I have been thinking a lot about the new No Smoking Laws that comes into effect this week and have a few thoughts on this subject. Much to my offspring's disgust, I still smoke so I am somewhat biased here.
I think it is time to ban or restrict more than cigarettes. The time has come to restrict/ban alcohol and make it illegal anywhere except in your own home. Alcohol, as we all know is responsible for many deaths directly through liver and pancreatic cancers and indirectly through drunk drivers who insist on killing others with their vehicles.
I think also we need to restrict/ban all hamburgers, hot dogs, fried foods, cakes, candies etc that contribute to obesity and therefore can cause premature death and stress the health care system which costs us all money. At least most smokers die young and don't collect CPP.
I believe that everyone should wear helmets not just on bicycles and motorcycles but also in your vehicle. Think of all the people who would not die of head injuries in car crashes if they were wearing helmets. Come to think of it, I think maybe pedestrians should be wearing them as well since they tend to get hit by cars and might survive if wearing a helmet.
There should be a ban on the manufacturing sector that contributes to air pollution, after all we do not need the stuff they are producing, or do we?
Can we go back to the last century and live without all the stuff that we now take for granted.
Life is a risk and we will all die sooner or later. How much government interference do we want in our lives.
Lets get rid of Nitrogen Dioxide (power plants, cars), Carbon Monoxide Cars, Fireplaces, furnaces), Lead (smelters, refineries and old paint), Sulphur Dioxide (power generation, industry), Formaldehyde (permanent press clothes, press board, off gas from couches, carpets etc.), Ammonia (cleaning products, live stock waste), Radon , I loved this one (a gas that occurs naturally in soil and rocks and is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking), who would have thought hiking thru the woods could kill you! There are a lot more but I only listed the really important ones.
The bottom line here is that as long as we want all the stuff that this century affords us thru technology and manufacturing, we will all die from all of the above hazards. That's life in the fast lane.