. Hear audio report.
In most cases these laws are meant for vehicles with children inside. However, I am always concerned about basic rights being eroded incrementally. Today, it might be cars with children inside. Tomorrow lawmakers may decide to extend that ban to all vehicles. It's an easy step, once there is a law already in place governing smoking in your car.
I am a non-smoker & I don't like the idea of people being exposed to second-hand smoke. However, I don't believe this should be legislated. Banning smoking in privately owned personal vehicles leads us down a slippery slope. This, in my opinion, is unconstitutional and I am sure it will be challenged at some point. I hope it will be overturned.
If the government can ban smoking in personal vehicles, what is to stop the government from banning smoking in your home? From there, the door would be opened for the government to dictate all sorts of other things that go on in the privacy of your home, private vehicle, and in your personal life in general. This is just another way for "Big Brother" to enter our lives.I can remember riding in the family car when I was a young man, dealing with my step-mothers cigarette smoke. And when I say riding, I DO mean riding. We went on road trips several times a year. My father was a serious highway traveller. But I survived all that smoke.
Parents just have to be more responsible. If parents don't have enough sense to know not to smoke in a confined area with children or they don't roll down a window, then perhaps they should not have children.
I think governments, whether local, State, or Federal, should be worried about much more important matters. Do we want Police officers tied up with this kind of law enforcement, when Police are needed to deal with more urgent calls?
This seems to be a case of government stepping over the line.
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7 comments:
If you put the window down an inch,every trace of smoke is sucked outside. It's a non-issue.
The law is written purely for the purpose of harassing smokers, and the perpetrators won't stop with smoking. Wake up, sheep.
"every trace of smoke is sucked outside"?! That's absurd. When I was a young child I used to go out all the time with my best friend whose father was a smoker. Every time he drove us anywhere he smoked in the car and we hated it and complained profusely. He, of course ignored our complaints and just rolled down the window, a crack. That, however, did little to divert the smoke outside the car. Maybe this legislation will protect all those children out there whose parents think they are not doing any harm as long as they at least "crack the window".
I agree--the cops have better things to do than this. Even if all they're doing is eating donuts!!
The Point is... Smoking is legal. Should the government have the right to tell you what to do within the privacy of your own property (your vehicle), when the issue does not concern the safe operation of the vehicle? I say no.
This is an issue that should probably be dealt with as a private matter for parents to figure out.
If it is o.k. for the government to do this, then shouldn't the government ban parents from taking their children to McDonalds more than once per week? Obesity among children in the U.S. has become a health crisis, leading to increased rates of Diabetes, heart problems, hypertension and other maladies.
What should be the limit on government intrusion on personal liberties and privacy.
Yes, smoking is a health concern, but there are other health issues that are just as important.
And if the government was really concerned about the health of children, there would not be 40+ million people without healthcare, and several more without adequate healthcare in this country. Not to mention the millions of children in poverty while 2 billion dollars a week (almost 400 billion total so far) are being wasted in an idiotic, irrational, and unjust war in Iraq.
And lol@ BeYourGuest...
I agree w/ you on "even if they're eating donuts".
I know I would not want Police tied up with this.
But the thing is... these smaller communities like to use these laws as a way to generate revenue. They put pressure on the officers to go out and make money.
I love you and your views ^^
I work at a hospital in MI that has just joined 85% OF mi hospitals as a tobacco free campus. And this is fine, but they are also saying that a person, employee, visitor, or patient cannot smoke in their vehicle in the parking lot. Is this legal? I would appreciate a quick response because I cannot imagine that this is legal. Our constitution states .....life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness....and if smoking makes you happy, then so be it. Kutos to the angry independent...my same thoughts exactly! Yours truly, The Rebel
America is now officially NAZI GERMANY!!!! There is no more America. Where are our rights to anything? Fighting in the middle east - for what???? There is no freedom or liberty. If smoking makes me or someone happy, so be it. Sick of this nanny government, this fascist Nazi AmeriKa.
Bye Bye Miss American Pie - it started in the 1980's with the onset of political correctness which is just a trick perpetrated to get everything global.
I wish I was back in the sixties growing up when people did what they wanted, said what they wanted and THERE WAS LESS CRIME, CORRUPTION, SICKNESS OF SOCIETY AND THERE PEOPLE WHO TOOK RESPONSIBILITY.
AmeriKa is the new America. Face it. There is no reason to fight for our freedom - we've allowed our own insipid politicians to take it from us.
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