As a smoker, I started to notice, during the last few year, major plays against smokers. I almost got arrested for smoking outside, on hospital property, while waiting for my dad to die in the ER. Read my post before voting of course.

History of anti smoking laws as perceived by a smoker.

Smoking at work is banned (Good) Even if you are the owner and you are the only one working there! (Shit)

Smoking in restaurants and bars is banned (Restaurants, good. Bars, not so good)
Restaurants: Event places who invested $$$$ in perfectly shielded environments are forced to tear it down to follow the law
Bars: How about the people who enjoy a few cigs with their beer! Can’t we have at least one bar? Nope.

Smoking in indoor public places is banned (Hey, why not go all the way! OK, OK I‘ll go outside, shrug)
Bingo places where 90% are smokers feel the pressure.

Smoking in some outdoor public places is banned (OK, as long as I don’t have to go there)
Baseball park at first. Now hospitals and schools have a strict no smoking on property law. One hospital in Ottawa bought an adjoining park for 1$ a year. Guess there’ll be no smoking in all parks soon.

Smoking in outdoor terraces is banned (What?! My last refuge for a restaurant outing)
I guess the only people using the terraces in restaurants were smokers. Hey, what did you expect. Push them further away then.

Smoking within 15 feet of a door is banned (Shit, now I can’t smoke on downtown city sidewalks, middle of the street here I come)
I guess having people walk a few steps away from the terrace they were just having lunch at is not enough.

Smoking under a covered area is banned (Roof overhang to umbrella). (Not only are you kicked outside but you can’t shelter yourself from the rain. Health Nazi&#33
So, seeing people hugging the wall smoking a cigarette, trying to shelter themselves from the rain in too disgusting. How dare these lesser humans use shelter from the rain.

Having a picnic and smoking?! You don’t deserve an umbrella you cancer giving freak! Don’t you know smoke can travel upwind miles around and give cancer to my baby?

Don’t get me wrong, I believe smoking should be eradicated but gradually, “generationally“. I don’t believe treating current smokers like dogs is the answer. For most of us, when we started, it was OK to smoke. “Oh, you look so gentlemanly…” was the common response. Now we are stuck with it.

Now, if we complain we are being pushed to the limit of cooperation, we look like monsters.