Opinions6

Top Five Rides of NorthDarron Daniels

Sara Rasnick There are millions of smokers worldwide, and as of January 2, 2010, North Carolina smokers are no longer allowed to indulge their addiction in public restaurants. Personally, there’s nothing I enjoy more than going to Waffle House at three in the morning, usually with smokers. With this new law passed, we can’t even go and enjoy Waffle House at three in the morning while they smoke. What was wrong with having a smoking section and a non-smoking section in restaurants? If people did smoke there was a designated section where they could do that. They ordered the same food and touched the same silverware and menus as non-smokers.

If someone didn’t smoke they had a section to themselves, usually some distance away from the smoking section so they wouldn’t have to breathe in the toxic fumes from cigarettes.

It roughly costs five dollars to buy a pack of cigarettes, whether

Camels, Newport’s, or Marlboros. Honestly, smokers buy their cigarettes; it’s their choice to smoke, just like it’s the choice of several others not to smoke. Smokers are people too, and if they’ve decided to puff away on a cancer stick, then who are the non-smokers to

deny them that privilege?

What was the problem? I understand that

America is now all about being healthy, but the fact is that most A m e r i c a n s

make the decision to smoke; no one stuck a gun to their heads and told them to light up or die.

Alcoholics are allowed to have their beverages in public, and pill poppers have pharmacies for their addictions. Drinking causes liver cancer while smoking causes lung cancer. So, doesn’t it make sense to get rid of drinking alcohol if you’re getting rid of smoking cigarettes? Shouldn’t alcoholics be penalized for their indulgences if smokers aren’t allowed their pleasure?

North Forsyth’s parking lot is filled with several unique cars that Vikings drive with style. Here are the top five rides of the month as selected by several Vikings:

Owner: Faith FraizerMake: Mustang, GreyYear: 2008

Owner: Sage BeattyMake: Honda Civic, SilverYear: 1998

Owner: Jonathan SpeerMake: F-150, RedYear: 2008

Owner: Chad CartwrightMake: Scion, BlueYear: 2008

Owner: Allen HauserMake: Escalade, WhiteYear: 2002

ww

w.flickr.com

On January 2, 2010, the North Carolina smoking ban finally took effect. North Carolina, who leads the nation in tobacco growing, banned smoking in restaurants and bars, which will greatly reduce the dangers of secondhand smoke in public places. I think this new law will inspire many other states to do the same.

The dangers of secondhand smoke to citizens and employees of restaurants and bars were finally validated when the legislature approved the ban after years of failure. North Carolina is the 29th state to ban smoking in restaurants. “Nationally, it’s a huge step,’’ said Thomas Carr, the American Lung Association’s national policy manager. “It just proves that if North Carolina can do it, then any state can prohibit smoking in bars and restaurants.’’

Why ban smoking in public places? Over the last thirty years the United States has become more aware of the effects of secondhand smoke. Just thirty minutes of secondhand smoke exposure is enough to reduce blood flow to the heart. In New York City, of the 29,361 diners polled, 96% of restaurant goers are dining out “more often” since the smoking ban was introduced in April.

In addition to putting innocent people in danger, restaurants have to pay fees to allow smoking in their establishments. These fees include higher maintenance expenses (carpets, drapes, paintwork), higher insurance premiums (fire, medical, workers comp, liability), and higher labor costs (productivity). I wouldn’t sacrifice thousands of dollars a year to feed someone else’s dangerous habit.

Personally, I wish the smoking ban happened sooner. There have been countless times that the overwhelming cloud of smoke and tar has entered the “non smoking” part of a restaurant and bothered me. It can’t be considered non-smoking if one person in the restaurant decides to smoke. The whole restaurant has no choice but to smoke along with him or her.

Over four hundred years ago, North Carolina made history with tobacco, the most sold cash crop, and in 2010, we’ve made it again with the infamous smoking ban in public places, which will greatly reduce the dangers of secondhand smoke and lower health care costs.

LeeAnna Kincaid

photos by Darron Daniels

Love the cigarettes, thousands of Americans do!

L o v i n g t h e S m o k i n g B a n

http://ww

w.stockvault.net/O

bjects_g14-Bunch_of_cigarettes_p16262.htm

l