Alot of counties have been banning cigarette smoking inside public buildings and forcing business owners to ban smoking.   I didn’t agree with that.   Each business owner should be allowed to decide if they are going to allow smoking.   No one forces a non-smoker to enter a smoking establishment.   I know that when a restaurant has smoking and non smoking sections it doesn’t really do any good.   The areas are usually right there together, but again, no one ever forced a non smoker to go there.    The choice should be left up to the owner. 

As if that wasn’t bad enough, now places are saying you can’t even smoke outside on the property.   The hospital here in town as of Jan 1st will no longer allow smoking outside.   Come on, what harm is it in letting people smoke outside??   

They’re doing this to try to force people to not smoke.   Right under the article about the hospital was a second article saying they are going to up cigarette tax.   A pack of cigarettes is already $3.00 to $4.00 and I’m sure in some places even higher.

What I want to know is why aren’t they taking measures like this with drinking?    Why not up the tax on a bottle of whiskey?    Why not make it so you can’t drink in public?    How many times do you hear of someone dying in a car wreck because of smoking cigarettes?    How many bar fights have you heard of because of someone smoking too much?

We all know why liqour isn’t under attack though like cigarettes.   It’s because everyone in Washington DC, the judges, the lawyers, and everyone else drink.   There’s no way they are going to crack down on something they themselves do.   Liquor causes more deaths of innocent bystanders, so I think it’s time some focus was put on booze.  

The sugeon general is always quoted about cigarette smoking causing cancer and birth defects.   What about liquor?   It causes birth defects, liver problems, diabetes and a whole host of other problems.  

Turn about is fair play.   Come on Congress, pull your heads of the bottle and crack down on drinking too.

p.s.  No I’m not a smoker.   I quit 5 years ago, so don’t go getting all up in the air thinking I’m just another smoker blowing smoke.