http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-12-28-smoking-limits_x.htm
This article speaks of new smoking limits in 39% of all places and that studies have shown that places with smoking bans have not suffered losses in the hospitality business. I know that this is a sensitive subject, but I work in an industry that has an unusually high proportion of smokers and, most of these smokers live in areas with the most stringent smoking bans. For example, most of the people I work with in CA smoke. What is even more strange, they don't seem to mind the smoking ban laws.
This issue was on my mind heavily last week when I attended the funeral of a close friend who died of lung cancer after a long battle. He had his son read a statement at his funeral about smoking. No, he didn't preach about smoking. He didn't want anyone to feel sorry for him. He didn't want anyone to blame the tobbacco companies. His statement said that he chose to smoke of his own free will. Nobody forced him. However, if he had life to do all to do over again, he wouldn't smoke. But, he wouldn't smoke for a reason that most people think.
In his statement, he said that he wouldn't smoke if he had it all over again not because of all of the suffering he endured, but because of all of the people he loved, and who loved him, that he left behind because of what he described as a selfish choice. He had a wife, children, and grand children that he would not get to see for the length of time that the average person would. His choice to smoke shortened this time. He wanted to be able to retire and travel, enjoy life, with his family and friends. Because of his desire to satisfy his personal desires, he was not going to be able to do all of that. In retrospect, he simply said that the trade off wasn't worth the selfish satisfaction (his words). He died at 67 years of age.
This article speaks of new smoking limits in 39% of all places and that studies have shown that places with smoking bans have not suffered losses in the hospitality business. I know that this is a sensitive subject, but I work in an industry that has an unusually high proportion of smokers and, most of these smokers live in areas with the most stringent smoking bans. For example, most of the people I work with in CA smoke. What is even more strange, they don't seem to mind the smoking ban laws.
This issue was on my mind heavily last week when I attended the funeral of a close friend who died of lung cancer after a long battle. He had his son read a statement at his funeral about smoking. No, he didn't preach about smoking. He didn't want anyone to feel sorry for him. He didn't want anyone to blame the tobbacco companies. His statement said that he chose to smoke of his own free will. Nobody forced him. However, if he had life to do all to do over again, he wouldn't smoke. But, he wouldn't smoke for a reason that most people think.
In his statement, he said that he wouldn't smoke if he had it all over again not because of all of the suffering he endured, but because of all of the people he loved, and who loved him, that he left behind because of what he described as a selfish choice. He had a wife, children, and grand children that he would not get to see for the length of time that the average person would. His choice to smoke shortened this time. He wanted to be able to retire and travel, enjoy life, with his family and friends. Because of his desire to satisfy his personal desires, he was not going to be able to do all of that. In retrospect, he simply said that the trade off wasn't worth the selfish satisfaction (his words). He died at 67 years of age.