SMOKE-FREE CALABASAS?

The city of Calabasas, CA has approved one of the strictest bans on public smoking in the country. According to the new ordinance, smoking is not allowed even outdoors if other people are in the area. The rationale behind the ban is to safekeep locals from the health hazards associated with secondhand smoking.

I am 100% opposed to this ordinance. Actually, make that 200%. As a non-smoker, I find this ban invasive, patronizing, and even unconstitutional. This is ridiculous.

When businesses were made to ban smoking (pubs, restaurants etc), I thought: "ok, I don't really agree with it, but at least I can understand it". This one is beyond my comprehension, though. We are talking about sidewalks, parks, public benches in open air. And I suppose in such locales the health hazards of secondhand smoking would have a lot to do with the direction of the wind, right?

Personally, I am of the opinion that if people do not want to stand near a smoker, they don't have to; they can walk away. I'd think the beach is big enough, no? It is really stressful to see that more and more people are releasing themselves from responsibility over their own lives and placing it on someone else and/or other outside agents. My previous post - the one about the Kellogg's and Nickelodeon lawsuit - is another example of that.

It is comforting to know that quite a few Calabasas residents who are non-smokers disagree with the ordinance. I do hope that is a sign for the people behind it that this time they just went too far.