They are taking this to far now.
By devilsangel
@devilsangel (1817)
United States
September 20, 2007 1:31pm CST
Ok I heard on the news the other day that apartment complexs were trying to get a ban so that you couldn't smoke in your own apartment. Are you freaking kidding me? Who the hell do they think they are trying to tell people what they can do in their home? Its bad enough they've pretty much tried to ban people from smoking everwhere else now they want to tell you you can't even do it while you are relaxing at home? If they want people to not smoke this badly then just make it illegal. I get so tired of everyone screaming how bad smoking is. Hell a few years ago eggs were the best for you then they were bad now they are great again. Same with milk, red meat and butter. At one point doctors were encouraging their patients to smoke, now suddenly smoking is evil and bad. Hmmm seems to me that the goverment can't make up its mind on what is good or bad for people. Why in the hell are we letting them dictate to us what we should or should not put into our bodies or how we should or should not live? I thought we lived in a free country. Apperently its only free when we do exactly what they want and how they want us to do it. I heard a statment the other day that makes a great point. This is one of the few countries that has to make a law protecting your from other laws. Now if that just don't say it all.
5 people like this
15 responses
@Kowgirl (3490)
• United States
20 Sep 07
OK the key word here is Apartments which is not a home but a rented place for temporary shelter. You do not own an apartment therefore they, the owners, have the right to enforce these rules. Some people will not rent an apartment if the previous tennant was a smoker because of the odor that lingers in them no matter how much cleaning and deodorizing is used. Condos are also adoptind this rule even though you own it. Read the fine print and the rules before signing on the dotted line. People who purchase townhouses and condos have rules and regulations that have to be followed. As for a free country, that is another matter of question.
2 people like this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
21 Sep 07
You hit the nail right on the head. It's not your "OWN" home if you are renting it - it belongs to someone else. Therefore you have no say what you are doing one someone elses property.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
21 Sep 07
I do agree with you that a rented place is different then one you own however if there wasn't something in the rental agreement about no smoking they shouldn't be able to change it after you've been there a few months. That should be something adressed when you first go to sign, not six months later.
The problem comes in some are trying to regulate also places where you do own the house or property. Not just condos but homes and cars. These are things we own and should have the right to smoke in them if we so choose.
1 person likes this
@HighReed1 (1126)
• United States
22 Sep 07
I've noticed that living on Earth seems to be hazardous to your health. Eggs are bad, fat is bad, meat is bad....no, they're not. Make up my MIND already!
I actually went to a doctor that said if I had to smoke, a couple a day would be acceptable. I also worked for a doctor that smoked.
I think I would rather live in a place that had smokers than one that had unneutered cats. Sorry, that is in way left-field, but the place we just moved into has that problem. The people before us had an unneutered cat in the closet, obviously. We tore the carpet and pad up and scrubbed the concrete.. We've even pulled up the tack boards and the closet STILL reeks! I will have to put my clothes in another closet.
I'm waiting for them to say no one can drink. THEN people will scream. You think maybe people will realize how goofy the government is getting then?
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
20 Sep 07
I do not think they should be allowed to do that however they could do as many hotels/motels do and have smoke free units available for newcomers to choose from.
1 person likes this
@devilsangel (1817)
• United States
20 Sep 07
See now that would be ok because at least they are allowing those who smoke to have a place to live too. To me by them saying no you can't live here if you smoke is against the fair housing act cause its not being fair for everyone. Its discrimiating against smokers.
1 person likes this
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
20 Sep 07
These smoking bans are nothing more than legalized discrimination, and it is literally going to take an act of Congress to ensure that the rights of the smokers are protected.
Since smoking is legal, then smokers still have the right to choose whether or not they smoke.
Before I rent a place I make sure that there are no stipulations against smoking, and if they want to change their minds in mid lease then there are going to be problems.
My wife once looked at a house when we were considering buying, and the stupid owner thought that they were going to dictate whether or not anyone was going to smoke in it after they sold it. It wasn't even that great of a house to begin with.
I for one am getting tired of the constant assaults on my rights by the anti-smoking Nazis, and it won't be long before one of them gets their beak bent for sticking it where it don't belong.
The smokers had better start standing up for their rights because at this rate there won't be any place left to smoke.
When that time comes, then there will be a new target, and pretty soon no one will have any rights at all because they were legislated away.
Smoking is just the beginning.
1 person likes this
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
21 Sep 07
Got it.
That isn't good news at all...since it could become a trend.
1 person likes this
@whywiki (6066)
• Canada
20 Sep 07
This bugs me too. The rental vacancies are really really low in our city and it is hard to find a place. We have cats too and finding a place that allows pets is hard. So when we found a place that would take the cats we were happy then the landlord tells us no smoking! Stuck between a rock and a hard place so we smoke outside. It seems there are far too many rules in this world. Political Correctness gone astray I say. In our city they banned smoking in bars and restaurants so the owners countered by building enclosed smoking rooms and patios for the smokers. In comes the government and says that this is now against the rules. The smokers go back to standing outside the front door. This is no good, now they have to be 50 feet from the door! What next? I'll tell you, now they want to ban smoking in cars if there is a child present. Give me a break! But out of our lives! Let us live free like we should as this too is a free country. They even banned smoking in the legions. These people fought for the freedoms that we take for granted they watched their friends fall and stood strong yet they can't even smoke in their own legion. It is time for the government to take a step back and stop interfering in our lives!
@devilsangel (1817)
• United States
20 Sep 07
I completely agree with you on this. I think they have taking it way to far and pretty soon they will be telling us that we can't wear certian colors because they offend people or the dyes in them are bad for our skin. If we allow this to go on any further we won't live in a democracy but in a dictatorship, which franly we aren't that far from now.
1 person likes this
@LadyDulce (830)
• United States
21 Sep 07
Technically speaking, this has never been a democracy. It's a democratic republic, which just means we vote for the people who vote for president. All we're doing is trusting some guy we voted for to vote the same way we wanted, but there's no guarantee he won't change his mind. Sucks huh? But it prevents mob rule and total dictatorship... or it's supposed to.
Blessed Be
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
21 Sep 07
I hate to disagree with you here a wee bit Devilsangel, but if you want to smoke where you live, then buy your own house. Its not your property and landlords have every right to control what you do under a lease in their homes. Im a smoker, and if I spent thousands of dollars to buy a home or an apartment complex, I wouldnt want the renter smoking it up either. After all, renters come and go and not all renters smoke, getting smoke out of carpets and off the walls is a chore. It seems harmless enough, but I have viewed places to rent in the past and the yellow stains on the walls have turned me off. It cost money to have someone come in and clean the walls and things after a smoker has lived there and tarred up the place. Some walls cant be cleaned, they need painted. Painting is definately a chore, and its coslty if you hire someone else to do it. Perhaps they should charge a larger deposit for damages from smokers? They are just wanting to protect their property, their investments. Wouldnt you want to protect your things as well?
The other stuff, I agree with you. I think the government has way too much control over us as a whole and they cant make up their minds.
Bay xx
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
21 Sep 07
Something I pointed out before here in Florida by law when a renter moves out the landlord is supposed to repaint the place and deep clean carpets along with the other cleaning. I don't know about what state you are in but it might be in their laws too just no one is enforcing it. It's one of the reasons I do get upset with these rental places that want to charge more because you have a pet. They say it's because they have to steam clean the carpet afterwards due to possible fleas or stains but by law they are to do it anyways so why the extra charge?
1 person likes this
@devilsangel (1817)
• United States
21 Sep 07
I can understand places wanting to protect their property thats fine, but how about people who are buying houses and the people selling them refuse to sell to someone who smokes? What does it matter at that point, they will no longer own the home so what does it matter what the new owners do or don't do. Or the fact that they are trying to ban people from smoking in their cars. Here in this state while you are parked waiting for a ferry you are not allowed to smoke in your own car with your windows up. WTF is that? You are outside in the open in your own car with the windows up and they won't allow you to smoke. So tell me how is that fair. They are taking these things to far and are taking away peoples personal freedoms.
1 person likes this
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
21 Sep 07
Okay, I was just responding to your discussion about apartment complexes not renting to smokers. I didnt see where you said they wont sell you a home if your a smoker. That cant possibly be in consideration. Thats silly.
The only ban I heard about as far as smoking in your car was in the presence of a child, in which I agree with. Your not giving that child a choice if your confining them in a closed area and smoking.
Waiting for a ferry in your car, I dont know about that. Seems a bit rediculous to me, but what can you do except rant and rave about it? If the lawmakers are going to make it a law, then its going to be a law. Picket, sign petitions, they cant ignore those actions.
Im a smoker, and I HATE that Im a smoker. Ive tried several times to quit, only to fail because they are so readily available. I wish they would make them illegal. The less avaailable they are, the easier it would be for me, and I imagine many others, to quit.
Bay xx
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
1 Oct 07
It is going too far. They are also trying to pass a law that you cannot smoke anywhere in your home if you have kids. How will they inforce such laws, don't our officers have enough to do. Are they going to inspect houses all the time. They are getting law crazy. If it is that bad, make it illegal, because that is how they are making people feel.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
26 Sep 07
If it is a rented (paying to use someone else's) space they have rules. If you want to smoke in YOUR home, buy a home!! If it is being rented, then it is not truly yours. How would you like it if someone rented a space from you, and played loud music, disturbing others? Smoke does damage to a home turning the curtains yellow, making everything stink etc. If it's not yours, then there are regulations!! Again, if you want to smoke in YOUR home, buy a home, don't just rent one.
@Laydee83 (275)
• Atlanta, Georgia
30 Sep 07
I'm a smoker. I don't smoke in my apartment anyway. But I agree with you. It's bad enough I can't go to a bar and enjoy myself while drinking and dancig to have a smoke. I have to go outside. And when you get outside you have to usually walk all the way aroudn to the other end of the building to the designated smoking area. Its a mess. I mean, if they want to ban it here and there and over there then they just need to make it illegal. But then again they would come up with a law to protect you from getting sent to jail for smoking. Protecting our rights they call it. Yea, okay. If I can go into the store and buy smokes, why can't I smoke them where I want? They want to also ban smoking in cars. Saying if you are smoking and a police officer see you, they can issue you a ticket. Lets see if ANY of these so called laws get passed. Most of the Government employees smoke anyway. Its so stressful they have no choice but to smoke.
@nmhschic2004 (1238)
• United States
21 Sep 07
I agree with you devilsangel its out of control. I dont see what the big deal is in your home. Your in your home and who else is it going to bother? I seen on tv where this woman wasnt allowed to smoke in her apartment. Her neighbors went and complained to the health department or something like that. They said that the smell was coming through the vents. Yeah its supposed to be a free country but its getting to the point where you cant do anything! I mean out in public is one thing but in your own home? The line needs to be drawn somewhere.
1 person likes this
@thefortunes (2367)
• Netherlands
22 Sep 07
Exactly Devildangel...when I was in the US in 2001 everywhere where I lit up a sigarette I was looked at as a crazy one. Thanks God, the hotel rtoom I had was for smokers, explicitly asked for when making the reservations from here. But now i am not sure if it is still possible, I mean, to get a room for smokers in a nice 4* or 5* hotel, or even 3* hotel in the US?
Here inEurope is getting almost as worse as you have it there guys, and the governments such as ours are copying everything from what your government is doing, and taking off liberties that we were used to off from us. I am getting so sick and tired of it all, really and wish to get the hell out of here before it becomes one big jail house here just like it is there already, SAD, very sad...
TheFortunes
1 person likes this
@Scorpio2111 (170)
•
21 Sep 07
In the UK where I am, smoking in public places was banned. It is banned in bars and pubs, nightclubs, cinemas, trains, stations, buses, everywhere really.
1 person likes this
@Scorpio2111 (170)
•
21 Sep 07
I am in the UK ans in July this year, smoking was banned from almost everywhere. It is banned from all public places, bars, pubs, nightclubs, trains stations, bueses and nus stations, shops and shopping malls, cabs, almost everywhere
@Samanthavv (1380)
• United States
10 Jul 08
Well, you have to look at it from the landlord's point of view. They invested their money and time into this building. If you're smoking in their building you're lowering it's value, not to mention compromising not only your health but the neighbor's too. Just something to think about.
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
21 Sep 07
As kowgirl said, you don't own someplace you rent. Therefore you are at the mercy of the owners. If they don't want people smoking on their property then that's up to them.
Although I am a non-smoker, I think they're getting a little carried away with the whole smoking ban thing. They're going to start telling people that they aren't allowed to smoke in their own cars if they have children under 18 - I don't remember what state that was, but it's something they're trying to get passed.
If it's that bad for you then yeah, quit selling the darned things!!!!
