No Smoking in or outside your house

[zanthal]

I've heard about some apartment complexes not far from my location (in Northern California) that found some legal way to prohibit people from smoking in their apartments, and outside on their own patios/balconies.
Due to complaints from non-smoking neighbors with extremely large nostrils.
Anyone else heard similar things?

 

[admin]

Yes. We've reported on it in the past. It is ridiculous.
Here's one from earlier this year -
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-news/premium-tobacco-association-calls-proposed-smoking-ban-unnecessary/

 

[misternoah]

In Santa Monica, California it's that way. They have a 20 feet rule from any door or window which basically now rules out all patio or balcony smoking. A lot of people do it anyway, but it's annoying that it's the law and that "they" have actually taken away my right to smoke. It's also prohibited in all public areas, parks, beach, etc. It's so restricted that there are relatively no places to actually smoke in the city unless you own your own house /property.
When you add that to the looks, glares, stares, rude comments, and assumption that I want to kill them and their children it can be pretty difficult to actually find a place to smoke!!

 

[smokenscotch]

They have spoken of this in my area, Ontario Canada. Currently they are working on smoking bans in parks, trails, etc..I will never pay a fine. I would rather go to jail and spend thousands in court to fight it, before bending over to our pathetic politicians. I have no respect for dictatorship.

 

[schmitzbitz]

It's only a matter of time before we see this implemented here in B.C., I suspect. Homes are still considered the last bastion of personal freedom, and so far any attempts to turn condo blocks completely non-smoking have been shot down, but lets face it; they already regulate where I can smoke in public, in parks and trails, camping, and even in my own car.

Of course, owners of rental properties can specify smoking or non- in the rental or lease agreement, but I've never heard of anyone running into problems, as long as they agree to smoke outside.

 

[group4]

In many cities the 20 foot rule would put the smoker somewhere in the middle of traffic. Maybe that's their ultimate plan -- run us over with cars.

 

[jchaplick]

Haha, we have that rule in my apt building, im in Wilkes Barre PA, although i am writing this in my apartment while smoking my pipe soooooo......

 

[philip]

In many cities the 20 foot rule would put the smoker somewhere in the middle of traffic.

What are they thinking? There might be children in some of those cars!

 

[mcarnevale]

Ah, the joys of home ownership....of course my wife makes the rules here. Lucky for me a pipe is acceptable in the home.

 

[smokey422]

I happen to live in a rural area of MO where we fortunately still have some individual freedoms left but if they ever ban smoking in my own house they better come and bring an army with them. I am sick to death of big gov't. and will fight them as long as I am still breathing.
Smokey

 

[kamikazesasquatch]

When I go out with one of my pipe buddies (which is probably 80% of the time I go out) we bring our pipes and try to go somewhere to smoke. Places with smoking sections, outdoor area, etc. Last month he calls me and tells me that he's at the movie tavern and wants to know if I want to come out. I say "sure" and ask where he he is. He replies "out on the balcony having some drinks" (the movie didn't start for about an hour). So I, naturally, grab my pipe bag out of my car and bring it up, go up 3 escalators, walk over to the balcony and on the door there's a huge sign that says "no smoking on balcony". To say the least, I was a bit upset.
On a similar note: Does anybody here watch The IT Crowd? If you don't then you should. It's hilarious. Here's a few clips from an episode comparing the direction smoking laws/rules are going with the former soviet union

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MToRvo5RExg

 

[nsfisher]

Wolfville, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada has a no smoking rule in the ENTIRE town, includes sidewalks,streets, etc. How u can legally make an entire town smoke free is beyond me. Not sure if any one adheres to it or not but i walked down sidewalk the other day with pipe in mouth, and didnt end up in jail

 

[jship079]

I must say I don't really totally disagree with this from a business stand point. I worked in maintenance and it is horrid what years of smoking will do to a place even if the person is clean. I have seen tobacco tar bleed through three coats of killz and have to have the floors replaced to get rid of the smell. As far as smoking on your balcony if its one of those complex's that the balcony is like 8 ft from the floor below you I know I dont want some chain smoker stinking up my balcony while I try to sit outside and enjoy my breakfast.

 

[judcole]

if they ever ban smoking in my own house they better come and bring an army with them. I am sick to death of big gov't.

Read the OP - it's not the government,and it's not his house. It's an apartment rental. Their property - their rules.

 

[pjm03fatboy]

ya i hear that in madison wi on the city sidewalks and in from bars etc, you can get ticketed for outside smoking, What the hell!!were outside damit!! :evil:

 

[zanthal]

Jud brings an interesting point.
I really don't care much if half the apartment complexes in a town want entirely smoke-free tenants. If you don't like tobacco smoke, then hey, your home should be free from it. You can't really argue with that too well.
The laws though are the big encroachment on personal freedoms. Once you have one town doing it, once you get one law passed, it sets legal precedent and it can spread like wildfire.
It would be nice if there was more tolerance and understanding on the part of the diehard non-smokers. The same goes for smokers and using some discretion.
There are extremists on both sides of the argument that are really causing the whole problem.
There are people who are obnoxious with their smoking, and smoke when they know they're going to be bothering people just to make a statement. They get the tempers flaring
Then there's the people, like the lady at one of my old work places, who have unreasonable expectations of smokers. She had her boss put out a company-wide bulletin asking all the smokers to wash their hands after smoking, because the RESIDUE left over from smoking is irritating her asthma. I didn't really mind co-operating, but the first thing I thought was: "Lady, buy an oxygen tent and never leave your house if your health is that fragile"

 

[bbauer]

my appt is like that. my friends and i have found a way around it though. we have an old couch that my friend keeps in an extra room....and when we want to smoke, we go grab the couch, and take it out into the parking lot.

so far nobody has complained!

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

A couple of pipe smokers that frequent the same shop I do are police officers. In that county, the law is 20 feet from the front of the building. However, the officers stated that they have a heck of a lot more important things to do than give tickets to people smoking. So basically, it may be a law, but it doesn't tend to be enforced much at all.

 

[zanthal]

It sounds like those cops are using their authority well.

 

[teamhavoc28]

Not trying to sound like a jerk but if was a area like a city or a college campus, I'd just smoke and risk a fine. Since I graduated college, they went smoke free if I have to get transcripts I still smoke. If it's a home the owner makes the policy whether rented or bought.