[Health] Do you smoke?

[ShadowEyes]

My mother was always careful not to smoke in our family house. But my sister smokes in her house with her four children and it makes me so mad. I can't stand being in there for more than minutes at a time.

No, I don't smoke, but I hold a huge grudge against people who smoke in their house with dependents. I've found that the people who don't care about their own health often don't care about the health of others either.

[shadowwalker]

My mother was always careful not to smoke in our family house. But my sister smokes in her house with her four children and it makes me so mad. I can't stand being in there for more than minutes at a time.

No, I don't smoke, but I hold a huge grudge against people who smoke in their house with dependents. I've found that the people who don't care about their own health often don't care about the health of others either.

Ah, here we go again. Smokers - heartless selfish bastards, all of 'em!

[KLJo]

No, I don't smoke, but I hold a huge grudge against people who smoke in their house with dependents. I've found that the people who don't care about their own health often don't care about the health of others either.

I'm gonna gamble that you're American. Try to imagine you are if that is not the case.

If you have a gun in your house it is 17x more likely to be used to harm your family than protect it.
Now imagine the backlash if I started calling all gun owners horrible, disgusting, unfit parents, and demanded we strike down the 2nd ammendment.

This is similar logic to the case against 2nd hand smoke.

I don't smoke in my house or in view of my children, but I also don't think I have the right to weigh-in to someone who does. They just get silently scratched off the "Potential babysitters" list, and get togethers must be at my house.

People are allowed to make bad choices. We cannot cherry-pick and micromanage them out of that freedom.

[shadowwalker]

As far as that goes, who keeps bug spray in their cupboards unlocked? Who lets their kids around cars they're fixing up on jacks? Who leaves their kids for "just a moment" to get something from another aisle in the store?

BAD PARENTS!!!!!!

For the record, I smoked with my son in the house - he's healthy as a horse at age 33. Just ask his doctor, who can't see why he even comes in for a yearly checkup.

[Bard_Daniel]

I'm currently in the process of quitting.

Nasty stuff, I feel stupid for ever starting.

[Boofy]

Never touched a cigarette. I wanted to go into culinary. Smoking ruins your palate over time. That and it is bloody expensive. Oh, and the health problems it can cause too... totally my first thought. ;D

[Angelicpersona]

Nah, never smoked besides a puff of a cigar here and there with my family in memory of my grandfather. Too addictive, too expensive, I have asthma, and I was taught to always smoke outside. I get cold in the winter going from my car into work - don't really want to freeze my ass off.

[ShadowEyes]

...demanded we strike down the 2nd ammendment.

It's ironic because we have a second amendment, which is hotly debated, but the issue of imbibing drugs rarely is. Except that one time when the Prohibition happened.

I also don't think I have the right to weigh-in to someone who does.

I believe that weighing in on this is about the only thing that we can do. We have to give people the benefit of the doubt. Therefore, it's purely a moral issue, which requires changing hearts and minds, rather than enacting laws.

People are allowed to make bad choices. We cannot cherry-pick and micromanage them out of that freedom.

It's true we cannot micromanage adults. Adults, therefore, are given the authority to micromanage themselves and their children's health.

As far as that goes, who keeps bug spray in their cupboards unlocked? Who lets their kids around cars they're fixing up on jacks? Who leaves their kids for "just a moment" to get something from another aisle in the store?

I think there are a few differences between the rational uses of bug spray and cars as opposed to cigarettes, which leads to their misuse in moral areas as well.

Children cannot consent to the dangers of smoking, just like they cannot consent to the dangers of driving a car or using a gun. However, children must consent to living in their houses. Notice, I'm not saying that smoking outside is wrong, but only in a specific rational instance. Therefore, residential second-hand smoking is the same type of moral judgement as locking a child into a car on a hot summer's day or leaving a gun loaded on the counter. To adults, the dangers are common sense. This puts the responsibility squarely in the adult's hands.

But to children, are the dangers common sense? Is it not true that a child may see the use of a cigarette and thus may think lightly of its misuse? Cars go places and have seat belts. Guns shoot things and have safeties. How many children know about lung cancer? And how many police patrol houses? How many licenses do smokers need to smoke? And yet how much easier is it to get a pack of cigarettes in comparison to a gun or a car?

Cigarettes are not even beneficial on a purely theoretical level. They cannot protect a house, provide transportation, or be used as bug spray. Instead, they're used as a responsibility lever which the adult pulls down every time he or she lights up in the house. Which may cause children to want to smoke earlier. Which may cause children to know that their parents don't care about them.

Now, I'm not saying that this is the case everywhere, and I'm certainly not assuming anything about either of you, but I'm only biased because my sister is uncaring. However, if you think any of these are incorrect analogies, feel free to respond. (:

[shadowwalker]

Which may cause children to know that their parents don't care about them.

You're the second person in this thread to pull this crap. And that's exactly what it is - judgemental CRAP. Who the hell are you - or anyone else - to determine whether or not a parent who smokes doesn't care about their kids?

You don't smoke. Well, good for you! That doesn't make you morally better than those who do.

[Guy Faukes]

It appears that some of us have differing opinions regarding the social policies of smoking.

May I suggest that these differences be settled privately or have the parties simply agree to disagree? I would not like to see the intent of this thread waylaid or have more serious, administrative action taken to quell any continued hostility.