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Originally Posted by Coats
You're not seriously arguing that smokey (whether it be of cigarettes or not) conditions are not hazardous to health are you?
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Smoking is hazardous to a smoker's health. Smoking is not hazardous to a non-smoker's health in conditions where said non-smoker is not exposed to a significant amount of smoke. These are facts, not opinions. The issue up for debate, then, is how much constitutes a significant amount. Frankly, I'm not 100% sure where to draw the line, but unless you're deathly allergic to tobacco smoke I think it's safe to say that 1 or 2 lungfuls aint it.
I am currently 24 years old. If I don't resume smoking, the chances of it having any long-term negative impact on my health is exceedingly small. I am reasonably certain that I have inhaled more smoke over the past five years than most non-smokers will in a lifetime of walking past smokers in the street and I wasn't even a particularly heavy smoker.
If you read everything I've written in this thread carefully, you'll find that I'm not opposed to smoking bans in public indoor places. If it's an area that smokers share with other people, then sure you have a point. On the other hand, tobacco smoke is not a significant pollutant out of doors. If you're bothered by smoke and smog in the street, you need to go after cars first.
As an aside, if you address a post to me, (by prefacing it with my name, for example, as in "I respect your opinion Martian...") I'm going to assume it's addressed to me unless or until noted otherwise. This is, I think, standard forum practice.