Anti-Smoking Nazi's take over - fine you for smoking in your own home...

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FascistsSuburban D.C. county to fine smokers if neighbors irked

By JO BECKER THE WASHINGTON POST The Montgomery County, Md., Council Tuesday approved one of the most restrictive anti-smoking measures in the nation, setting stiff fines for people who smoke in their own homes if it offends their neighbors.

Under the county's new indoor air quality standards, tobacco smoke will be treated in the same manner as other potentially harmful pollutants such as asbestos, radon, molds or pesticides. If the smoke manages to waft into a neighbor's home - whether through a door, a vent or an open window - that neighbor will now be able to complain to the county's Department of Environmental Protection.

Smokers, and in some cases landlords or condominium associations that fail to properly ventilate buildings, would face fines of up to $750 per violation if they failed to take steps to mitigate the problem.

County Executive Douglas Duncan (D) promised Tuesday to sign the measure into law, which supporters said will protect people from health dangers.

"This does not say that you cannot smoke in your house," said council member Isiah Leggett, D-At Large. "What it does say is that your smoke cannot cross property lines."

But tobacco companies are already threatening a possible legal challenge, the American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concern about the law's impact on property rights, and opponents on the council are charging that it unfairly targets the poor.

In cities and counties across the country, lawmakers over the past decade have banned smoking in bars, restaurants, workplaces and even outdoor public areas such as parks and sports arenas.

More recently, the anti-smoking movement has taken on the cause of apartment dwellers. Smoke-free apartment registries have popped up in cities across the country, and some tenants have successfully sued under general nuisance laws that prohibit loud noise and other activities that constitute an unreasonable threat to the quiet enjoyment of property.

But there are few, if any, ordinances that directly address the issue of smoke spreading from one home to another. West Hollywood, Calif., a city known for its tough anti-smoking laws, considered a measure similar to Montgomery's in 2000 but did not adopt it.

"This codifies what we believe has generally been the law, but we're only just now getting around to enforcing," said John Banzhaf, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health and a public law professor at George Washington University. "This is a major step forward because it will allow people to make a simple complaint to a designated agency rather than having to hire a lawyer and go to court."

That's if the tobacco companies don't go to court to have the law overturned, an option two said they will study.

"I've never heard of legislation like this anywhere in the country," said Steve Watson, vice president of Lorillard Tobacco Co.

"We think it looks like an extreme and unnecessary measure that would be burdensome for property owners," said Lisa Eddington, spokeswoman for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. "We will be evaluating it."

The legislation, which represents the county's first attempt to regulate indoor air quality, was initially designed to give environmental regulators an enforcement tool to deal with complaints involving things like mold, excessive dust, paint and carpet glue odors or gases such as carbon monoxide. Children in day care, the thinking went, should not be forcibly exposed to fumes from an auto body shop next door.

Duncan excepted tobacco smoke from the new regulations, which define indoor pollutants as agents that are "likely to pose a health hazard to humans, plants or animals or unreasonably interfere with the use or enjoyment of residential or non-residential property."

But a council committee chose to include tobacco smoke, a decision that six of the nine council members supported Tuesday after a heated debate.

AP-NY-11-20-01 2131EST



-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Answers

my dog lets HORRIBLE farts...........do you think I will be fined???

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

well, so much for living free in your own home.

Sounds like an infringement of our inalienable rights.

If someone complains about smoke, do they have to have evidence of it for the inspector?

As for dog farts, well, if they turn the candle flames green, blow out the candles.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001


Anone else notice how often flatulence comes up in this forum?

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

I just moved out of Montgomery County. It's run by Democrats, insane Democrats.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

anyone else notice how talking of flatulence leads to politics?

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001


OG, few on this forum would introduce flatlulence unless it were really necessary for a discussion. But here it is necessary, because we have a potentially serious law enforcement problem. What if a scofflaw, in the privacy of his home, (1) smokes, and (2) eats beans to cover up the evidence?

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

You are kidding, right Peter?

ROTFLMAO

Maybe someone will get that little soundbite off the thread at Unk's...

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001


And people ask me why I have disconnected my computer speakers. . . . .

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Barefoot, about that thread at Unk's: Years ago, the movie industry introduced what I think was called Smellorama. It was about the time of 3D glasses for movies. Aren't we glad that that capability has not been added to the Internet.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

All this reminds me of a story about the Dog Rover, which will possibly be found relevant to this discussion if I give it some thought.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001


Oh my goodness...........I think I need some help. Therapy...yet to be named 12 step program??? Here I am, 57 year old, chubby Mennonite with her first computer; no TV in years and I have gone from just lurking on a few forums to laughing at things that would have previously not particularly been funny to me and talking about my dog's farts!!! Yikes, I am really so glad that this is passworded!!!

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Diane,

Next thing you know, you'll be making a sound file of your dog's fart then posting it here! LOL

Glad you are having such fun.

apoc

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001


uh-oh peter.....

you spoke too soon......

Link snip
at least two American companies who are planning to awaken all of your senses by bringing digital odors to the Internet.
end snip




now if they can just invent one that "sniffs" out politicians!
; )

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Okay, okay, okay.

Beans and Air Quality

Here's another related bit:

There was a young fellow from Sparta,
A really magnificent farter,
On the strength of one bean,
He'd fart God Save the Queen,
And Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
He could vary with proper persuasion,
His fart to suit the occasion,
He could fart like a flute,
Like a lark, like a lute,
This highly fartistic caucasian.
He'd fart a gavotte for a starter,
And fizzle a fine serenata.
He could play on his anus,
The Corialanus,
Oof,boom,er-tum,tootle,hum tah-da!
He was great in the Christmas Cantata,
He could double-stop fart the Toccata,
He'd boom from his ass,
Bach's B-Minor Mass,
And in counterpoint, La Traviata.
Spurred on by a very high wager,
With an envious German named Bager,
He'd proceed to fart
The complete oboe part,
Of the Haydn Octet in B-Major.
It went off in capital style,
And he farted it through with a smile.
Then feeling quite jolly,
He tried the finale,
Blowing double-stopped farts all the while.
The selection was tough, I admit,
But it did not dismay him a bit.
Then with ass thrown aloft,
He suddenly coughed,
And collapsed in a shower of shit.


-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

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