Smokers...

Closing lines from the article:

Allyn Bulzomi, an ex-smoker and human resources director for Pima County, said the policy is about urging people to be healthy, not punishing those who smoke.

"The use of nicotine is a voluntary lifestyle choice," Bulzomi said. "It was a choice at one time."

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There are a couple of things going here:

1: Mr Bulzomi is a reformed smoker. It's no different than a reformed alcoholic that goes on a tear to rid the world of alcohol.

2: Interesting that he refers to it as a choice. Our country was founded on the principle of personal freedom ( of choice ). That includes the freedom as an adult to make the wrong choice.

A guy like that will wave the flag and be a strong proponent of personal freedoms and long as people are making choices that HE agrees with.

You really can't have it both ways. In order to preserve your own freedom you have to allow that same freedom to others.

The alternative is to mindlessly follow the trends and allow them to tell you where to go,what to do, and what to think.



( Sorry guys ... i'll try to refrain from posting on this subject any further. It's just that i've been watching this issue unfold over the last 40 years. It's downright disgusting ... )

Originally Posted by Scrappah

Closing lines from the article:

Allyn Bulzomi, an ex-smoker and human resources director for Pima County, said the policy is about urging people to be healthy, not punishing those who smoke.

"The use of nicotine is a voluntary lifestyle choice," Bulzomi said. "It was a choice at one time."

====================

There are a couple of things going here:

1: Mr Bulzomi is a reformed smoker. It's no different than a reformed alcoholic that goes on a tear to rid the world of alcohol.

2: Interesting that he refers to it as a choice. Our country was founded on the principle of personal freedom ( of choice ). That includes the freedom as an adult to make the wrong choice.

A guy like that will wave the flag and be a strong proponent of personal freedoms and long as people are making choices that HE agrees with.

You really can't have it both ways. In order to preserve your own freedom you have to allow that same freedom to others.

The alternative is to mindlessly follow the trends and allow them to tell you where to go,what to do, and what to think.

( Sorry guys ... i'll try to refrain from posting on this subject any further. It's just that i've been watching this issue unfold over the last 40 years. It's downright disgusting ... )

As I said, I was a smoker, but I am not a smoker nazi. There is no doubt that there are better things to spend your loot on.

On the other hand, it amazes me that the same people who want everyone to quit smoking cigarettes are fine with, seek to legalize, and encourage people to smoke marijuana. It won't be long before there are pot bars where everyone can smoke pot, but every place will be forbidden to smoke cigs. There are already laws that keep people from smoking in their own homes.

Originally Posted by t00nces2

As I said, I was a smoker, but I am not a smoker nazi. There is no doubt that there are better things to spend your loot on.

On the other hand, it amazes me that the same people who want everyone to quit smoking cigarettes are fine with, seek to legalize, and encourage people to smoke marijuana. It won't be long before there are pot bars where everyone can smoke pot, but every place will be forbidden to smoke cigs. There are already laws that keep people from smoking in their own homes.

You know .... you did really well to quit. It's no easy thing.

You sure can't generalize about any group of people. To say that all ex-smokers become smoke Nazis just wouldn't hold true but there are a few extremists here and there.

For me: This isn't a cost issue or a health issue. If it were i think i would have quit awhile ago. Nah ... there's something much more important at stake here but if you're not directly affected it's hard to see it for what it is. The way i see it is that somebody is reaching into my life and trying to force me to do something. They probably mean well and most likely they're just trying to make the world a better place but they've gone overboard with it.

I respect the rights of others to make personal choices / lifestyle choices that i don't agree with. As long as what they're doing doesn't directly affect me in a bad way it's none of my business. After all, who is to say what's right for the other guy ?

Anyway .... all i ask in return is that others respect my right to make my own choices.

~ If they can't do that then we've got a problem.~