Smoking Prohibited at County Fair

[wayneteipen]

I live in a very rural, farming county. This year, they prohibited smoking on the fair grounds. I was really disappointed because I had to spend a good deal of time there with my daughter and her 4H livestock. I was so looking forward to relaxing just outside the barn with a pipe and cool drink whiling away the hours. We've had a terrible drought here and it may be that they banned smoking due to the fire bans and hazards. I'm hoping that's all it is. We have lots of smokers around these parts. Anyone else experience similar bans at your county fairs?

 

[irishsmoker]

Yep! I was gonna go to our Knox county fair this evening. I had my pipe clenched when I handed the man my money to enter he stated there was no smoking allowed so I grabbed my money back out of his hand and left!

 

[reichenbach]

They banned smoking at our county fair two years ago. If you want to smoke, you have 'designated smoking areas' where parents can point you out to their kids. But I live in New York so that's par for the course here.

 

[crk69]

I think its more of the "anti-smoking" trend spreading to outside venues.. I remember reading an article awhile back where a gentleman walked into a bar/restaurant with a unsmoked, unpacked and unlit pipe. He made mental notes of all the persons who made negative comments in reference to the pipe, and confronted some of them later with the unsmoked pipe. Funny how several of the patrons still stated that they could "smell the horrible tobacco". I feel that more and more we as pipe smokers are being lumped in with the cigarette crowd, even though there is a marked difference. My wife recently was rushed to the hospital for an allergic reaction, and when the nurse asked if she smoked and was told "yes", she stated that "they" are required to tell patients that they should stop smoking..

 

[reichenbach]

That reminds me of a Billy Connolly video someone posted on here. He said that when people react to your unlit smoking implement (he said cigar), it is perfectly acceptable to blow imaginary smoke at them.
When you can't smoke your cob at a county fair, the world has gone insane.

 

[taerin]

I don't get why nonsmokers want their air clean, no way all the tobacco smokers in the world affect the air quality in any substantial way, I say to them, if your serious about keeping the air clean so you won't get cancer, use public transportation and sell your car, leave the pipe smokers alone, sheesh!

 

[baronsamedi]

I wonder how many people complain about smoke and then go cool their house with electricity from coal-burning power plants.

 

[martiniman]

Unfortunately to most smoke is smoke. fine tobacco or SH*T.....

 

[captainbob]

It's the World we live in dominated by people who no longer believe in individual freedoms and individual choice. Politicians from either major Political Party are willing to sacrifice individual freedom for popular opinions and campaign contributions! All Smoking Bans are politically-driven and the laws are passed by the Politicians that you and I do elect! The whole mess is very sad. But, remember, Prohibition did not work, either! A friend of mine sent a substantial campaign contribution to a Candidate running for State Assembly. She won and led the fight to our State Capitol to pass the Wisconsin Smoking Ban in all Public areas including Parking Lots and Parks! What is next, Public side-walks? My friend is an avid pipe smoker and he is red with anger. I told him that he should have checked out her Agenda before parting with his money! So, there you have it. Vote only for those who defend your right to smoke. Good luck finding one! It's the World we live in.

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[profpar]

Banning smoking outdoors at a rural country fair is idiotic. First, if the Antis had the slightest understanding of that atmosphere, how gases diffuses together and what the term trace amounts meant they would or should realize that smoke would quickly dissipate into the background. Second, given that a significant percentage of rural folk smoke, we're the officials banning smoking trying for a poor turnout???

 

[nsfisher]

I truly can understand a no smoking policy in the immediate vicinity of the Barns. Lots of combusibles there. Not everyone is as careful as could be in such an area. However, to ban it covering the entire fair grounds is unjustified, even here in Canada.