If any of my friends smoke around me, I just sit where the smoke doesn't blow on me. If it's a stagnant smoky dive, why not ask if there's a door near the stage that one could put a fan in to supply some fresh air? Powerful enough fans for that are pretty easy to come by.

Another thing I was thinking about was when I saw the Bellamy Brothers last time they played in town, they had some sort of little black thingymajob, about the size of a pager, that they had hanging around their necks. I asked them if it was a microphone of some sorts, but they told me it was something that cleaned the air, making it easier for them to breathe. Does anybody know what those things are?

Now that I've re-read this post, I'm remembering when I financed my truck. Dad was with me, and the finance guy asked me if I wanted a Credit Life policy on the loan. After I asked what it was, I looked right at the guy and said very seriously, "No, Sir. I'm 19 years old, I'm never going to die."

As the "whippersnapper," I say, I'm going to die of something sooner later. Whenever the Big Man Upstairs calls me, I'm gonna come runnin'.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- About half of all Americans live in areas where levels of smog are unhealthy, the American Lung Association said in a report released Wednesday.
According to the report, the smoggiest metropolitan areas are:
1. Los Angeles, California

And you guys are worried about a little smoke in bars?

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Oh neato, that was fun.

Smoking cigarettes is possibly the most ignorant thing a person can do to them selves. It is a filthy, vile, addiction.
The patients I see smoking are primarily of lower socioeconomic strata, and generally not the brightest star in the sky.

Second hand smoke like found at the TSGA is beyond regrettable...it is a few folks who could care less about your lungs, ignorantly puffing away.... killing themselves as well as us. People who belittle the effects of second hand smoke are ignoring every single scientific study on the subject.

I smoked for years. Quitting was hard, but it was the only sane course. I have not had a cigarette in 8 years. We do not play bars.
The seven band members are all smoke free. We stay plenty busy and avoid bars like the plague.

Someone suggested that smokers have rights...... Nothing personal, but that;s like saying "It's ok for you to willingly pour that poison down my throat and into my lungs". Smokers have the right to wise up.
Smokers have the right to kill themselves slowly and in the process drive up the cost of medical care for everyone. Smokers have the right to go outside....

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Steve Stallings
Bremond, Texas

I buy zero excuses for smoking. There is no reason to smoke and every reason to quit. THere are numerous resources available for smokers who wish to quit. Any reasonably intelligent human being can quit if they tuly want to.

Obesity is almost certainly related to genetics and insulin resistance as well as our countries fast food habit. Yes, I agree that obesity is also a problem. However, this thread has nothing to do with obesity. SOmeone who is morbildy obese is not going to "give me" their obesity, and they most certainly pose no health risk to me.

Second hand smoke is a major health risk in our country. Many, many local communities are passing legislation to address this. As pointed out previously in the thread, studies prove that banning smoking has little to no effect on the cash register.

People who take an opposing viewpoint have no valid argument and come off as less than well informed.

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Steve Stallings
Bremond, Texas