Do Bogart That Cigarette

The Smoke Nazis have struck again. The San Diego City Council has banned smoking at its beaches and parks. But let me go back a ways.

I come from a time when a person could smoke pretty much anywhere. In fact, earlier, smoking had been advertised as being "good for you." I also remember that the only place an adult didn't smoke was in church, but I don't remember why.

The military was the first time I recall that my smoking was restricted. There, I was not permitted to smoke in classroms or during physical activities, except when, during a break, a superior officer said, "Smoke 'em if you got 'em."

Today, I don't smoke. Six years ago, a hospitalization curtailed my smoking, and when I got out, I demonstrated a little self-control and haven't smoked since. But I'm not holier-than-thou. My objection to people who persecute smokers is based on the violation of human rights.

Now, San Diego, among many other communities, is restricting smoking in the open air. At the beach, there's usually a gentle breeze which quickly dissipates the smoke, SO they point to the problem of cleaning up discarded cigarettes. What they are actually referring to are cigarette filters. If everyone smoked non-filter cigarettes, there would be nothing to clean up. (I never smoked filtered cigarettes because you just have to suck more of them harder.) When you throw out non-filters, the tobacco degrades and, eventually, the smidgen of paper does too. And at the ocean, the tide accelerates the process.

We have to watch how far we go to impose our will on others. Which one of YOUR rights will be restricted next?