This is sadly the most accurate statement about any given law or legal issue in this country. Follow the money trail...

Ok, if you read my second to last sentence, I said some of this may seem extreme. But this is how ridiculous this whole smoking thing is as far as targeting a group of people.

Drinking and driving at all should not be allowed in public, just as smoking. They are doing it in public, it bothers me, and could potentially kill someone. How is that different than smoking a cigarette in public?

How many people, law or not, disclose to a potential partner that they have an std, or aids? Lets not fool ourselves and think the majority of people do. And I think you underestimate the cost of std'* and aids in this country. I will try to get some figures as well as figures on obesity as it pertains to healthcare costs.

As far as the psa'* on healthy living, most people living a healthy lifestyle would not see these ads, as they are living a healthy lifestyle, not plopped in front of the tv! They put psa'* on tv about the ill effects of smoking, and smoking has gone down. They put psa'* on tv about healthy living, and obesity goes up.....so, I'm not sure where that argument is going.

I'm not trying to anger anybody, but just to make people think. We all do something that offends or harms somebody everyday, whether we realize it or not. I mean think about it; we all drive our beloved cars day after day, which are spewing emissions of all kinds into the air. Are these emissions any better to breathe than secondhand smoke from a cigarette? Think about the number of cars, buses, trucks, trains, airplanes spewing stuff into the air we ALL breathe everyday. We should just be careful what we wish for against another group, as it may come back and bite us........

It would not be very smart to make smoking illegal for the reasons stated above concerning the fact that its a major income source for the government. Keep cigs, keep taxing them.

Making them illegal would only create crime caused by rival distributors trying to improve their selling regions. A little off topic, but I think legalizing marijuana could eventually rid the U.*. of a specialized form of crime as well. I'm not some kid who is waiting to become a pot head, because if I really wanted the stuff all the time I would be buying it. Same goes for those who really want to smoke a cigarette, they buy them.

The notion of restricting peoples' freedom to smoke a cigarette is very irritating due to that fact that almost every single one of my friends smoke. Going to a bar with friends is a social experience and everyone is entitled to drink booze and smoke cigarettes as they please behind closed doors. Its a bar... what else are you going to expect happens in there? Keep the kids at McDonald'*.

If some middle aged man is eating a burger at McDonald'* and complains to the manager that someone'* kids are being too loud in the jungle gym, therefore ruining his quiet dinner, then that man has very clouded expectations of the establishment he is in or he is from a country that does not have McDonald'* (hard to believe).

Same goes for a bar. If you go in complaining of the smell of smoke and beer we all know that everyone inside will look the other way ignoring your complaints for satisfaction. Certain behavior is expected at certain locations in our culture. Certain customs are expected as well. If you don't want to smell like smoke and beer, why go to the bar in the first place? Have a cocktail party at home, its cheaper.

Stop restricting where cigarette smokers can smoke. Rather, continue the smart business logic and tax them.

Finally, getting to the point of smoking in the car with kids:

A cousin of mine had a mother who smoked heavily before, during, and after pregnancy. He grew up fine, but she finally realized the poor logic of smoking during such a situation and stopped years ago. Sadly this realization is best done naturally because for the longest time there was the common outside pressure of people telling her how bad smoking was to her and others' health, but she didn't do anything about it. It took self motivation and determination to stop and that typically comes with aged wisdom.

Don't blow smoke in your kids' faces if you can help it. Be a big boy or girl and be polite.