Is that what smokers want?

Our news item for today is from Arkansas and is being reported in by the AP/Forbes – “Gov. Mike Beebe will attempt to repeal a sales tax break for truckers if a proposed diesel tax increase meant to pay for the break isn’t approved. The tax break and diesel tax hike were parts of a deal reached by the Arkansas trucking lobby and state lawmakers earlier this year. Lawmakers approved the tax break in exchange for the Arkansas Trucking Association’s promise to lobby for a 5-cent diesel tax hike to pay for highway repairs.” For complete details go to: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/06/22/general-ar-arkansas-highways_8529147.html

Let’s talk about cigarette smoking. I think we’ve all seen the yellow flag with the alert coiled snake with the words – Don’t Tread On Me. I even thought of getting a tattoo of that on my arm. Many Tea Party members display the flag. I firmly believe “our” government has gone too far in their quest to control how we live our lives. Being off the road for a couple of months, this “control” is worse than I thought – we all feel like we’re walking around with a steel ball and chain locked onto one leg. It represents what “our” government will “allow” us to do and not do. I love my country and our democracy, but I will fight every and all attempts by anyone who tells me how I should live my life. Many say read the Constitution for evidence of the “overreach” of “our” government. As long as you’re not hurting anyone else, you should do what you want, right?

BUT, I am very “conflicted” when it comes to the issue of smoking. I want folks to have the right to smoke. BUT, quite honestly, I don’t want smoking anywhere around or near me. This is an emotional issue for the entire country. I thought truckers smoke more than everybody else. They don’t. It seems there are more people smoking than ever before. I know we’re all under a great deal of stress, but despite the $45 cost of a carton of cigarettes, I see no less sales of this very dangerous product.

There is this other corporate blog that I read. Via social media, the company announced a significant change in their smoking policy. The blog typically receives 15-35 comments per post. The smoking issue garnered over 350+ responses from readers. Their Facebook page got 14,000 hits. Basically, smokers want to smoke whenever and wherever they want and non-smokers don’t want to put up with any of it. I find smokers arrogant, selfish and unfortunate to say, ignorant.

The bans on smoking are growing worldwide. It exists in NYC and now even Texas is trying to stop it in public places. Yesterday, as reported in The New York Times, “Federal health officials released their final selection of nine graphic warning labels to cover the top half of cigarette packages beginning next year, over the opposition of tobacco manufacturers. Health advocacy groups praised the government plan in the hope that images would shock and deter new smokers and motivate existing smokers to quit. The images are to cover the upper half of the front and back of cigarette packages produced after September 2012, as well as 20 percent of the space in cigarette advertisements.”

I don’t think this will stop smoking anymore than the large bold warnings that have been on the boxes for decades. This is an addiction. As I just said, this is an arrogance, a selfishness and an ignorance that perhaps is a sign of our times, where people respecting each other is at an all time low point. As I also said, I personally am conflicted over the issue. You should be able to do what you want to do. Perhaps the difference here is that when you stand next to me and light up, you then interfere with my rights to enjoy clean air. I say smoke in your house, in your truck, without your kids around to breathe in the smoke and keep doing it as long  as it doesn’t bother anyone else.

What more can be said on the subject? You either want to smoke or you don’t. You either want it in your face or you don’t. You want to go to  bar or a casino and smoke or want to drink and gamble without the distraction of cigarettes. You want to go the beach and smoke – but what about the people next to you? Do smokers realize that a non-smoker can smell the odor when two trucks are parked next to each other in a truck stop, sorry, travel plaza? A neighbor of mine just went on a cruise. She was upgraded to a balcony. When she went out to enjoy the fresh sea air, the people on the balcony next store, constantly smoked. That part of the her vacation was ruined for her. Is that what smokers want?

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