[Max McGarrity]

LETTERS POLICY: We welcome and encourage letters from readers. Letters can be mailed to Viewpoints, C/O Houston Chronicle, P.O. Box 4260, Houston, Texas 77210. Letters may also be sent by e-mail to viewpoints@chron.com or by fax to 713-220-3575. Letters must include the name, address and telephone numbers for verification purposes only. All letters are subject to editing.

NEW OUTLOOK ADDRESS: Readers interested in expressing their opinions and views in Outlook may now send essays to our new e-mail address outlook@chron.com. Op-ed pieces can still be submitted by fax at 713-220-3575 or by regular mail to the Houston Chronicle, P.O. Box 4260, 77210, attention Outlook Editor.

[SunStar]

Outdoor smoking in urban areas must be restricted to specific, out-of-the-way locations.

Yuck Fou.

[angkor]

What an hysterical wuss this guy is.

[Dan from Michigan]

How about we ban the public health lobbies....

This guy is an pure jackass.

[da_toolman]

If you don't want to breathe second hand smoke, get an SCBA device. What about all the other pollutants in the air that you breathe?

I should point out that I DO NOT smoke. I chew Copenhagen on occasion... wonder what his response to a face full of dark brown spit would be... 8^)

[monday]

"Not only is the smell of cigarettes atrocious to nonsmokers, causing red eyes and sore throats"

This guys breath is atrocious to me. I have red eyes and a sore throat and I am certain that his breath is the reason. I can smell it from here.

I believe we need to enact legislation restricting his right to breath.

His breath truely is offensive, and I sincerely belive we could all live happier, more productive lives if he were restricted to certain specially designated breathing rooms which were sealed from the public.

[razorback-bert]

Some of us knew this was coming, no surprise to me.

Banning smoking without banning tobacco has been the smoking nazis' plan along.

[lawdude]

"EVEN with the laws currently in place, all too often I find myself unable to avoid cigarette smoke. These situations anger me. Not only is the smell of cigarettes atrocious to nonsmokers, causing red eyes and sore throats, but also second-hand smoke has been established as a cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. "

Some of the most untruthful BS I have ever seen.

1) I am a non-smoker and do not find the smell of cigarettes atrocious.
2) Second hand smoke in small amounts does NOT cause red eyes and sore throats (to me).
3) I have yet to see any documented scientific data to show smoke has been established as a cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers.

This line of pure lie BS establishes that the credibility of the entire post to be fantasy!

[zoyd]

and sidewalks in urban areas. This last situation needs special attention. In urban areas throughout the country, there exists a great deal of pedestrian traffic confined to narrow sidewalks. These crowded sidewalks are confined environments surrounded by tall buildings that are no different from the insides of office buildings and airplanes. The cigarette smoke has no place to escape. People have no other option -- they must routinely use these sidewalks to arrive at their destinations. These constricted sidewalks are pathways of dense and unrelenting cigarette smoke left by one smoker after another traveling along these routes. Outdoor smoking in urban areas must be restricted to specific, out-of-the-way locations.

Sheesh. Melodramatic paternalist.

[Fzob]

These crowded sidewalks are confined environments surrounded by tall buildings that are no different from the insides of office buildings and airplanes.

Except one is outside and one is inside.

Ex-smoker here that can't stand the smell of smoke, but I recognize that you have a right to smoke'em if you want. All I ask is that you be polite about sharing your filty disgusting habit.

This guy is a nutcase.

[Bella_Bru]

I say we go find this guy, tie him to a chair and have 10 smokers surround him, blowing smoke in his face.

[Free State Four]

Smokers must simply smoke in specific locations.

And I suppose your specific location would be Antartica?

I am offended and suffer life-threatening health issues because of the fumes from your Metro Geo, your airconditioner, your furnace and the environmentally offensive miasma created by your fondue pot. Bite me. fsf (And I don't smoke.)

[Orion78]

Just wait till these Commie-Leftist parasites kill off the Tobacco companies and start looking for the next host..

[Dr. Frank fan]

Not only is the smell of cigarettes atrocious to nonsmokers, causing red eyes and sore throats,

I had to stop right here. Apparently he thinks he speaks for all nonsmokers, everywhere.

I don't smoke, but I happen to kinda like the smell of cigarette smoke, if diffuse. Of course if I go to a casino or a rock concert or other place with lots of smoke then I get adverse effects.... but I know that going in. If I can't take it then I won't go.

This guy seems to be a big whiner.

[Nov3]

I hate smelly people's nasty cigarette smoke also. Cigars don't bother me. But I look at the bright side. They are killing themselves. I just wish I didn't have to pay for it

(:^))

[mfreddy]

The thing that annoys me the most is that our government continues to increase taxes and permit lawsuits when they are profiting off the sales. If smoking is such a danger then the government needs to outlaw tobacco. Bet they won't, because they won't do without the revenue.

[tbg681]

Me thinks this "guy" also sits down to take a leak.

"53,000 people are killed every year...blah, blah, blah".

Folks, now we're getting into Stalinist Big Lie territory (no surprise there).

Here's a question: What causes "society" more grief (and money)?

A 17 y/o who becomes a lifetime smoker (and probably a long life at that)?

...or...

A 17 y/o who starts engaging in a lifetime of "unprotected" homosexual anal intercourse (and probably a short life at that)?

Maybe we should start taxing and making criminals out of gay guys -- don't laugh.

BTW -- I don't smoke, but like any NORMAL person, I don't care if you do. ;-)

[Great Dane]

Mathmatics department, he cant add up simple numbers, pity his students-to be.

[Darheel]

'All these illnesses bring high medical costs, too'

Breast cancer. Smoking causes it? No, because cancer is genetic(nature's way of telling environmentalists to get lost for good) Who pays? Us.

Aids. Who pays? Us. Why? Why should we? Where's the Aids tax?

[Polonius]

I'll light a cigar in his honor.