New York City aims to ban cigarette sales to under 21s

[garbon]

Seems pretty obvious that the laws are going to gradually tighten up until cigarette smoking is illegal period.

they've been saying that for 30 years in Canada, you know.  It still hasn't happenned.

Thirty years ago, you could smoke pretty well everywhere, and people did. There were ashtrays in offce building elevators. There were smoking sections in restaurants.

And planes!

Actually, it was pretty funny when I was at Denver airport in March and there was a restaurant with a smoking section. So many people got up and left in disgust because some of the smoke fumes drifted into the general restaurant (unlike in the past though, this smoking section was actually an enclosed room with separate entrance).

[Caliga]

Most restaurants around me don't have smoking sections at all.... meaning you can smoke wherever you like.

I don't mind the secondhand smoke that much since my parents were chain smokers when I was a kid (both have finally quit smoking altogether... it took my dad suffering a collapsed lung to finally stop).

[viper37]

Seems pretty obvious that the laws are going to gradually tighten up until cigarette smoking is illegal period.

they've been saying that for 30 years in Canada, you know.  It still hasn't happenned.

Thirty years ago, you could smoke pretty well everywhere, and people did. There were ashtrays in offce building elevators. There were smoking sections in restaurants.

but they had high taxes.  It even reached a breaking point in the 90s, wich made many indians very rich.
First, the taxes, then the regulation.

Ok, one day, maybe it'll be forbidden (good fucking riddance).  But it's still far away.  Most smokers will die of cancer before they see the day their favourite annoying hobby is forbidden.

[Malthus]

Seems pretty obvious that the laws are going to gradually tighten up until cigarette smoking is illegal period.

they've been saying that for 30 years in Canada, you know.  It still hasn't happenned.

Thirty years ago, you could smoke pretty well everywhere, and people did. There were ashtrays in offce building elevators. There were smoking sections in restaurants.

but they had high taxes.  It even reached a breaking point in the 90s, wich made many indians very rich.
First, the taxes, then the regulation.

Ok, one day, maybe it'll be forbidden (good fucking riddance).  But it's still far away.  Most smokers will die of cancer before they see the day their favourite annoying hobby is forbidden.

The taxes were a pure money grab - sin taxes are easy for politicians to approve. Though as was discovered, take it too far and with sovereign Indians conveniently living on the border ... 

The increasing restrictions is something else again - a more or less concerted effort to get rid of a habit widely seen as antisocial, in the face of some strong political resistance. A similar attempt re: guns is failing to take hold, south of the border.

Gradually, the anti-smoking types are winning, as popular consensus swings against smoking. The fewer smoke, the easier it will get to pass anti-smoking legislation, and the weaker the political resistance will be - and the less will the majority tolerate smoking.

[garbon]

I don't mind the secondhand smoke that much since my parents were chain smokers when I was a kid (both have finally quit smoking altogether... it took my dad suffering a collapsed lung to finally stop).

I mainly mind it in mornings...and I guess when I think about how it is increasing my chances of cancer.  Despite restrictions here, I actually think I know more smokers in NYC then I knew in SF...which is also odd as I don't think I've had a cigarette here in New York.

[CountDeMoney]

Seems pretty obvious that the laws are going to gradually tighten up until cigarette smoking is illegal period.

they've been saying that for 30 years in Canada, you know.  It still hasn't happenned.

Thirty years ago, you could smoke pretty well everywhere, and people did. There were ashtrays in offce building elevators. There were smoking sections in restaurants.

And planes!

My mother remembers being able to smoke at the nurse's stations in hospitals.

[crazy canuck]

As someone who has a lung disease likely caused by inhaling second hand smoke I am all for public restrictions on smoking and a ban on smoking around children.

I am also for a ban on smoking in public because whenever I go near someone smoking on the street it makes my lungs go nuts.  But I can understand why this woudn't be a major factor for everyone.

[Maximus]

Well I think at this point, only the sidewalks are left in New York. Banned indoors where people work and in parks.

Sidewalks are still pretty public. You could argue they're the most public places of all.

It is quite common, and very reasonable, to restrict actions harmful to public health in public places.

[garbon]

Well I think at this point, only the sidewalks are left in New York. Banned indoors where people work and in parks.

Sidewalks are still pretty public. You could argue they're the most public places of all.

It is quite common, and very reasonable, to restrict actions harmful to public health in public places.

I mean, damn son, parks were only fairly recent. Change takes time if you don't want a backlash.

Also the park thing changes a lot in New York as there are actually a lot of parks that one walks through as short cuts. At my old job, I had to walk around the park with a co-worker so she wouldn't get fined.

[Gups]

I'm so glad I quit smoking for an electronic cig two years ago. Guilt free, stink free nicotine addiction ftw

[The Brain]

Most restaurants around me don't have smoking sections at all.... meaning you can smoke wherever you like.

What about the risk of explosion?

[MadImmortalMan]

NYC is a couple hours' drive from like seven different states. That's got to blunt the effect of things like this. Not like if it were Denver.

[garbon]

NYC is a couple hours' drive from like seven different states. That's got to blunt the effect of things like this. Not like if it were Denver.

I'm not sure how many teens in New York are going to be driving around to buy cigs.

Also, I don't know how you drive but from my experience, 2 hours can only get you to PA, NJ or CT.

[derspiess]

NYC is a couple hours' drive from like seven different states. That's got to blunt the effect of things like this. Not like if it were Denver.

I'm not sure how many teens in New York are going to be driving around to buy cigs.

Also, I don't know how you drive but from my experience, 2 hours can only get you to PA, NJ or CT.

I got there from DE in just over two hours.

[garbon]

NYC is a couple hours' drive from like seven different states. That's got to blunt the effect of things like this. Not like if it were Denver.

I'm not sure how many teens in New York are going to be driving around to buy cigs.

Also, I don't know how you drive but from my experience, 2 hours can only get you to PA, NJ or CT.

I got there from DE in just over two hours.

Ah I forgot about that piece of Delaware snaking up. Alright point conceded.  Though I think it is about as fair a comment as saying you won't get much more in tax if you increase taxes on cigs in the city because people can travel to buy them elsewhere. While I've been with smokers who bought cheaper cigs down in southern Jersey, those purchases don't account for most of their cigarette purchases.