Well, not a bad set of points to make out. It's not illegal to drink in public (within the age restrictions). Having a drink in public is different than being drunk. I agree that drunk driving and disorderly conduct---under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs---is a bad thing. However, smoking in itself doesn't typically invoke bad driving while doing so. You get someone liquored up behind the wheel and you have a good chance of someone being killed. There is absolutely no scientific evidence that second-hand smoke directly causes health problems. I hear these commercials that say "x amount of cigarettes for y amount of time is like smoking z number of cigarettes." Where's the evidence? As far as I know, there is none. In contrast, we do have scientific evidence to show that intoxicated people behind a car or going into a rage are dangerous. We do not have that same evidence with second-hand smoke. If we did, I'd not have as much of an issue with it. The thing is, this law (among others) is being made without solid proof that it is a real problem, not just a perception. We do know for a fact that smoking is detrimental to the smokers health. Here's another factor to consider (yes, I'm being difficult): If someone smokes on the porch of their home should that come under the 'public' specification of the law?
i dunno about the whole banning smoking thing, like everyone one has said it would turn out bad in the end, and i do understand second hand smoke is an issue, but its not really any worse that polution from industry and vehicles, especially in big cities. In that sense it wouldn't make any sense also, there is the issue of health care, people who smoke pay more for those kinds on things because they are a risk. Me personally i might have a cigarette a week or just a month. Nothing in great quantities is good for you, say you eat a pizza twice a day i doubt you'd be very healthy then ether. I find there good to relieve some stress, that and i like it, in a world where we already can't do that much, i see these types of things as necessary releases.
The reason that I threw out the idea about smoking on one's own porch is that the fumes do dissapate out around, and then drift off the property. In the country, this isn't a big deal, but in cities it is---due to the close proximity of housing in general.
yeah, just cuz its your property doesn't mean that the gov't will allow you to do anything that you can do in your house on your front porch. I'm not 100% sure but i think its illegal to have sexual intercourse on your front porch and in public places. I think B's right with the whole urban property proximity. With cigarettes, i would presume that the gov't would do some sort of vote on the property surrounding the house.
