Ballad of the Sad Cafes

well if you want to kill yourself please get a gun, put it to your temple and pull the trigger. save the rest of us the time and expense when you all start to die of lung cancer and other related problems that then drive up my healthcare costs. thanks!

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Funny, I guess Newsweek blog police didn't like the way things were going so they just deleted all the comments.
You all must be supporters of the Fairness Doctrine as well......

A brilliant although sad article. I am from London but live in Barcelona and have spend many memorable weekends in France. Its going to be difficult to ever win a discussion in favour of smoking even though its the norm for those of us who grew up in Europe but I don't think that is what this touching article is about. For me this article says: we know that smoking is not good for us, but take it away from an environment where it is a firm part of the culture and the whole appeal of the environment will also die. That is what has happened in Paris, and I too think that it is a damn shame.

It should be as simple as the owners of any establishment have their own rules for smoking or not. If you don't like them you simply go somewhere else. I am sick and tired of those people pushing their rights off on me. The anti-smoking ban is killing off small business owners or bars and restaraunts alike. If someone wants to have their business non smoking that would be their perogative also. Let the individuals choose instead of pushing your righteous views off on all of us that don't agree. It's simply government folding up to the special interest groups thinking it's the politically correct thing to do. Just sickening..... look around people this world is screwed up and you have nobody to thank other than your miserable politicians and special interests.

As a nonsmoker and a son who has lost a father and a mother-in-law to smoking I welcome the new laws. I am so tired of smokers who say there right to smoke overshadow your rights not to breath there filth. And should we mention there rigth to throw there filthy butts everywhere.....I live in Kentucky who leads the country in the number of smoking related deaths, over a 100000 a year. Think of the cost money wise and the pain and suffering of those who have lost loved ones. My wife still has not recovered from losing her Mother. The smoking ban dosen't go far enough, should be a ban on smoking outside tge dorrs of all building, as nonsmoker have got to walk thru the cloud of filth to enter building.

Smokers no longer get the choice to harm others, that was obviously a long time coming!! The way it was before was wrong and now things are right. And as for people that fought in world war two did not fight for smokers, LOL! Smoking was OK because they had no clue of the effects such as eventually looking like someone that's been sitting in the sun all their lives. I like that people have the choice to go to restaurants and bars now without smelling like a cigarette so maybe it was the smokers making the choices for all this time and the non smokers did not get a choice! I've smoked for a long time and have never liked sitting in any smoke. I voted to ban smoking in public places in my home town in AK. People that cry over not being able to smoke indoors with our children and non-smokers are in my opinion trailer trash and I always see them diving around with their windows up with their toddlers in the back seat. SO SAD!!!!!! Oh by the way took chantix to quit smoking and it works even if you don't want too quit. On week 7 of no smoking woooo hoooo i'm free!!!!!!!

As a nonsmoker and a son who has lost a father and a mother-in-law to smoking I welcome the new laws. I am so tired of smokers who say there right to smoke overshadow your rights not to breath there filth. And should we mention there rigth to throw there filthy butts everywhere.....I live in Kentucky who leads the country in the number of smoking related deaths, over a 100000 a year. Think of the cost money wise and the pain and suffering of those who have lost loved ones. My wife still has not recovered from losing her Mother. The smoking ban dosen't go far enough, should be a ban on smoking outside tge dorrs of all building, as nonsmoker have got to walk thru the cloud of filth to enter building.

WOW, CATON STREET TRADING COMPANY goes off on someone for being another stupid American yet is perpetuating the loud and obnoxious American stereotype with all his yelling.

Bravo!

Smokers no longer get the choice to harm others, that was obviously a long time coming!! The way it was before was wrong and now things are right. And as for people that fought in world war two did not fight for smokers, LOL! Smoking was OK because they had no clue of the effects such as eventually looking like someone that's been sitting in the sun all their lives. I like that people have the choice to go to restaurants and bars now without smelling like a cigarette so maybe it was the smokers making the choices for all this time and the non smokers did not get a choice! I've smoked for a long time and have never liked sitting in any smoke. I voted to ban smoking in public places in my home town in AK. People that cry over not being able to smoke indoors with our children and non-smokers are in my opinion trailer trash and I always see them diving around with their windows up with their toddlers in the back seat. SO SAD!!!!!! Oh by the way took chantix to quit smoking and it works even if you don't want too quit. On week 7 of no smoking woooo hoooo i'm free!!!!!!!

I've always tell non-smokers "I.ll smoke 20 cigarettes to your 20 drinks (of Choice) Let's see WHO get's home safe?

Not really sure how you come up with smokers having higher cancer rates. Check your facts. Number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers is from RADON gas. Number one cause of death in white males is from heart attacks due to high blood pressure and high cholesteral. Always remember the best government is the one that governs the least.

The time has long since passed when those of us who have been sitting in smoky bars enjoying our freedom should have been organizing and fighting against the freedom haters. Little by little we have allowed minor infringemnts on our freedoms "for the good of society" or "to increase safety" or "to protect the children" or "to reduce costs" or "to manage risks". Well once all the risks are properly managed, and the government regulates all behavior, there will be no more smoky bars to sit in and enjoy those freedoms we all love so much. It is time to band together and speak with a unified voice to BOTH political parties. NO MORE. We will NOT trade freedom for security! We love a free market society where people are free to take risks, and either fail or be rewarded. We want to be free to hurt ourselves, and we want to be held accountable IF and ONLY IF we hurt others directly. Band together brothers, because it won't be long before we won't have the option to.

What did you do Newsweek? Turn off the discussion? Delete entries? That's "American" of you....

Smokers no longer get the choice to harm others, that was obviously a long time coming!! The way it was before was wrong and now things are right. And as for people that fought in world war two did not fight for smokers, LOL! Smoking was OK because they had no clue of the effects such as eventually looking like someone that's been sitting in the sun all their lives. I like that people have the choice to go to restaurants and bars now without smelling like a cigarette so maybe it was the smokers making the choices for all this time and the non smokers did not get a choice! I've smoked for a long time and have never liked sitting in any smoke. I voted to ban smoking in public places in my home town in AK. People that cry over not being able to smoke indoors with our children and non-smokers are in my opinion trailer trash and I always see them diving around with their windows up with their toddlers in the back seat. SO SAD!!!!!! Oh by the way took chantix to quit smoking and it works even if you don't want too quit. On week 7 of no smoking woooo hoooo i'm free!!!!!!!

Smokers no longer get the choice to harm others, that was obviously a long time coming!! The way it was before was wrong and now things are right. And as for people that fought in world war two did not fight for smokers, LOL! Smoking was OK because they had no clue of the effects such as eventually looking like someone that's been sitting in the sun all their lives. I like that people have the choice to go to restaurants and bars now without smelling like a cigarette so maybe it was the smokers making the choices for all this time and the non smokers did not get a choice! I've smoked for a long time and have never liked sitting in any smoke. I voted to ban smoking in public places in my home town in AK. People that cry over not being able to smoke indoors with our children and non-smokers are in my opinion trailer trash and I always see them diving around with their windows up with their toddlers in the back seat. SO SAD!!!!!! Oh by the way took chantix to quit smoking and it works even if you don't want too quit. On week 7 of no smoking woooo hoooo i'm free!!!!!!!

everytime there is an accedent on the hYWAY OR A SHOOTING OR robery assault/battery domestic assault
change the reason to smoking " teenager kill in car accident Police suspect SMOKING as cause" Man shoots wife to death Police suspect SMOKING as cause" Two people shoot Police say cigerettes involved" Traffic backed up for hours on Expressway due to Smokers "Police checkpoints nab 30 SMOKERS Meth heads say smoking cigs to blame for addiction " Plane crashes with 123 people on board Smoking to Blame ? two men got into a fight after smoking cigarettes all night? Just add Smoking to every news story and than find the real cause for ALL the Troubles

I agree that our individual freedoms are being eroded by those who, in most other areas, tout freedom for all. I am not a smoker, but if there is a place that allows smoking I will chose to do there or not - my call. If there are enough people that do not like the smoking in an establishment, that place will close because they cannot support the business. If there are enough people that desire to smoke there, or don't care, then they will stay in business. Why does there need to be a law to protect me from myself? I don't need a babysitter-government. They should mind their business (national security and providing for those that can't) and leave my business alone.