Down with Smoke

Note: This posting was published in the Daily Iowan Opinion Section on Monday November 28th, 2006.


In regards to Thomas Willems outrage over smokers' "rights" (DI Opinion, 11/18/2005), it is his argument that frustrates me the most about the issue of smoking. He wonders what happened to freedom of choice and being happy with the live you live. The answer is that nothing has happened to those rights, however your right to choose to smoke is overrided by my right to a healthy enviroment. It is the same concept of yelling fire in a public place, you don't have that right of speech because it impedes upon others right to safety. No one wants to control what you are doing with your life, Mr Willems; we want to control what you're doing to our lives.