By James Lowe Santa Monica
I just finished the article on the possibility of Santa Monica making it a law that people cannot smoke in their apartments (“City considers new smoking laws,” page 1, April 10). I realize that may be some time away, but I just have to say that with all the other more urgent matters facing our city, I am, and continued to be baffled by our City Council’s obsession with cigarettes and smoking … People have always smoked, and always will smoke.
The government tried getting people to stop drinking in the ‘30s with prohibition. As they learned, people found a way to get alcohol and to drink. The same thing will happen with cigarette smoking … We have an enormous list of things we need to accomplish.
Worrying about whether people smoke in their homes or apartments or not, is in my view, a complete waste of time and an invasion of privacy. If cigarette smoke bothers someone they should move somewhere where there isn’t any. I have to ask these people who are so worried about cigarette smoke, why do they live in one of the most polluted cities in the entire world?
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 12, 2008. Read the original PDF.