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Tuesday, March 18, 2008

The smoking ban

I had lunch with some friends today and I brought up the smoking ban. I must say that I don't agree with it. First let me tell you that I believe and know first hand how smoking is very detrimental to one's health. I have seen what is has done to family members, residents in the nursing home and how it affects babies born to mom who smoked during pregnancy. But where does it state that the government should have the right to say what one does to one's body? If a person wants to smoke they should have that right. Why limit them to restaurants and bars? All of the hospitals in Polk county are smoke free, you cannot smoke on the property at all, not even in your car. But you can go on the sidewalk and smoke because it is county property. So a person eats at a fine establishment and what do they do? Round the family up to leave, smoke in the car and then smoke in the house, where their family is exposed to the second hand smoke! My friend Tera said that smoking or not smoking should be determined by the owner of the establishment. I agree. Then the public can choose where they want to eat. My grandparents choose not to eat in many restaurants that served alcohol because they didn't want to be exposed to that kind of behavior.
The same is for food. The government says that people can no longer cook food in trans fatty acids. Fine, make fast food somewhat healthier for people. But what about the person who orders a 20oz steak, a baked potato with butter, sour cream and bacon bits, and corn along with 3 regular Pepsi's to drink. How unhealthy is that? How detrimental is that to ones health. That person probably doesn't grocery shop healthy either and buys bad food and they have kids that are overweight and obese. What are we doing for them? Not much.
Don't we have free will and the right to choose what we want to put into our bodies? 2 Corinthians 6:20 states, "you were bought for a price. Therefore honor God with your body". I believe this and try to do this everyday. But again, we have the free will to do with our bodies as we wish, maybe the government should think about that. Otherwise who knows what they will try to ban next.

2 comments:

Jena said...

Totally agree with you Morgan! I personally HATE smoking establishments, but if there is a demand for these types of places then let them exist! Our government is getting too big...its kind of scary!

Anonymous said...

Totally agree! I just choose not to go to a smoking establishment as much as possible (it makes me physically ill!) :)