Class Behind Bill to Ban Youths’ Public Smoking

The New York Times ^ | April 27, 2008 | TAMMY LA GORCE

[Eric Blair 2084]

IN the State of New Jersey, it is illegal for anyone under 19 to buy tobacco products. Smoking in public, however, is not a crime no matter how young the lighted-cigarette holder, as long as it doesn’t take place in areas off-limits to smoking like restaurants and bars and certain buildings.

But it may soon be illegal for anyone under 19 to puff away, thanks to a group of seniors in Steve DiGregorio’s Advanced Placement government and politics class at Nutley High School.

The class of 19 students came up with the proposed bill, as part of a class assignment. And now it may become law, a possibility that is not sitting well with scores of online chatterers and several lawmakers, who say that if 18-year-olds are old enough to join the military, they should be allowed to stand outside their barracks or a convenience store, lighting up like other adults.

The matter has its seeds in a visit the class had back in October from Assemblyman Fred Scalera, a Democrat from Essex and a 1976 graduate of Nutley High. He challenged the class to come up with a law that needed overhauling, and to go through the process to get it enacted into law.

“I said, ‘Listen, I’ll charge you guys with this: If you can come up with the idea, I’ll sponsor it,’ ” said Mr. Scalera, who occasionally speaks to Essex County-area schools but took a special interest in Mr. DiGregorio’s class.

Of all the issues the students could have chosen, they picked smoking...

[Eric Blair 2084]

These kids are so cute at that age!

I had some funny anti-smoking bills too in my Political Science classes in 1985.

There is an open invitation for the children to come debate me. Shockingly, I've gotten no responses.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Big Brother, Nanny State, Grant Junkie, Bogus Study, Junk Science, Social Engineering, Egalitarian, Central Planning, Sheeple Control, Health Nazi, Socialism, Collectivism

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We the People Sheeple of the United States Nanny State, in Order to form a more perfect Union Socialist Utopia, establish Justice Socially engineer a country of non smoking, physically fit, teetotalers, insure domestic Tranquility Smoking bans in bars, limits on unhealthy food and social drinking, provide for the common defense Universal Healthcare, promote the general Welfare health of the population whether they like it or not, in order to save above mentioned Universal Healthcare entitlement program from bankruptcy, and secure the Blessings of Liberty Dependency to ourselves progressive liberals and our Posterity Hitler Youth who we brainwash through public school education, do ordain decree and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Nanny State of Liberals.

[Billthedrill]

Looks like the Dems are training them well. “You can be famous! You can Make A Difference! You can run people’s lives for their own good!” Terrific.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Rembrandt]

If Mr. Scalera was serious about his intentions, he would either (a) propose a higher tax per pack, maybe $50 per, or (b) an outright ban on tobacco sales.

But, of course, that interferes with the objectives of the Left which are to bleed maximum taxes out of the people slowly. The Left doesn’t want people to stop smoking, oh HEAVENS NO, just be nice sheeple, pony up the taxes and don’t blow smoke on me.

[Eric Blair 2084]

http://www.nj.com/southjersey/index.ssf/2008/04/state_laws_on_smoking_in_publi.html

I have an open invitation to the chilruns to debate us.

I deserve special credit because back in 1985 I sponsored a “Bill” in our IPLE class (Institute for Political and Legal Education) to ban cigarette vending machines...for the chilruns! It made it to the national convention!

I didn’t smoke in High School, I just did it to get the attention of this cute girl named Debbie who smoked. 15 years before the social engineering program started, I thought of it first!

Where’s my frickin award? I was original. These chilruns are just sheep.

[timm22]

“I said, ‘Listen, I’ll charge you guys with this: If you can come up with the idea, I’ll sponsor it,’ ” said Mr. Scalera, who occasionally speaks to Essex County-area schools but took a special interest in Mr. DiGregorio’s class.

I was a real goody-goody nerd in high school, but as an 18 year old even *I* would have immediately suggested "Topless Tuesdays" or some other such law if given an opportunity like this.

Geez, the kids these days.

[Billthedrill]

If you did that in high school with an idea to getting laid, all is forgiven. There are some things that transcend politics. ;-)

[Eric Blair 2084]

BINGO! Cut the crap already. Ban tobacco, give up your gravy train and go get a real job. I'll be right behind them in their crusade. This was tried once. This is what some good people don't understand.

Why not just ban tobacco completely? : This is a question that has been asked by FReepers with common sense. If it is so horrible and kills the consumer and everyone around them, how could the Gubmint continue to allow it? Everyone here knows the answer. In 2003, Rep. Michael Grosz, R-Grand Forks, a North Dakota Assemblyman introduced a bill to ban the sale of tobacco products in the state. Who showed up to speak against the proposal? Philip Morris? No. RJR? No. Convenience store owners? No. SheLion? No. Gabz? No. Me? No....The American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, and the North Dakato Medical Association!! Why? You guessed it...no tobacco = no money for them.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Oh, man, you should have seen this girls heart shaped, uhhh, ....pendant.

Actually, I was a pretty militant non-smoker before there was such a thing. I started smoking for no apparent reason my Freshman year of college. I didn’t understand why at the time. Than I decided that I liked it.

Just proves that there is a God and he has a plan for all of us. 20 years later here I am.

I was agnostic at that point, than when Elliot Spitzer got caught with a prostitute it just proved to me that there is a God. No mortal human could come up with something that funny.

[TigersEye]

The indoctrination of the nation’s youth into fascist Marxism is proceeding apace.

[Eric Blair 2084]

The Gubmint has a monopoly on our kids for 8 hours per day in mandatory public schools...

Somebody come up with a scary picture to illustrate that horror.

[Eric Blair 2084]

I was a real goody-goody nerd in high school, but as an 18 year old even *I* would have immediately suggested "Topless Tuesdays" or some other such law if given an opportunity like this. Geez, the kids these days.

Good one! I'll bet you a steak dinner that I was a bigger nerd in HS than you were. I was the "brain" that everyone cheated off of on algebra tests.

[TigersEye]

This is your brain on public schooling.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Jeez, thanks. I’m going to bed and now I’ll see these guys in my sleep.

I’ll look at the Victoria’s Secret catalog before dozing off to get that image out of my head and replace it with something pleasant.

Don’t you ever do that to me again. :-)

[TigersEye]

Those are your teachers. They will expect you in class bright and early.

[wastedyears]

Nutley...

[forkinsocket]

The indoctrinators must be so proud of their little minions.

[CSM]

“The class of 19 students came up with the proposed bill, as part of a class assignment. And now it may become law,...”

It is a sad day when adult citizens celebrate being ruled by teenaged high school students. I have to wonder if these students would so willingly join the military to defend this country, and our inherent individual liberty. The fact that the legislature is passing his job along to chillrrruuunn is equally as sad.

[badgerlandjim]

bump

[AGreatPer]

Nutley!!!! Always liked the name of that town. Now I know why they called it that.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Maybe it was an experiment. Who can do more damage to America...professional politicians or public school children?

The Wall Street Journal runs a contest of “Pros vs. the Dartboard” in short term stock picking. The dartboard wins most of the time.

[CSM]

A short generation ago it used to be, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country.”

Now it is, “Waaaawaaaa, I want free health care and the government should punish the evil oil companies for making profits!”

The public skrewel system is achieving major advancement.