Monday, March 3, 2008

Butt Out Iowa Legislators!!!

By Coy Logan


Oh my gosh, you have got to be kidding me! They seriously want to pass a law to tell us we can't smoke in public places. Well, that is not what is actually bothering me about the whole thing. It is actually the fact that they raised our cigarette prices, so now I'm paying $6.00 per pack and I can't smoke em. This is ridiculous.

I'm already can tell you that when I go to the casino (Prairie Meadows) instead of spending $300 per visit, I'm going to spend $20 since I'll have to leave the property all together to smoke. Don't you know that is such an inconvenience? The smoking section in the casino is completely separate from the non-smoking section. We don't bother the non-smokers and they don't bother us. So, do you honestly think I'm going to call a floor attendant to hold my machine while I go have a half-an-hour smoke break? NO! I might as well leave. I'm not going to spend my money somewhere I can't relax.

If you guys are trying to get me to stop gambling and save my money for my carton of cigarettes, thank you. First of all, at the casino there are only adults. Who are we influencing to smoke at the casino? If the kids are there to see the races they aren't supposed to be on the Casino floor anyways. Next thing you know, I won't be able to go on my back porch to light a cigarette. Oh wait, will that still be legal?

I can't believe that they are treating us smokers like second hand citizens. Get it? We bowed down and paid the extra taxes on our cigarettes. I agree that it's polluting the air and affecting others but so is smog in California. Are we going to shut down all the companies that pollute our air, which is killing the ozone layer? No. That's where the dollar bills are. How can you tell me what to do so easily and where to do it at? Where are my rights? Why do I feel as though you are spending more time giving us a hard time than illegal immigrants in Iowa. A couple of years ago my mom's car was totalled and she was injured by an illegal immigrant who was driving with no insurance and no license. If you put this much effort into something worth the while then I would support it. There's repeat offenders out there that are still raping, robbing, embezzling and stealing. Of course, we as a state have no time to deal with those not so serious problems. But we need to crusade against the SMOKERS. Am I not an Iowan too? Am I not an American? When you cut me don't I bleed? And when I bleed isn't it red just like yours? I feel offended that I would even feel as though my freedom will change so drastically. I am not able to go to the casino for long periods of time any longer because I can't smoke there. Now what? I already couldn't go to some restaurants.

There's no chance that my $13,000 a year to the casino is going to continue. I will be honest with you my fellow Iowans. Those nice new schools that were built and those nice new freeways...that's all over. You are not getting my contribution any longer. It's already bad when you can't win at the casino, now I can't smoke to calm my nerves because I gave up $13,000 for the better cause. Well, where's my cause?

EDITOR'S NOTE: So what do you think? Does Coy have a point? Or is she off base? Post a comment.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

To start with I am not a resident of IOWA,I dont even leave in the US,am leaving across the Atlantic in Nigeria.

However I believe every smoker's right stops where a non-smoker's own begins,how long are we going to tolerate us the ozone layer been depleted because that affects me even in Nigeria and non smokers made passive smokers.

It is an establish fact that smoking either passive or active is a serious health hazard

Coy I believe you can still enjoy your smoke within the confine of your home,the legislators are saying let's reduce the risk to others,me think that's fair enough.

Olasunkanmi Atoyebi

desmoinesdem said...

I think the idea behind the law is to protect workers from having to breathe second-hand smoke during their whole shift. If you wait tables or tend bar in a smoky restaurant for eight hours, five days a week, the risks to your health are real.

You will still be able to smoke in your own home, don't worry.

noneed4thneed said...

Maybe you should try to quit smoking.