By Bonnie Johnstone Santa Monica
Some people say, “I have a right to smoke; it’s a free country.” Well, I have a right to smoke-free air.
People argue that along with cigarettes, cars also cause pollution. Yes, that’s true but cars get you to work; second-hand smoke doesn’t. Cars expand your ability to visit friends and to travel; cigarettes provide discomfort and unpleasant smells. Cars help get you to medical appointments; cigarettes hasten your need for them. Second-hand smoke does nothing beneficial. The new ordinance is not a total ban on smoking. People can smoke in their own homes and cars, even though it does leak through windows and vents and bothers other people.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 9, 2006. Read the original PDF.