Wednesday, May 13, 2009
No Smoking On Golf Courses
"Zere vill be NO SMOKING on Der Golfplatz!"
Nothing is sacred anymore. Not even smoking a cigar on public golf courses in Spokane, Washington. KCBY:
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - For the cigar-smoking golfer, 18 holes and a stogie rank with peanut butter and jelly or gin and tonic among life's ideal combinations.
That's why recent efforts across the country to ban smoking on public golf courses are being greeted by those players like a triple bogey. In the balance between individual rights and public health, weekend duffers feel authorities have become unreasonable.
The city of Spokane just tried to ban smoking on its four public golf courses, only to be stymied by an outcry from players and smoking rights advocates.
"Golf and cigars go together like a hand in a glove," said Dale Taylor of Tacoma, president of the Cigar Association of Washington, a smokers' rights groups. "That may be the only time some people smoke."
Washington state is among the least hospitable places for smokers, with no smoking allowed in any public indoor space, or outside within 25 feet of a door or window. But the proposed smoking ban on public links has struck a nerve, in part because of the vastness of golf courses. Playing a typical 18-hole course, such as Downriver in Spokane, means traveling easily more than three miles.
"If I was just walking and somebody was 300 feet away, I'm bothering them?" avid smoker and golfer Greg Presley told the Spokane parks board during a public hearing. "We've got to have some common sense."
[...]
With little advance notice, the Spokane parks board voted in March to ban smoking in all city parks, including golf courses. An existing law already prevented people from smoking near playgrounds, swimming pools or other parks facilities, so the board didn't think many would care when it decided to ban smoking entirely, parks spokeswoman Nancy Goodspeed said.
They were wrong.
The outcry from smokers and libertarians was swift, and prompted the board in April to stay the ban on golf courses while it studies the issue further.
Labels: No Smoking, Smokers are cool
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I too am a smoker. We are becoming an oppressed minority that is looked upon as vile and evil. Unless you are the election-stealing president of the U.S. Then, The Liberals love love love you!
We are looked upon as nothing but miscreants and tax revenue.
Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. Keep in touch.
I too am and was a considerate smoker, etc. But you are correct, there is a small minority of non-smokers who are Hitler-esque in their attitude.
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