Kalifornia Suks

[zonomo]

Yesterday I was visiting the Santa Monica pier and sitting in the 3rd Street Promenade (a very cool outdoor mall) enjoying a street performer. It was a spectacular crisp and cool sunny day made all the better by my sweet Boswell and a fresh bowl of Hobbits Weed. Some guy came up and said, I don't mind a bit but if they catch you smoking, it's an $1100 fine. I put it out immediately. No problem, I'll just head to the mostly empty beach. The walk there was "littered" with No Smoking, No Skateboards, No Animals signs. To my utter shock, I see a giant sign that says, No Smoking on the Beach. I could not believe this. I had to maneuver everywhere around homeless people but smoking is OUT in The People's Republik of Kalifornia.
I was tring to explain to my GF that's these laws are designed to remove freedom for perceived greater good. But the problem is that these politicians need something to do so they'll continue to pass laws that chip away at your freedom one thing at a time. What could be more enjoyable than sitting on the beach, watching Gods wonderful creation and the timeless faithful waves playing their rythemic song, while smoking a pipe (or anything else)?
I'm sure this post will get banned or closed. So be it. I needed to state my mind on these affairs which are truly sad not to mention unsettling.
Z
I

 

[Perique]

I would have a hard time living in California.

 

[cortezattic]

What a sad state of affairs. Pretty soon the vegans will force all of us to eat seaweed and tofu.

 

[bigmick]

I don't mind smoke on the beach, but I hate people who leave their butts behind.

 

[chopsie]

@bigmick I believe that's a big reason why they don't allow smoking on the beaches; but then again I've been wrong many times before and will be again. Saying that I think its ridiculous not allowing people to smoke in outdoor areas.Reminds me of hearing about the no smoking in Central Park in New York, breathe all the pollution from the cars in the city but you can't smoke tobacco, what a joke of a thing.

 

[allan]

Z, I completely agree with you. It is not only Kalifornia, but NY as well. Even in Europe now I hear that smoking is banned in pubs and other public areas. New York City public areas like beaches and parks smoking is banned. It seems so far that only Eastern Europe is free from our 'health protecktors'.
Allan

 

[chopsie]

@Allan, there has been a smoking ban in pubs here in Ireland since 2004 and as a heavy smoker I prefer it. There are many pubs with great almost indoor like covered/heated areas anyway so I don't mind it in the slightest and it also means you can actually see inside the pub as there isn't the big cloud of smoke.

 

[thuber88]

We could spend all day on Kalifornia thoughts.......

I will bite my tongue and leave it at that

 

[puffy]

When those of us back east read of some of the things going on out on the west coast.We wonder if someone forgot to close the door of the fruit cake factory.

 

[allan]

Chopsie
Well, having an overhead heated area is a fantastic idea. If that were the only thing holding smoking bans back, well, great.
Not over here, though.
Enjoy your public smoking areas while you can.
Allan

 

[thuber88]

Some nice places there, but you get a queasy feeling every time you cross the border..

For a state all about freedoms, they specialize in taking everyone else's away.

 

[taerin]

This post is fine in tobacco legislation, the mods were having an issue with politics being discussed that was unrelated to pipe tobacco or cigars. Or for arguements that got personal.

 

[docwatson]

Z,

You are not alone in that respect of no smoking on the beach. If I am not mistaken we have a similar regulation here in MAINE (certain counties) of all places. Personally I think that anywhere along a coastal state, whether East or West we find these extremists that must dictate what we can or cannot do. The only thing Kalifornia has going for it is the weather IMO.

 

[planetary]

Like it or not, our hobby alters the environment around us, and not everyone is into that at all times. So having a regulation that a single person cannot pollute the air around them isn't prima facie unreasonable -- especially when most of the people this law targets are cigarette smokers, whose fumes are genuinely disgusting.
Of course, I'm a vegetarian liberal from California, so my opinions may be suspect.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Hey Zonomo - I went to California last summer on a family holiday. I saw all those no smoking signs as well and just ignored them. I expect I would have a different view if I lived there, but as someone who doesn't I concluded that they could give me tickets and fines until the cows come home and I wasn't paying any of them. I was never bothered.

 

[judcole]

I would guess that BigMick is right, that this is due to the litter from cigarette butts being left behind. As much (or more) of an anti-littering thing than an anti-smoking thing.

 

[philip]

I would guess that BigMick is right, that this is due to the litter from cigarette butts being left behind. As much (or more) of an anti-littering thing than an anti-smoking thing.

I agree. I have been fed up in the past with cigarette smokers who seem to think the world is their ashtray.
Still, all the anti-smoking laws in our state (Washington) are a large part of the reason why I took up smoking again in the first place. Every bowl is a protest against governments that want to take away personal freedoms to control the people. When people ask why I smoke I tell them it's thanks to former Gov. Gregoire.

 

[sebastian]

Unfortunately, as we have seen with many other topics: So says California, and the rest of the nation soon follows. I think these type of attacks on our liberties will spread like wildfire. Cali is merely a starting point.

 

[zonomo]

I would guess that BigMick is right, that this is due to the litter from cigarette butts being left behind. As much (or more) of an anti-littering thing than an anti-smoking thing.

Well if that's true, then they better outlaw Starbucks too because I see so many discarded coffee cups, cup holders.

Of course, I'm a vegetarian liberal from California, so my opinions may be suspec

As a good liberal, you should be all about acceptance, live and let live, every opinion is valid and of equal value I just dont know how smoking on a beach would bother someone else's "air". I have other people's BBQ smoke on a beach blow smoke on me too but I didnt worry too much about it. Oh ya, I almost forgot. You can't BBQ on the beach either...... :roll:

 

[tanless1]

Thanks zonomo