#057 Smoking (Outside of Buildings)

A little over a year ago, the state in which I live placed a ban on smoking inside restaurants, bars and businesses. I honestly can't be more happy about this law being passed! If you want to smoke, that is your choice... so long as it doesn't affect others who wish not to be affected by it. I mean, you can't completely control where your smoke drifts, right? The least you can do is be as courteous about it as possible, and smoke somewhere that is not going to affect others: the privacy of your car or your home are good examples.

So now that this smoking ban is in effect, smokers feel like their rights are being violated and smoke wherever they can whenever they feel the addiction urge. As a result they end up smoking near the doorways of these restaurants, bars and businesses. Doesn't this kind of defeat the purpose of the law? I mean, when I go to a mall or go see a movie (places where smoking already typically wasn't allowed) I have to walk through a cloud of smoke just to reach the door! This completely disgusts me. The whole point of enacting the law is because "Clean air is fundamental to good health.", so if smokers can't go a few hours without having a cigarette (which is actually pretty sad when you think about it), the least they could do is move to a place that offers privacy from others.

Photo courtesy of my good friend, JC, taken in northern Ontario, Canada. I wish more places had this!