California Poised to Outlaw Smoking on All Beaches and In All Parks

By Douglas V. Gibbs

California has been under the thumb of liberal idiots for decades. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger, despite the "R" after his name, is a raging liberal (though he claimed to be a fiscal conservative - Hey, don't blame me, I voted for McClintock!!). The legislature has been dominated by liberal Democrats as long as I can remember, and thanks to the leftists of our history, the state is bankrupt, and our freedoms are few.

But the leftists aren't done yet.

Nope, now they want to start dictating to people what they can do outside - specifically, when it comes to cigarettes.

The state Assembly has been trying to pass a ban on smoking at state beaches and state parks, and so far has been unsuccessful. The ban would be enforced with a penalty of a fine that could be as high as $100.

I guess if some guy is having a cigarette on a campsite up the road they figure you will die of lung disease.

Come on, in California most of the air around the cities are already a risk to your lungs. When I was a smoker I used to say about the smog that I enjoyed having a cigarette so that I could clear my lungs out a little. About the only excuse I can see as maybe being legitimate is that such a ban would reduce the threat of wildfires.

Next, when they realize people are still flicking cigarettes out of their cars, they will zero in on you smoking in your vehicle.

Hell, Pasadena is trying to ban cigarette smoking city-wide, for God's Sake!

Don't get me wrong with all of my sarcasm. I used to smoke, and after 21 years I decided to quite. Note the "choice" part that is attached to deciding to quit.

I agree that people should be more responsible and careful, and that smokers ought to be considerate about smoking around non-smokers.

But it is not the government's place to force a law down our throats telling us we can't even smoke outside anymore!

How asinine is that?

What's next? Will bananas be banned outside because someone might slip if the peel is dropped? Will gum chewing be banned because of the gum that winds up on the bottoms of shoes? - Yeah, sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? To me, so does these bans on cigarettes.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

Will California ban smoking in parks, on beaches? - Orange County Register