Friday, September 15, 2006

"Treat cigarette smoke like any other emission"

I've always wanted to go to Poland.
The World Health Organization's leading anti-smoking campaigner, Yumiko Mochizuki-Kobayashi, discusses the global war against cigarettes, smoke as air pollution, and Germany's failure to keep up with Europe.
Since humans emit more "green house gases" than anything else, we must ban all humans! STOP BREATHING DAMMIT!
SPIEGEL: Why don't you leave it to the individual bar or restaurant owners to decide whether they want to allow smoking or not? Mochizuki-Kobayashi: Voluntary agreements are an invention of the tobacco industry, which knows that many bar owners would not apply them out of fear they might lose business. Complete bans level the playing field for all -- and they help to protect the health of employees too. Evidence from countries with smoking bans tells us that bans don't hurt business. To the contrary: Business improves because more people visit bars and they consume more, especially food.
Well, there's a DUH! Lose business, lose money, go out of business! What is it with these people? There's a little thing called "freedom of choice" that a few want take away from from the rest of us. Complete bans don't level anything. If you don't want to work in a bar or restaurant where smoking is allowed.... DON'T! That's a choice too. Ya know why people consume more food? Cuz they can't smoke, and have to do something with their hands and mouths.... no nasty comments please! You know what I mean! And everybody is already griping about obesity. Damned if ya do, damned if ya don't! Which means.... leave us alone! YEESH!