[New York City]Council Seeks New Ban on Smoking by Parents in Cars

The New York Sun ^ | August 15, 2007 | GRACE RAUH

[2ndDivisionVet]

Smokers have already been banned from New York bars and restaurants, and soon they could be prohibited from lighting up in cars carrying minors, an idea giving added fuel to critics who say the city has become a nanny state.

A City Council member of Queens who is chairman of the council's Environmental Protection Committee, James Gennaro, said he is planning to introduce the smoking bill next week.

"I am just seeking every opportunity I can to denormalize smoking and to try to put it out of the reach of kids," Mr. Gennaro said. "I've lost family members to lung cancer and I've seen what happens."

If enacted, smoking in cars with riders under the age of 18 would join a growing list of activities barred by the city, including making too much noise at night, serving trans fats in restaurants, and allowing students to carry cell phones in school.

Mayor Bloomberg, who has spearheaded worldwide anti-tobacco initiatives, used the health risks associated with second-hand smoke to argue for a ban on smoking in bars.

[2ndDivisionVet]

And some people here want Bloomberg's clone (Rudy Giuliani) to be the GOP nominee? Incredible!!

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

So what’s going to happen to all of that tax revenue when these nanny-staters put all of the tobacco companies out of business?

[Paperdoll]

Next thing you know they will be coming around to our homes with smoke sniffing dogs!

[poobear]

Gives a whole new reason for “duck everybody, it’s the cops!”

Or how about, “Mom, give me $20 or I tell the cops you smoked yesterday on the way to soccer practice”.

[Spok]

NYC could be sliding into the darkest pit of hell and the city fathers would still be wringing their hands over second hand smoke. Most politicians have no sense of proportion.

[Ramius]

some people here want Bloomberg's clone (Rudy Giuliani)

I didn't see a part where Rudy banned smoking in NYC. So... why bring him up? Got Rudy on your mind alot on other topics too?

[Weeedley]

I am for this. Kids don’t have a choice as to riding in a car with thoughtless idiot smoking parents; making young lungs breathe fumes is a form of physical abuse.

[microgood]

"I am just seeking every opportunity I can to denormalize smoking and to try to put it out of the reach of kids," Mr. Gennaro said.

Yeah, right, you care about the chillen. Liar.

[johnny7]

So what’s going to happen to all of that tax revenue when these nanny-staters put all of the tobacco companies out of business?

Pay-toilets in every home...

[microgood]

I am for this. Kids don’t have a choice as to riding in a car with thoughtless idiot smoking parents; making young lungs breathe fumes is a form of physical abuse.

You were born in the wrong country. Communist China is really where you belong.

[coloradan]

Demonstrate the harm. The WHO couldn’t, they only found a slight protective effect.

[coloradan]

Tinted windows.

[xcamel]

what part of MYODB don’t you get? I’m sure there are at least 10 things about your lifestyle that some gooberment snoop could twist into “child endangerment” - it’s a mighty slippery slope you’re on.

[ari-freedom]

you are assuming they won’t be able to find other ways to tax us?

[Weeedley]

Ya think? Let me rephrase, if you are the smoker you self identified you are, not much thinking going on there. Who in their right minds can justify blowing smoke in a babies face?

[dsutah]

But R.Giuliani didn’t go that far. Look, I know a lot of people on this site don’t like Giuliani, and don’t want him for president. However, to incinuate that he did things he didn’t yet is unfair, isn’t it?

That said, he did go far enough in some issues to make people dislike him, and I understand why. In some ways, Bloomburg went even further than Giuliani ever did, and this is one of them! He’s going to have a rebellion on his hands if he doesn’t watch out!

Personally, I’d like to know how he is going to enforce this. Put police in everyone’s home and car?

[2ndDivisionVet]

I wasn’t specifically talking about tobacco when I stated that Rudy is Bloomberg’s clone. I meant they’re both gun-grabbing, pro-abortion, pro-homosexual RINO liberals. Does that clarify it for you?

[2ndDivisionVet]

Take a look at Weeedley’s “born on” date. Hmmmmmm....

[ari-freedom]

You are right. they must be bad parents so we should have the government take the kids away and raise them. right?

[HockeyPop]

“Personally, I’d like to know how he is going to enforce this. Put police in everyone’s home and car?”

Its less about a matter of police enforcement than it is about controlling behavior which is the liberals gameplan of diminishing, marginalising and creating pariahs where before they didn’t exist. Mind control.

[HockeyPop]

Now take a look at his shelf life date...

[1Old Pro]

I suspect we would save more children’s lives if we banned abortions.

[Weeedley]

There are plenty of lung cancer cases in lifelong non smokers, who live in a smoke polluted house. Non smokers are 10% of lung cancer patients.

The biggest harm is giving a child a *BIG FAT BAD EXAMPLE* and an have him or her take up smoking to be just like their parents, and they are thus doomed to a horrible coughing their lungs out premature death.

[Americanexpat]

The people of New York City must be some sorry ass indiciduals to put up with this kind of crap.

[microgood]

Ya think? Let me rephrase, if you are the smoker you self identified you are, not much thinking going on there. Who in their right minds can justify blowing smoke in a babies face?

I do not smoke. But my parents were not child abusers. And it is not believable that you care about other people's children.

There are things you do not like and therefore you think you have the right to impose your beliefs on other people. You are what is called an anal retentive control freak, which basically means you never pyschologically matured beyond the age of 12.

[2ndDivisionVet]

What is your place in the hierarchy there at Gracie Mansion? I’m guessing Deputy Assistant Mayor. Am I right?

[microgood]

Take a look at Weeedley’s “born on” date. Hmmmmmm....

Invasion of the trolls.

[Ramius]

[whimper] It’s just so *hard* making choices about things, and so much easier when Mommy tells us what to do.

[Weeedley]

When they were young I spanked their bottoms so they would not be “endangered” by turning out to be out of control brats.

Twist that~~!

[Weeedley]

Nothing that drastic, just put a $10 tax on a pack of cigs, and a $750 fine for putting a kid in a smoky car.

[coloradan]

There are plenty of lung cancer cases in lifelong non smokers, who live in a smoke polluted house. Non smokers are 10% of lung cancer patients.

Lung cancer didn't start with smoking. Show the data. The World Health Organization tried to show the harms of secondhand smoke, and they had to reduce the confidence level from 95% to 90%, and still couldn't get a statistically significant result. (But, that fact didn't keep them from trumpeting the findings to the world.)

Show the data that proves the harm, and then (and only then) let's talk about the lengths the government can legitimately go to act on behalf of children while in the custody of their legal guardians.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I think that you, Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan and Sean Pen would be much more comfortable in Castro’s Cuba or Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela. Just sayin’...

[Old Professer]

It’s going to get tougher, some locations are outlawing all sources of smoke including barbecues, fireplaces, wood stoves, electric grilles unless equipped with smoke scrubbers, candles, incense sticks and fireworks.

Right now these efforts are mostly single focused but soon they will be homogenized.

[Weeedley]

I wouldn’t nor have i ever put a big toe in NYC. It would be the last place i’d every want to visit or live in. Because newyorkers are so arrogant, its a pleasure to see them suffer because of their own proclivities.

[Sue Perkick]

The government should stay out of our business.

If you need a nanny, hire one.

[jurroppi1]

I was wondering when that would come to pass. Do you have a link to a reference where this is occurring? (banning barbecues and such.)

[thedeerhunter]

Second hand smoke is just like the global warming BS we see all the time......there is not one study that can connect second hand smoke to lung cancer ...not one!

Believe what you want but those are the facts.....did Christopher Reeve smoke?....his wife died of lung cancer.

Sitting in traffic with the windows rolled down is more harmful than second hand smoke...as far as bad examples goes...being on welfare is a bad example for your children...eating at mcdonalds is a bad example...typing before thinking is a bad example....maybe we should fine the parents who leave their kids and then go have more with another woman and do not pay child support....probably 25% of the NYC male residents fit this description.

Get your laws out of my private life.....also having a same sex partner could be considered a bad example by some...dont you think?

[vetsvette]

“I am for this. Kids don’t have a choice as to riding in a car with thoughtless idiot smoking parents; making young lungs breathe fumes is a form of physical abuse.”

I hope that you get what you want. It’ll be fun watching you whine when the state comes to your house and arrests you for not raising your children in the precise way dictated by the state. If you think that you can accept only the state trespasses of individual rights of which YOU approve, you need to get yourself a different dealer.

[Weeedley]

Smoking becomes a all but persecuted activity, locations are more severely restricted, taxes per pack are raised to outrageous levels, cigarettes are sold in fewer locations,
smokers are shunned and ostracized, fired from jobs for drug addiction, and become piranhas in society, and are dropped from health insurance plans so we don’t have to pay hospital bills for their addictions.

Can one envision a worse tragedy to befall society? /sarc/

[xcamel]

considered “child abuse” today - you should be reported.

[Weeedley]

The nicotine in cigarettes is an addictive drug. Smokers are drug addicts now 2 ways about it. While nicotine doesnt make you high like other addictive drugs, it sure does make the addicted brain stupid. Defending smoking as a personal liberty issue is like defending the liberty of a coke head or crack smoker to pursue their addictions.

[Just another Joe]

Who in their right minds can justify blowing smoke in a babies face?

There's a big difference between blowing smoke in a babies face and blowing smoke out the window of a car while children are riding in it.

If you can't tell the difference, you might want to check yourself.

[Sue Perkick]

Better watch out for those piranhas. Not that big but a force to be reckoned with.

[vetsvette]

“considered “child abuse” today - you should be reported.”

Actually, he should be “deported” — to some one of the communist countries where he would feel more at home. He obviously can’t tolerate personal freedom and his health will likely fail if he’s exposed to it much longer.

[Weeedley]

My hand print on the diaper is still in the land fill. Start digging for evidence. My adult son will be testifying he deserved every spank he got.

[tomkat]

You’ve joined the wrong website.

[Old Professer]

Were you dropped on your head?

[Just another Joe]

and they are thus doomed to a horrible coughing their lungs out premature death.

Just exactly what do you call premature?
65? 75? 85?

And would you care to put any statistics up to back your statements? Or is it all anecdotal?

[Sue Perkick]

The government will decide that for you.

[Weeedley]

If lung cancer was a cause of death, that death is by definition premature. The human body was not created by God to die via cancerous lungs. Let that fact sink in you’all.

I saw a life-time smoker is the terminal stages of his life. He had lung cancer that had spread to all parts of his body. There were tumors all over his body that looked like golf balls under the skin. Arms legs, head and torso. If you ever seen someone disfigured by cancer like that you never forget it.

What was in the mouth? A cigarette. It didn’t matter anymore -—but he smoked to the end; two days later, didn’t reach his 47th birthday.