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Comment by wtbob | Hacker News Reader

It's remarkable to me how it's publicly acceptable to despise and loathe smokers and smoking. If you wrote 'I can barely stand being near black people,' you'd rightfully be cast out of polite society, but say, 'I think bars should be legally forced to ban smoking' and one is applauded.

Part of living in a free society is learning some tolerance: tolerance for other viewpoints; for other races; for other religions; for other cuisines; for other modes of dress; and yes, for other lifestyles.

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I do not care what people look like or even how they act, I do care about being forced to inhale disgusting and cancerous smoke in enclosed spaces because of their habit. I see no reason why we should accommodate that as a society.

> I do care about being forced to inhale disgusting and cancerous smoke in enclosed spaces because of their habit.

You are free to vacate the space; the smoke will not give you cancer anyway and 'disgusting' is pure prejudice.

> I see no reason why we should accommodate that as a society.

Because in a free society we tolerate different lifestyle choices.

You don't want to tolerate other people's desire to avoid your toxic smoke?

Unreasonable smokers are exactly why laws are needed.

You're wrong about the smoke too. Look at the number of children who need medical treatment because their parents smoke around them.

> You don't want to tolerate other people's desire to avoid your toxic smoke?

Of course I do. I'm quite willing to do as a property owner or lessor requires. Note that smoking-banners are the intolerant ones, bringing in the force of law to compel behaviour they desire.

> Unreasonable smokers are exactly why laws are needed.

Likewise, unreasonable non-smokers are exactly why laws are needed.

That is a ridiculous analogy, since "being near black people" does not cause the health effects that smoking does.

It's not about "tolerance", it's about not forcing others to inhale the same carcinogens as you because they do not want to get lung cancer. "Your freedom ends where my nose begins."

This is a ridiculous argument. Having people of races different than your own next to you doesn't harm you. However, people smoking next to you force you to inhale cancerous smoke and bear its foul smell. Do you fail to see the difference?

Black people do not pollute the air I breathe (unless they're smokers). If you get your nicotine fix without dumping crap in the air then I couldn't care less about it.

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