Let me get this down right, only people that own their own houses should be able to smoke?

Actually I think a person should be able to smoke in thier car aswell as thier house. thats it! its disgusting, and me breathing in your cancer is not your right. EVER move to vegas if you want to smoke during breakfast at denny's

I think I've eaten at that Denny's in Vegas. There is nothing like the smell of a grand slam intermixed with cigarette smoke...

I guess the basic idea behind this law is that no one should be subjected to something that is considered dangerous such as second hand smoke in public.

I never thought about it until I stood in line at the movies or a football game and was subjected to people smoking. Technically, I think non-smokers are being pretty tolerant of people who smoke close to them and put both of their health at risk.

I thought high schools were smoke free locations!

By the way, how many people really get sick from second hand smoke every year? Are campefires just as dangerous? I am sure those s'mores aren't FDA approved.

Catch the real criminals, not the smokers.

Does a person have a consituitonal right to smoke?

Does a person have a constitutional right to breath clean, smoke free air?

Your rights stop where my rights start. Do I have the right to swing my arms all around me when ever I want, where ever i want? what if your face gets in the way? Could I say, "too bad, you cant stop my rights to swing my arms freely"

I dont care about the research of how many people died or not due to 2nd hand smoke. I cant stand the smell of smoke, it ruins my day. And you dont have the right to ruin my day,

I think we should ban smoking in the City because smokers don't seem to think their cig butts are trash, so they throw them everywhere! I can't tell you how sick I am of watching smokers throw lit cigs outa their car windows!

Hank:

I hear ya, but is it really enforceable?

Second, others have said go after real criminals, not smokers. Since police time is a scarce commodity wouldn't it be more appropriate to have them spending their time on other criminal activity? What would you say to them?

While this may sound good on paper or in the paper, is it really attainable to have a smoke free community?

Blough,
So if a smoker throws his lit but out a car window and it starts a fire that kills people that is okay? How do you know which lit butt will start that deadly fire? If you don't want cops enforcing the law then lets get ridda a bunch of them laws.

Hank:

What you are talking about is arson and since arson is a felony, of course I would want enforcement and justice. Second, if someone were to die during an arson, the perpetrator, I believe, would be eligible for the murder/felony rule in the state of California. That is, in the act of a felony, someone died.

What I'm writing about is smoking in public places and whether there should be a ban on it?

If you support a ban, how much enforcement resources would you support going to enforce it?

Blough,
Since smokers have proven that they cannot self-regulate there should be maximum enforcement! I think it is a real crime to throw burning objects out of car windows and to smoke in a closed car with children. Not to mention that those of us that do not smoke pay twice the medical premiums due to those that do! I think we also need to ask why Simi has fallen so far down on the safest City list? Is the City Council not giving them what they need to enforce the law? What is happening to our once safe City?!

Hank:

You're painting with a pretty broad brush. I know many smokers who self-regulate, especially when kids are around. Should I say all Hank's hate smokers because you do?

Blough,
Yes you should. I have met many other Hanks in my life and we all feel the same way about smoking. Are you really saying it is okay to throw burning objects out of car windows?!

I hate smokers also.

My list:

1. Al Queda
2. OJ Simpson
3. Paris Hilton
4. Smokers
5. When people forget to use their turn signals.

If OJ and Paris joined Al Queda and drive together smoking while throwing cigarettes from their car but didn't use their turn signal I would explode in a fury stronger than 9 suns. Or at least 8 small suns.

Hank:

You must not have read my previous post. What do you think I met when I said this?

"What you are talking about is arson and since arson is a felony, of course I would want enforcement and justice."

Your question is a no brainer and I can only conclude that your joking around with me.

Blough,
Yes, I'm joking around with you a litte. But seriously, it seems everyday I see a smoker throwing a lit butt out of their car. Or I see them stop before going into a store, drop the butt and stomp it and leave it. Go to the beach and everywhere on the sand are butts. Don't you agree something needs to be done?

Real Hank:

I recently took a look at what was on the books in Simi Valley with the online municipal code. They have serious limitations on public place smoking already, just not an outright ban.

However, like most things such as this, it's tough to enforce.

It's kind of like outlawing someone from disposing of gum by throwing it on the ground or rules about picking up dog poop at the park.

I can't tell you how many times I've stepped in both.

What would you propose? A really strong fine? For those that throw them out of their car: having their car seized?

Maybe, car seizure would do the trick like with the City of Simi's new racing ordinance.

What is the current policy as far as the parks go?

Can people smoke on the playgrounds? Next to them?

Also, can people smoke at local sporting events?

Great question.

I recently visited Rancho Park on Royal/Erringer to find out an answer to that question. I spoke with some park officials and they told me, current state law prohibits smoking near playgrounds, but not in the whole park.

There may be some movement on that prohibition in the coming term to include the whole park or target specific parks that have a broad groups of people, but in what form is still up in the air, excuse the pun.

In terms of local sporting events, I'm not so sure a parent/spectator couldn't smoke at the baseball fields or at their kid's soccer games as it is in the open air.

The city of Simi has an ordinance, but it's focus is on enclosed public places.

Blough,
Yeah you're right. To hard to enforce so let's just look the other way.

C'mon,

Your rolling over that easy.

I'm consdering going Thursday night to Parks and Rec to talk about banning smoking in parks. It sounds like they are already thinking about it, so I figure I'll go add my two cents and see where it goes.

It can't hurt to ask...

Hello Everyone,
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Scott,

This is my favorite entry that you have written.

Funny after all of these years and it remains important.