Edgewood Bans Smoking
Edgewood recently made it illegal (municipally speaking) to smoke in and around public buildings. The Town Council in deadlock required a tie-breaking vote from Mayor Bob Stearley to pass the ban. The ban restricts smoking outside these public places "within a reasonable distance deemed by the business owner." There were, of course, people on both sides of this issue, and most of those against were of course speaking of issues involving government control and personal freedoms. Those for were taking the usual "what about the children" line.
I've never smoked. I don't recommend you start smoking. I recommend you quit if you do. But even then, I think this is a little extreme. Most smokers today are even a little embarrassed that they smoke and DO tend to try and go outside and keep it away from non-smokers. If a business owner doesn't want smoking in her building, I say fine. If a landlord doesn't want smoking in his building, even the space leased by his tenants, fine. But I think restricting it outside the building is silly.
And yes, I care about your kids too.
I've never smoked. I don't recommend you start smoking. I recommend you quit if you do. But even then, I think this is a little extreme. Most smokers today are even a little embarrassed that they smoke and DO tend to try and go outside and keep it away from non-smokers. If a business owner doesn't want smoking in her building, I say fine. If a landlord doesn't want smoking in his building, even the space leased by his tenants, fine. But I think restricting it outside the building is silly.
And yes, I care about your kids too.
