Oregon smokers only please

[csaaphill]

Oregon is thinking on bannign smoking on the beach all 300 miles along Oregon coast lines.
If you smoke and live in Oregon since not all on here live in washington please tell kitzhaber to go fly a kite.
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/08/your_voice_should_oregon_ban_s.html
At the request of Gov. John Kitzhaber, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is exploring the possibility of banning smoking along all 362 miles of Pacific coast beaches.
 
A ban is one potential answer to the growing amount of litter piling up on state beaches during the past 15 years, department spokesman Chris Havel explained. Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter along the shoreline, and volunteers pick up tens of thousands of them each year.
 
There's also concern about forest fires — yes, they can happen even at the beach, Havel said. The reason: Driftwood gets extremely dry from sitting in the sun.
 
Kitzhaber's 2012 executive order requires the department to explore ways to limit smoking on the beaches, not necessarily ban it altogether. Parks and Recreation officials are scheduled to give their recommendation Nov. 17.
 
State officials are soliciting public comment about the possible ban through Aug. 29. As of Thursday, the state had received 108 emails from people weighing in.
 
The results were split:
 •53 supported a ban
 •55 opposed or had serious doubts about whether a ban is the right answer
 
Keep in mind, this isn't a scientific poll. Still, a wide variety of people responded. The vast majority were from Oregon, but vacationers from Washington, California and even as far away as Colorado wrote in.
 
The responses range from one-sentence notes to pages-long legal opinions, and from irate rants to respectful arguments.
 
Perhaps the most interesting thing we discovered: The majority of dissenters claimed to be nonsmokers but were disturbed by the government wanting to regulate beach activities. Or they think would be unenforceable.
 
 
 









Should Oregon ban smoking on the beach?

Yes
No
I like the idea, but it probably wouldn't work
Other (I'll explain in the comments section)



VoteView Results

 
After reviewing the emails, we chose excepts from five from each side to republish here
for anyone interested please follow a ling to tell him no on this!

[bigtex]

Perhaps the most interesting thing we discovered: The majority of dissenters claimed to be nonsmokers but were disturbed by the government wanting to regulate beach activities. Or they think would be unenforceable.

Not sure how it would be unenforceable. WA's public smoking law is pretty easy to enforce, someone in public that is smoking is in violation. The only flaw in WA's law is that the agency who contacts most violators, the Liquor Control Board, doesn't have the authority (yet) to enforce the law.

[bobcat]

Seems like a good solution to me, and possibly the ONLY solution. People who smoke are going to toss the butts on the ground. No way around that. I see no reason why people couldn't refrain from smoking while at a public beach. Why not breathe in that nice fresh air instead of smoke into your lungs, just for a little while? Certainly it's not going to hurt anything to go without a cigarette for a short time.   

[Curly]

Either a smoking ban or enforce the littering laws.  Increase the fines for tossing a butt onto the ground.    I hate litter. 

[Bob33]

please tell kitzhaber to go fly a kite.

Beaches are better suited to flying a kite than smoking. The smokers can pound sand; that's also a better alternative.

[Bean Counter]

The litter is unfortunate, but I also hate smelling the filth of smokers. Particularly when I'm attempting to enjoy fresh air. Give yourself cancer on your own property 

[Elkaholic daWg]

A Lot of nanny state responses here. Progressives??

[Mike450r]

The littering aspect is already illegal.  That's the law to enforce.  No new regulations needed.

[Skinnyguts]

A Lot of nanny state responses here. Progressives??

 

[SCRUBS]

A Lot of nanny state responses here. Progressives??

 

 

[7mmfan]

A Lot of nanny state responses here. Progressives??

 

 

I don't consider myself a "nanny" or a "progressive" and I absolutely HATE the smell of cigarette smoke and the sight of cigarette butts as litter.  If you want to smoke, fine, smoke, but do it somewhere where I do not have to deal with it. You smoking around me forces me to deal with it and I don't appreciate it. Flicking your butt on the ground is an eye sore and a detriment to the environment (something which I hope everyone on a fishing and hunting forum is passionate about), not to mention illegal, so how is trying to enforce this viewed as nanny or progressive? Its called common decency. 

[Bean Counter]

Bingo. Nanny state is to attempt to prohibit smoking in private residences or even businesses--I support no such legislation. What I do support is clean air and a freedom from filth in public places.

Is it nanny state to make it illegal to shoot your gun straight up into the air in a crowded city?

[Mike450r]

Some responses sound similar to what an electric car owner may say to someone driving a truck.  The argument that it may keep butts off the ground I can stomach,  the clean air argument gets the same consideration as someone saying fossil fuel vehicles or outdoor burning should be banned.   

[Elkaholic daWg]

Some responses sound similar to what an electric car owner may say to someone driving a truck.  The argument that it may keep butts off the ground I can stomach,  the clean air argument gets the same consideration as someone saying fossil fuel vehicles or outdoor burning should be banned.   

[csaaphill]

That's why the title is only smokers please not none smokers who want nothing more than to limit more freedoms
If your a smoker and feel this is an infringement please do something about it!
If not then HOW ABOUT YOU GO POUND SAND!!!!!!!!