We’ve chosen sin tax over health

The attack on cigarettes continue and though I hate cigarettes, I do find myself wondering why these folks don’t just ban them.

Because at this point, where are you supposed to smoke? You can’t smoke in many houses or apartments. You can’t smoke in the work place. You’re put in the little dehumanizing smoking zones.

Now, there’s a push to ban smoking in parks, which seems a bit on the odd side to me. Seattle is thinking about it and now Walla Walla may ban smoking in public parks.

The Union Bulletin said the Parks and Rec department had a meeting about this issue not too long ago and while not many people showed up, the folks who were there got into a pretty passionate debate.

“I am a smoker and I try to be considerate of those around me. And I feel it is going a little bit too far,” Carmen Hillman said at the meeting. “I know Washington cigarettes are taxed like over $3, and then you guys are going to tell us where we can smoke and can’t smoke?”

Jean Dolling took another view.

“We have the right to protect our health, and also the message that we send to other people,” she said. “Plus, I equate parks with getting outdoors, good health, exercise. And anything that I put into my lungs that isn’t good fresh air is not good.”

Dolling’s is a point I understand until I go to a park and breathe in the exhaust of a bus that drives by.

So Walla Walla is considering three options:

-A complete ban on all smoking in public parks.

-A partial ban that would prohibit smoking near playgrounds and other children’s facilities in public parks.

-Keeping the current status quo that allows smoking in public parks.

I personally say keep the status quo. The truth is, there aren’t many people who will go smoke right next to some kid. In fact, smokers can be pretty accommodating. They know they’re gross and if you ask them nicely, they’ll be nice.

But moreover, can you really smell that cigarette smoke in a park if you’re not right on top of someone? This is outdoors – a huge outdoor space.

This whole conversation is so disingenuous to me because they’re making these policies on the premise they’re doing it for your health, but you’re banning the places to smoke but not banning the smoking. It means you’re not even stopping the behavior. You let that addictive behavior continue.

Why allow that behavior if you’re in it for people’s health? Because you’re more addicted to money than the smoker is addicted to nicotine.

You get millions of dollars to the general fund off of cigarette taxes in this state. I believe it was at $400 million from 2013.

That’s a lot of money you use to fund a number of projects and as much as you say you care about the health of the citizens, you care more about being able to fund a project in your community.

It’s something I understand. I wouldn’t have a different stance. You’re an adult. You’re making the choice to smoke.

If I wanted to stop you, it wouldn’t be a ban because a ban wouldn’t work. You’re talking about an addiction. You can’t just ban an addiction. You have to treat it.