Let's Get Serious
Today it was announced that the Mayor of New York City has banned smoking inTimes Square.
Is this because he has just found out that more voters are non smokers? That is the only reason I can think of. Who causes the most pollution, a person driving to work or a pedestrian smoking a cigarette on his way to work?
I can fully understand the banning of smoking inside of any building. No matter how good the ventilation smoke can always accumulate, plus there is the added danger of fire.
Smoking in the open air though; that will only play a miniscule addition to the smog created by industries and vehicle exhausts which is a far greater hazard to health.
Is the Mayor trying to convince the world that he is a great ecologist? After all he has just announced that the new fleet of NY taxis will be able to be adapted to run on electricity at a future date. Here is a news flash- the city of Shenzhen in China, have just celebrated the one year anniversary of using all electric taxis. Apart from being eco friendly, each taxi is said to of saved $1000 per month in fuel bills. THAT is impressive both ecologically and economically, all without the need to bring in a petty law discriminating certain groups.
Now, what will happen to a person if they do smoke inTimes Square? Will they be given a ticket to pay a fine? What if they do not pay the fine? Will they be locked up?
Californiahas just been ordered by the Supreme Court, to release 30,000 convicts because of over crowding, willNew Yorkbe next? If so, who would they release? The drug lords, muggers or rapists, after all none of them smoked inTimes Square.
I am all for making the planet a healthier place but it never will be if we continue to blame a few, making a very slight pollution, for the whole woes of the world. Let’s get serious and make some laws that really will make a difference to our prolonged healthy existence.
Comments
Meanwhile, those who vape e-cigs are finding laws crop up banning the use of electronic cigarettes (which contain no paper, tar or smoke and therefore no second-hand smoke).
"Apart from being eco friendly, each taxi is said to of saved $1000 per month in fuel bills. THAT is impressive both ecologically and economically, all without the need to bring in a petty law discriminating certain groups"
This is profound, why aren't our politicians working on this, instead of scrambling after minutiae?
I smoke a pipe an the overkill has been annoying, but believe me it is manifesting itself everywhere. The dangers of second hand smoke is known but what is the risk relative to exhaust fumes on the street. A certain pandering and political correctness is involved in the Mayor's decisions. It is politics and it is easy because nobody likes smokers. Great Hub Rafken
Although I am no longer one of them,I think smokers are the only group left that can be picked on.The have no power to fight back.
You mentioned the upcoming prisoner release and the make up of the prisoners being released. Why is that? If the California Prison system was run by the government like it used to be, the prisoners being released would be the least dangerous. The pot smokers. You coulkd release nothing but pot smokers and easily meet the 30,000 number. Now based upon the fact that the prison system is run for profit, it makes sense to release the most dangerous level of people as you can get away with. This reduces the risk to prison employees and increases overall corporate bonuses, profits and dividend checks.\
As a smoker I realize the added cost to our healthcare system that causes on average. I wouldn't mind paying a tax if the fat assed people of this country paid a tax for all the problems they cause by living out of a mc'donalds or hardees. If you insist raising fat assed kids you need to pay for the right. If you raise healthy kids you should get a break somewhere. Why does everyone think they have the right to do as much harm as they want to?