This Sunday, Geneva voted many things and one of the subjects was “Should we ban smoking from public places” which includes restaurants and cafés. American and other European dudes who read me would probably “What? It’s not already banned YET?”. And you’re right. You see, Switzerland works like the US except we’re way slower. Each of our states have some kind of authority that could decide on things that the neighbor could disagree.
So it was Geneva’s turn to decide whether we wanted smoky restaurants or clean air… or not. Because we’ve already had a vote about it on 2008! The law passed (79%) but three months later, smoking was allowed again because the Federal court decided that there was no tangible law to back up the decision (they’re were right). So people started to smoke again in restaurants after 3 months…
But that’s the past, on Sunday, Geneva decided (again) to ban smoking with a smashing 82%. So yeah, that’s a double slap. As for me, smokers can smoke all the cigarettes they want. They could have tobacco fest for what I care… BUT I do NOT want to inhale any of that shit, especially when I have a good meal.
The controversy behind this vote is sociologically very interesting. It clearly shows how dumb people are. On one side, you have the pro-smokers who call anti-smokers nazis (waaah, some people should go back to history books to check out what a nazi is) because they do not have the “freedom” to smoke where they want anymore. Dumb-dumb-dumb. As for the anti-smokers, well they can’t stop bragging about how they had such a high score which of course fuels the debate (pretty much what I’m doing here except I’m awesome so it’s ok).
I don’t smoke and here’s point by point why pro-smokers extremists are dumb.
1. smoking is not pollution and if it is, don’t drive cars.
- So according to smokers, taking care of smoking means we drop the car pollution case… Didn’t know they were mono task people.
2. restaurants should chose whether they want to ban smoking or not.
- Smokers want to divide the population. How about friends who have both smokers and non-smoker friends?
3. anti-smoking law are taking away smokers’ freedom
- smokers are prisoners from cigarettes… not MY definition of freedom
4. a restaurant that becomes non-smoking will lose business
- studies have shown that they actually gained customers because smokers will still go out, we know that… and non-smoker will go back to restaurants to enjoy meals.
5. if smoking is banned, so should be alcohol!
- a glass a wine once in a while is actually good for your health, so suck it.
6. smokers pay taxes buying cigarettes and thus contribute to the health system
- damages from smoking (cancers, heart problems etc…) cost way more than what cigarette taxes bring
7. no official studies has shown that second hand smoking is dangerous
- cigarette smoke itches me, burns my lungs and smell. Dangerous or not get the fuck out of my face
8. smoking companies create jobs!
- with their money, they can switch business plans and activity in no time. Some are already diversifying in food business.
9. non-smokers are dull and no fun!
- now that’s just sad.
and so on…
For every pro-smoking argument, I WILL have a counter valid one. That’s just the way it is. Just to be clear, smoking is still allowed but not in public places. In your home, go nuts, smoke a thousand cigarettes, that’s fine with me… it’s a free country after all. Idiots.
(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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(5.00 out of 5) (5.00 out of 5) (5.00 out of 5)
> vote, it's free k? thx
SMOKE THE SMOKERS!!! KILL BEAR!!! KILL!!!
AWIVERDERCHI!
Ah mon préféré ! Que ça soit pour l’article ou le strip. J’ai eu un fou rire monstrueux au “Heeeey I can see your lungs ! You wouldn’t believe what color they are now…” Pour une fois je n’ai rien à ajouter, je suis entièrement d’accord.
J’ai enfin pu t’envoyer la fameuse chose … tu peux dés à present consulter tes mails …
Merci Silver. Personne ne m’a encore craché sa fumée dans ma face… le jour où cela arrivera je pense que même Dr.House ne saura pas ce qu’il s’est passé.
Luechan > je vais check mes emails.
Gin-gin > tah changce!
Yeah! Go Switzerland! I wonder if they’re going to ban smoking in parks too? In NYC, Mayor Bloomberg was considering putting that law up for debate.
That’s a good question Kajikiri. “Public places” is very up for controversy because let’s face it, when you’re eating out on a terrace and someone’s smoking next to you… well it’s the same.
I know that in Japan they have specific areas where you can smoke outside so that you don’t bother non-smokers… I think that eventually, we’ll have a non-smoking law that will spread to the outside but not anytime soon, at least not in Switzerland. You should have seen the drama it provoked here when the law passed. Cry babies.
Un peu en retard…
Je viens de découvrir ton site par la pub de Silver.
J’aime bien la dernière réplique
Sinon oui la définition d’endroits publics semble encore difficilement compréhensible à certains, par exemple les abris bus… Je ne compte plus le nombre de fumeurs qui m’ont envoyée balader parce que je leur avais dit de sortir sous la pluie s’ils voulaient fumer mais qu’ils arrêtent de me mettre leur fumée dans le visage (surtout quand en plus ils ont un parapluie non mais sérieusement…).
Après c’est comme partout y’a des cons fumeurs, des cons non-fumeurs, des pas cons fumeurs et des pas cons non-fumeurs
hello Manirian, merci de venir me rendre visite. Concernant la fumée à l’extérieur, les japonais semblent avoir trouvé la solution en aménageant des endroits fumeurs à l’extérieur (si si) et cela semble bien marché. Il faut dire aussi que le japonais est aussi un peu plus discipliné. Et oui, il y a des cons partout.