What is your opinion on ban on smoking in apartments and condo's?

Question

The general gist of it is people are plaining they are getting second hand smoke because of neibors. This only applies to people they are attached to like an apartment or a condo.

The talk of this ban is only a few years after the ban of smoking in all bussiness's and at least 25 feet from any door or window. That includes bars. (an FYI for those who do not live in WA state.)

Here is the article.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/331642_condos14.asp?source=rss

Keep in mind a condo is basicly an apartment you own.

Answer 1

Smoking also yellows the walls and causes odors that are nearly impossible to get rid of. If i were a landlord i wouldn't want my tenants smoking .

Answer 2

(1) Well, the state could probably ban cigarettes completely if they wanted, right? (That is so long as there's no federal law prohibiting states from banning cigarettes.)

(2) States can also restrict what you do on private property. Can you store dangerous chemicals on your property? Can you make a cemetary on your property without a license?

If (1) and (2), then, as a matter of law, they can (3) pass the regulation you're talking about. Whether it's a good idea or not, that's a different story. The point is that smoking is nasty, it pollutes the air and causes serious health problems to those who regularly breathe in secondhand smoke.
Yes, to the extent that tobacco is still legal, the government has to decide when enough is enough and to allow people to enjoy a legal product. But that's a matter of policy, not of "law."

Answer 3

It's making it illegal to do a legal thing, and it's idiotic to keep taking it to the extremes that they are taking it.

The government has no place telling businesses whether they can't allow smoking. That should be a choice of the business, not the customers or the government. No one is making non-smokers be patrons of a business.

To take it to the degree of apartment complexes is ludicrous. Mandating that the property owners take steps to assure adequate ventilation makes more sense than banning a legal activity in someone's private residence.

The anti-smoking lobby has gained too much power, and they won't stop until smoking becomes illegal altogether. Then THEY will be the ones complaining when all of the tax revenues that are lost from legal tobacco sales and transportation become tax increases on them.

Answer 4

First the second hand smoke wouldn't travel between apartments and condos unless they shared the same air conditioning system ducting. Most apartments and condos do not share the air conditioning systems or its ducting. The wimps crying about second hand smoke are just that crying. Next time you pull into a gas station and are filling up your car. Look around on the pump. It's required by law that the gas companies post on the pumps that inhaling gas fumes is proven to cause cancer. Not may cause, or could cause, but DOES cause.

Answer 5

I guess I can see the premise behind it, and a few apartment blocks in my city have already started doing this..though it was through their own choice not any law.

Personally, I think it is a bit much, as the amount of second hand smoke you would be subjected to would be minimal and no worse than the smog outside or the ***hole who leaves his car running under your apartment windows. Just because you can smell the smoke does not mean you are inhaling dangerous amounts.

As far as condo's go that IS SO NOT FAIR...you OWN the property and should be able to do as you please.

Apartment wise, I think it could go either way as far as rights, one could argue both:

1. Suck it up if you can't afford your own home, well smelling some one elses smoke is the same as hearing someone else's tv or music...them's the breaks.

2. Suck it up if you can't afford your own home you'll just have to go outside and smoke...same as how you can't have your music blaring at midnight.

Answer 6

Most apartments and condo's should have their own ventilation system providing they are built to code.

I actually find it a little obscene that people are thinking of restricting a person's right to partake in a completely legal activity i the privacy of their own home.

I am not a smoker. However I do enjoy many perfectly legal activities in my home that I would much rather not see taken away because of the off chance it may offend a neighbor.

Answer 7

I'm still far more concerned about the dangers of driving late at night or early morning and being hit by a drunk driver... oh wait, they tried to ban booze... I'm also more concerned about diesel exhaust I breathe at work (construction site)... but, we have the oil companies that won't let anything happen there, oh, welding on galvanized materials with it's noxious fumes... oh wait... it's not a cigarette..

we're in a modern witch hunt.

why not ban cell phones from vehicles... how many persons are endangered because someone is more focused on their phone conversation (or texting) instead of their driving.

The list goes on.

When will sex be banned because you can hear it through a wall? (in a condo/apartment situation)

Answer 8

i understand not smoking inside buildings (restaurants, businesses, etc.) but to tell people they can't smoke in their home or even in he park is a bunch of BS! People are too uptight about the second hand smoke. Yes it is not good for you if you spend alot of time in it but just to walk through a little cigarette smoke on the street or wherever isn't as bad as alot of stuff you do or come in contact with on a regular basis. There are more important things the gov't should be looking at instead of taking away people's rights. Free country my ***.

Answer 9

You shouldn't be able to ban someone from smoking in their own homes. If you are going to go that far, might as well just ban smoking all together. How would such a ban be enforced anyways, getting a search warrant to fine a smoker is ludicrous.

Answer 10

I think it is ridiculous. That would be the same thing as no drinking in your apartment.

If one pays his rent unless it is in his contract ,should be able to do what ever he chooses as long as it is legal.
These people that don't like second hand smoke can move into the country and stop complaining about taxes. If Tobacco is ever made illegal their taxes will go shy high.

Answer 11

I don't smoke, but I think's it's pretty stupid; I wonder how and who would enforce that. I used to live in Bremerton, the stupidity that comes out of WA never ceases to amaze me. I'm glad I left the state.