Here's a topic I'd like opinions on.

I agree with you 100%. It does seem like every time we turn around there is something else being banned. For I understand that it is supposed to be for health reasons, but i think instead of banning it all together that they should leave it as a choice to the consumer. I'm sure that someday in the not so far away future, many of the things that you mentioned along with many more will be banned. I would like to know why we meaning the general public, doesnt seem to have a say on these issues. I do not think that everything should be left up to congress. There has to be something that we the people can do to take back our "free" country.

You can't really compare eating red meat with smoking. You are still allowed to smoke in your own house where you don't bother anyone. In a resturant you bother every non smoker in there with your smoke. If you eat too much salt in a resturant then it's your problem, it doesn't affect anyone else. And if some day scientists come to the conclusion that salt is VERY bad for me and my country decide to ban it, well then I will trust that there's a reason for that ban and I will respect it.

This is very true, and gasoline is the obvious target due to the effect on the ozone layer. People complain that I smoke and that it could affect them as well, but if they drive a car then their actions are definitely affecting my life. Another factor that is often ignored is that if smoking ceased the governments would lose a vast revenue, which in turn would constitute a large rise in taxation for everybody whether they currently smoke or not.

exactly the point i've been trying to make...in several states you can't smoke in your own vehicle with anyone under 18...next it will be that you can't smoke in your own home...freedoms are being taken away slowly so as to not draw attention as to what's happening...it will happen as you said, and i for one am very worried about the future of this country...

I wish governments would just back off & leave us live our lives in peace. Here in the UK banning is slowly becoming a popular sport. But what I am noticing is a parallel with the States, regarding political correctness, which is so often the cause of banning stuff. Can't do this, can't do that, someone will be offended, so? It isn't like we purposely go about purposely looking to cause offence, the reality is, there are so many people everywhere there's always going to be someone that doesn't like something or a general moaner that will find something to moan about & take offense.

I agree with the ban of smoking in public places as I believe that we all have the human right to be able to breathe clean air, I already have asthma as a result of my father smoking in the house when I was a child, and I wouldn't want to wish that on anyone else. I think that everyone should have the choice of what to do as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else in the process. If someone wants to smoke - then let them smoke away from others - they should bring back smoking clubs and not subject the rest of us to passive smoking. It seems that we are being given less of a chance to vote on what we do or do not agree with - whatever is the next thing to be banned. I work as a herbalist and there are certain herbs that have been banned for use by the general public so I can't prescribe them for my patients even though they are brilliant herbs. The reason for banning them? Because one government did a trial on them and found that there were side effects and so banned the use for everyone - what really happened was that they didn't trial the use of the herbs in the way a herbalist would actually use them, which would result in no side effects. But, rather than listen to a herbalist following a tradition that spans thousands of years, they made the decision for us instead. It seems to be the governments that decide what should be banned, and they need to ask us for our opinions first and base the judgment on the majority of opinions rather than their own misleading version of why that particular thing should be banned. They are taking the choice away from us, and that's what is wrong with banning things.

Well said this and of course that is when there will be uproar because something is being banned that they like I am hoping that now People will think about it specially the ones that seem to think it is so great that Smoking is being banned from everywhere Thank you for bringing this up

I personally think that there arent many things in life that should be banned because a person has the discretion and choice to do what they want to do and if they feel it is what they want then why not let them do it. Now when other peoples safety is put into jeopardy then that is something that you should look at, but when it comes to something that only affects that person then there isnt much you can do about it.

What you're saying is the same as the tactics that some protesters use. For example, on the debate of gay marraige, i believe that some people said,'what next, people marrying animals?'..just because you ban something like smoking doesn't mean that another thing immediately gets put in the firing line. Smoking in public places wasn't fair on other people, and especially workers who had to work in a polluted atmosphere...i don't see how someone eating red meat etc would have quite the same effect!

Thats the whole reason there should be outrage that they are banning trans fats in NYC or public smoking in other areas. Its just dumb. THey aren't allowed to do it for other personal choices, why are they allowed to interfere just becuase some liberal interpretist judges think they are helping us? Whatever happened to limited government?

I have to agree, there is a fine line and it's really hard to know how far it can be taken. I didn't really agree about banning smoking in cars, simply hecause that's basically saying that one can't smoke in the privacy of their own space. I did understand that the upset was caused by the mother having her two small children in the car, and the windows rolled up, but I don't think that there is still any right in banning smoking in a private space. If you're going that far, you're going to have to ban something completely, and we all know that that isn't going to work. And then, as you were sort of saying, what next? Banning everything that is bad for us? And this is coming from a non-smoker, btw. Although I have smoked in my lifetime, it wasn't a habit that I kept up for very long. But I still believe in the people's choice to do what they want with their lives.

Yeh i agree with you and thanks for that, a very nice way to explaining your thaought.

Unfortunately, people feel to realize is that this kind of action is yet another governmental intrusion where it is neither wanted or needed. When we lived near Houma, Louisiana, the Parish politicans narrowly voted in such a ban, not listening to the business owners (tax payers) who did not want yet another rule to follow. Now that we are in Alaska, we are seeing reports that Anchorage is considering the same. In regards to the non-smokers, I am one of them, our money is our power. There are plenty of places that make great efforts to seperate the smokers from the non-smokers. If you feel that second-hand smoke is affecting you, leave and take your money with you. The argument that by allowing this intrusion there will be others to follow is well founded. Now, California is attempting to regulate parenting by banning spanking of children under the age of three. Of couse when you read the articles quoting politicans, about the need to "beat" a child. It is this kind of language that is used to garner support for such crazy ideas. What will be next? We have so many rules and regulations, I am sure that each of us breaks something at least at some point. At some point we will either wake up and put our elected officials on notice, or we will wake up to realize we are enslaved to the system we allowed to be created.

I understand your opinion completely, but I cannot agree. Do you know how many people die from lung cancer a year? It's a fact smoking kills, and the government is just trying to save lives. Candy, read meat, and salt really won't kill you if don't misuse it, whereas smoking can and most likely will. I strongly believe in a ban against smoking in certain public places. I do not want a young person getting their lungs filled with tar.

i agree but this is already happening. fast Food restruants have had to change the way they cook food to reduce the saturated fats because the government is banning them from selling fatty foods. they are tring to make it were fast food places can only sell healthy non fat foods. so you are deffently right but its not think when think now.

The problem with banning things, is that people want it more if it is banned. I personally would like to see smoking banned because I am deadly allergic to it, but I know that by banning smoking, people will just want it more.

Well I say then I die. I dont want to walk around wandering all the time if this is good for me or not. That is just plan rediculious. Everything is bad for you. So do things in moderation. you cant go around freaking out about things. Live and let live.

Good points. The more they take our rights away, the more they think they have the right to do it. They, meaning the governments and special interest groups who want to tell everyone how to live. Once they start, they don't stop until your rights are abolished and you end up living in the same closed mind boxes that these wacko's live in. It is nutzomania. I want the freedom to make my own choices based on what I think and believe. Can you spell communism?

Good topic..I strongly oppose so many bannings.. you are right..especially I am a smoker. I have my rights of smoking in my private place and time... nobody can preventing me from smokeing..

This is an interesting question that you pose to the mylot group. I too am concerned about all the rules and laws that lawmakers are making. I think they ought to take the time to enforce the laws that we already have before they go making new ones. The laws are not being enforced. If the laws already in place were inforced, they may find that other or new laws are not necessary. What is up with these crazy lawmakers anyway?