In Boulder, Colorado, there is a ban on smoking in all public places. The Denver city council was considering this about the time I moved. Here in Washington DC, where I now live, the city council passed a law that will go into effect on 1/1/07 banning smoking in all restaurants and bars, with the exception of smoking bars.

 

I'm a nonsmoker, so it really doesn't matter to me, but my friends are all smokers, and a lot of folks are up in arms about this. As far as I am concerned, if I don't like the smell of smoke (and I don't), I can go elesewhere else. Usually, if my friends light up in my presence, I'll ask them if they don't mind holding off on the cig for a bit. They usually don't mind.

 

What gets to me is the legislation being discussed, and sure to pass here in DC, that would make cigarette papers illegal. The reason for this is that many folks use papers to roll joints instead of cigarettes. They're looking at making cigar papers illegal too, as lots of folks smoke blunts. In fact, the "paraphrenalia (sp?) ban" includes lots of things that are innocuous, but have been used to facilitate drug use. I don't agree because there are people who still roll their own cigarettes and cigars. Heck, with a pack of squares going for $6 a pack here, it's no wonder if people are rolling their own! Who knows, people may actually be using that other "paraphrenalia" for its original, intended use, which has nothing to do with drugs.

 

Don't get me wrong, I am not referring to items made expressly for drug use. Those items should be made illegal. I just don't think its right to include items for legal stuff in the sweep. That is, unless the city council intends to make cigarettes, steel wool, tweezers, and razors, among other things, illegal. Of course, Washington, DC, like many other places, has so many incidents of violent crimes related to drugs and drug use, that the hotter heads will prevail, I'm sure.

I support the smoking ban. Here in NY its a state wide law not to smoke in public places period. I hated it when I would leave the malls and I get a huge puff of smoke in my face and the guy smoking doesnt even say sorry. At the college I attended students were allowed to smoke anywhere outside but then last year they made only certain spots outside smoking areas which was a great idea in my view.