Comments on: Smoking Jacket by Fiona Carswell

By: Sandra

Sandra — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:10:52 +0000

I loooooove to smoke, but rarely do (maybe 2 or 3 cigarettes a month) because I'm scared to death of the health risks and because the instant I'm finished with a cigarette I hate the way I smell, my mouth tastes, and how I can't get the stench off my hands. Despite all that, I still love to light up.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:59:20 +0000

I hear everyone screaming about democracy and that smokers should have a right to smoke. Well, I won't argue that they do have a right to smoke. But in a public place it shouldn't be allowed. I'm an asthmatic - a very severe one. I'm dependent on inhalers and oxygen to live and the only thing that triggers an attack is smoke. That includes smoke drifting from an extinguished candle, so you can imagine what getting caught by a smoker standing on the sidewalk could do to me. Now, normally if I can't avoid the smoker (say we're line together, or we're both waiting for a bus) I just approach and ask nicely, explaining my situation and showing them all the gear I have to carry. I've never met a smoker in public who wasn't kind enough to stop or move to another place once they understood that for me, that second hand smoke was potentially fatal. I wish I was being overly dramatic about it, but I'm not. The recent firestorms here in San Diego put me in the hospital due to the smoke and ash in the air. So, you talk about freedom and democracy - but what about my right to live? Does a smoker have the right to risk my life because of their addiction? The Constitution doesn't specifically state that smoking is a protected right, but it does guarantee me the right to life.

By: luvpumpkns

luvpumpkns — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:00:22 +0000

or you could just not blow smoke in people's faces. that seems to be the easiest solution. who does that anyway?

as for the whole banning smoking thing, it should clearly be up to private establishments as to whether or not they will allow smoking. if you don't like a restaurant's policy, you *gasp* don't patronize their business. seems pretty simple to me.

By: just a guy

just a guy — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:48:08 +0000

the smoke containment idea is neat, but I'd bet that a lot of smokers wouldn't care. and the ones who WOULD care enough to have such a jacket would probably be put off / offended by the whole lung thing. I'm amused at the jacket desiner. Kind of an arrogant thing to make. "think makes smokers less annoying AND makes them bear a 'scarlet letter'."

By: Yaka

Yaka — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:21:00 +0000

I have got to get me one of those!

And then ask my friends to smell my neck.

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:14:15 +0000

Neat idea, however, I'd be more worried about how to clean it.

By: Tempscire

Tempscire — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:59:25 +0000

Well, technically, smokers are a minority and unadulterated democracy (which we don't have) is all about that tyranny of the majority thing. If enough people voted against allowing it...besides, why is it a right to smoke but not to access any restaurant, etc as a smoke-free environment?

Anyway, too bad about the lungs on the jacket. I'm pretty sure the smokers who are the biggest assholes would easily dismiss this jacket just for that reason.

By: VonSkippy

VonSkippy — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:22:34 +0000

So in other words, that whole democracy, land of the free crap can just go down the drain since you don't like smoking eh?

//I don't smoke, never have, but don't want to piss away my freedom to mandated Big Brother Government. If I don't like smoky places - I vote with my DOLLARS not with holier-than-thou pissy fits.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:07:53 +0000

It still wouldn't be a polite smoker because most of the smoke which I end up breathing is coming from the cigarette.

I wish the government will mandate a 200% sales takes on tobacco to force people to quite. I would be happy with $8-$10 of tax per pack.

Banning public smoking also would help. They already got them out of the restaurants now the streets need to be next.