It’s pretty awesome that under the guise of protecting the youth more fascist legislature is being passed every few weeks in this crummy province.
We can now be harassed for sitting at the commons or the beach well away from any kids for smoking. I’m sure people who use the skatepark in the evening will appreciate having to walk basically a kilometer away to get off HRM property as well. (we all know how many children are present at the commons at 10:30 pm)
What kids are you protecting city council?
“Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a policy to restrict the use of tobacco outdoors on municipal property where children are present.”
“Coun. Linda Mosher (Purcells Cove-Armdale) proposed the no-smoking policy. The edict follows a poll in which about 80 per cent of 400 people surveyed last year expressed strong support for complete restriction of smoking in outdoor spaces such as parks and playgrounds.”
I wonder how many of those 400 people smoke. (probably zero)
Great just surveying city council… I bet you get good anti-smoking results when you poll parents picking up their kids in the parking lot of their school by asking them if they want dirty smokers on their jungle jims playing hack and go seek.
HRM —> you can go fuck yourself if you think people are going to get pushed around to this degree.
—the little guy
This article appears in Oct 1-7, 2009.
Yeah really.
’cause smokers never throw their butts on the ground.
And when you ask nicely for them to move out of doorways, they’re oh so polite.
And see how well they share transit shelters during the rain.
Grow up.
’cause kids never litter, or we’d toss them too.
Doesn’t affect me. Next.
Smokers are the minority – only 20% of Nova Scotians smoke. And that number keeps getting smaller and smaller.
If you’re a smoker, this is something you’re just going to have to get used to. Majority wins, and in this case, the majority doesn’t like second hand smoke and butts littered everywhere.
Suck it up, or stop sucking it up (the smoke, that is…)
Jennie, you need to take a poli sci class. It is not “majority wins”. Except, that is, in a fascist state. If it was, then the white majority in Nova Scotia would likely long ago have locked up all people of color and banned immigration from non-European states to preserve our storied past heritage.
No, as the late Prof. Ed McBride taught me long ago, in a democracy it is “majority rule, but minority rights”. However, in modern society this maxim no longer applies to people who smoke tobacco. The double standard in recent times is shocking. Even more troubling is HRM Council’s penchant for a ban ‘o the week lately. One wonders what they think their jobs really are.
No one person should have the right to harm others and that is the principle behind the eroding of smokers’ so called “rights” in recent years. It’s not a double standard and that argument is purposefully obtuse.
Majority wins, majority rules – whatever. You know what I mean.
The fact remains that the majority of Nova Scotians don’t partake in a habit that is proven to kill, and our laws and by-laws are starting to reflect that more and more.
Furthermore, I think your whites/blacks comparison is over the top and unnecessary.
If this proposal affects you in any way, then you are one of the people who are smoking where children are present and dropping your butts in the areas where they play. When I first heard about this proposal, my first thought was of the vast common ashtray that forms Chocolate Lake beach. Smokers who object to this measure on principle should direct their ire toward those of their own ilk who have made such a measure neccessary.
I would also suggest that there is a distinction to be made between a candy wrapper and a cigarette butt which, a, is saturated with toxins, and b, has been in some stranger’s mouth. A cigarette butt is not just “litter”.
Another cash cow – nothing more, nothing less.
Yeah TTFN, I’m sure this bylaw is going to generate millions for the HRM coffers.
NS = Nanny State
As for majority rules (wins). What a crock. If it were true then gay marriages wouldn’t be allowed along with many other things.
Time to take Mr, Mrs, Ms, and Miss out of the language and replace it with Comrade.
I think you’re all taking my “majority wins” statement a tad too literally.
What I meant was, 80% don’t smoke. We make up the majority. And more and more, we’re starting to see laws that protect the health of the majority.
Actually, the way I see it, we all when we people smoke less!
This is Halifax – not LA.
I guess they’ve raised cigi prices as high as they can go so this is the only way to expand on smoker extortion. I can’t wait until the first few tourists get burned by this.
BTW – I don’t even smoke and I consider this over-legeslation.
I feel ya jennie.
Minorities have charter rights that protect them from abuse. If the rights of smokers are being violated by any of these by-laws, fight it in court…you will win.
It’s no where near communism or fascism when a democratically elected government passes a constitutionally legitimate law.
Where does it say a smoker has the RIGHT to smoke in public?
Miles, you always manage to sum it up so much more eloquently than I ever could.
Now if the anti smokers put as much effort into alcohol abuse/impaired driving and gambling abuse then maybe just maybe. Where are the warning labels and graphic pictures?
So, I live in a suburb of Halifax… I have to walk through several pathways and parks that are owned by HRM to get to the grocery store. So if I decide to smoke on my walk to buy food. Which is my right. Why would I be fined? I’m not blowing smoke in childrens faces or hanging around public entrances. This is a bit too ridiculous for me.
What happened to parents actually parenting their kids? Instead they get HRM to impose a smoking ban so they don’t have to have an awkward conversation to ask them to move about 5 meters the other way.
The comment from Miles is interesting, because although it is unlikely the Supreme Court would hear a charter challenge on this issue, if they did, and if they found it unjust, you know that the Jennies of the world would immediately be screaming for the notwithstanding clause to be used.
But even more interesting for me is the supposed genesis of this. It was from parents and coaches smoking while at sports fields involving games with their kids. What part of “their kids” did Linda Mosher miss? So they will be smoking at home alongside their kids all day and then magically by not being allowed to do the same at the ball diamond it is going to make a huge difference? The idiotic mindset of Mosher and her Komedy Kouncil kolleagues never ceases to amaze.
Based on this logic maybe we could have “Adult only” sections of parks where people can smoke, drink coffee, look at porn and do all the other stuff we don’t want our kids to imitate us doing.
I may be ignorant to this but… Since when was smoking a right? Can someone pls let me know where I can find this in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?…
Bitch about it all you want, but the fact remains the people have spoken – the general public, health care officials, politicians, etc. – and they’ve decided that my right to not have to breathe in your second hand smoke supersedes your right to suck tar into your lungs, at least in an ever increasing number of public places.
I suggest you deal with it, because as fewer and fewer people start lighting up, you’re going to see more and more of these restrictions.
Forget laws, forget the charter, forget minority or majority or anything, I don’t see how any human with a fully functioning brain would smoke beside children for a start.
Or at all for that matter… Seeing my uncle die the way he did as a result of cigarettes, I just dont get it… Not that I smoked before that either, but still…
Sigh… Here I go…
I read about this law today, and I was somewhat annoyed. Yes, I am a smoker, BUT I myself try to be as considerate, and polite as possible when lighting up. I check around me for children, try to blow my smoke away from those who may be non smokers, and if I have to toss my butt, it goes on the street not the grass/sidewalk/playground/whatever.
I try… I really do…
I know I comit to a filthy, unhealthy habit with the rest of the smokers, but think on the bright side… At least the amount of people who smoke aren’t equal to the amount of people doing crystal meth (at least I hope not)
Smoking is no more filthier and I daresay much safer than say drinking 6-12 beers, a half bottle of booze, and I know I never went to a domestic because of cigarettes – booze 90%+ of the time. Ban smoking, ban booze, because of the two give me cigarettes any time of the week.
Let’s see some liver disease, brain damage, a depatitated body from a vehicle accident. let’s get those warning labels on booze.
Bo Gus… just wanna say, LOVED Ed McBride! Hated all the baseball analogies, but learned lots from him nonetheless… nice throwback to my past!
Haha this is awesome. Every time there is a new smoking law implemented I look forward to the angry smokers bitches.
“It’s my body!”
“Pollution from the busses and cars is worse anyway”
“Don’t like smoke? Why should I move? YOU move!”
“So many things in the world are worse than smoking anyway”
Face it smokers you are a dying (literally) breed.
Bro Tim, second hand booze doesn’t effect people (unless you’re driving of course). The analogy is pointless
Bro Tim – I find your cigarettes vs booze argument flawed.
You’re right. Some people get drunk and get behind the wheel, or beat up their spouse, or do a whole host of other terrible things. However, almost every single adult I know is perfectly capable of enjoying a drink responsibly every now and then. Alcoholics are the exception, rather than the rule. Most people will not end up with liver disease from drinking.
On the other hand, I don’t know of anyone who enjoys the odd cigarette responsibly. Maybe I’m naive, but the smokers I know don’t light up every once in a while, they smoke every single day. They’re hooked.
But whatever. Justify your habit however you have to. Whatever helps you sleep at night.
im quite happy to see this
Bro Tim, “NS = Nanny State” !! LOL! Couldn’t agree more. I wonder who us taxpayers will be paying to enforce these mostly unenforceable laws?
I don’t care where people smoke as long as they’re respectful about it. Move off the playground to smoke, move away from the crowd of children at public beaches and parks to smoke, move out of the damn bus shelter when there’s a kid in there and your smokes blowing in their face (which happened to me yesterday) to smoke. Its commonsense really, but people can just be assholes and we gotta live with it.
second hand booze is terrible too, more so if you are alking to one drunk/drinking. their breathee just takes the edge off of being sickening. and the women are the worst, really. they will get right in your face talking,like you are deaf,and their voices actually go up a few millibars. smoking is fast becoming the thing of the past,why you ask?because of all the bullshit they have to put up with. if all the governments were so concerned about OUR health, then they should just make them 100% illegal to have/smoke/make/or even buy/sell.but that will never happen,as long as they rake in their sin taxes,same as booze/gambling.as to minorities,then yes, we do have a right to smoke.and the charter,sayys that we have a freedom of expression,and right to assembly. so, smokers unite and assemble at your town/city halls and fight this bullshit,before you are forced to become a criminal,worst that the rapists,murderers,and dope dealers.
I’m not a smoker and I’m glad bars and restaurants and airplanes and . . . have gone to NO SMOKING, but I could care less if people want to smoke outdoors in public spaces, as long as their not blocking the entry ways to buildings and stuff.
Have people ever stopped to consider the crap they’re already breathing in while standing by a road waiting for a bus or even walking down a Barrington Stree sidewalk at rush hour?
I think Dennis Leary said it best…
“What’s the rule now? You can only smoke in your house, under a blanket, with all the lights turn off…”
…while wearing a 30 year old jean jacket.
and writing boring-break-up-stories