Letters to the editor: Non-smokers have right not to smoke

I am responding to the letter from the Farwell lady. (Wednesday’s CNJ: Smoking ban about power, control)

I would no more have the right to take that cigarette from her, than she has the right to take the clean air from me. If we could figure out a way to keep that non-filtered smoke out of my air we would have nothing to argue about. But the thing is you can’t!

Her argument about outlawing gasoline is ludicrous. No one brings gasoline into an enclosed public area and expects others to breathe the fumes. It wouldn’t be allowed.

She is silly to think that Clovis Mayor David Lansford is pawning anything on to the state lawmakers. We the voters are begging to go out into the public and not have to be affected by smokers’ bad habits. If they want to smoke, they can do it. But not in public.

Smokers don’t have the right to make me go into an asthma attack because they are too selfish to care about other people.

My parents in their day had an excuse: They didn’t know any better. Today’s smokers don’t have that excuse. They are not only affecting themselves, but all those around them.

The lady from Farwell can smoke in her space. But not in mine.

Chris Brockett

Clovis

Smoking increases serious disease risks

Please let me enlighten readers about smoking.

Some statistics show passive smoking increases the risks of respiratory disease by 30 percent and lung cancer by 34 percent. The risk to children is even higher. Those exposed to tobacco smoke at home every day for many hours are four times as likely to contract lung cancer later in life. Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the severity and frequency of asthma episodes, lower respiratory tract infections and ear infections.

Women are still smoking at lower rates than men, but their rates of lung cancer are increasing. Smoking takes a greater toll on the health of women than men; a smoking woman loses, on average, 14.5 years of her life while a man loses just over 13 years.

Smoking causes cancer, emphysema, heart disease, heartburn, and peptic ulcers. There is a higher incidence of Crohns disease, gallstones and liver disease in smokers. It also causes those nasty little wrinkles around your lips.

Even the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company states on its Web site “We produce a product that has significant and inherent health risks for a number of serious diseases, and may contribute to causing these diseases in some individuals.”

We all have the “right” to smoke. But when you smoke next to me, I get to smoke too. I stink, I cough, I can’t taste my food and my eyes water.

So go ahead and smoke your cigarettes. But please don’t impose your “right” on me.

Connie Belcher

Clovis

Marijuana, alcohol greater concerns

As far as I know, tobacco products (cigars, pipe tobacco, and cigarettes) and their by-products are legal. I have not read a police report stating that smoking was the cause of an accident, although if you are driving and you drop a cigarette in your lap while wearing shorts, it will get your attention.

When Anthony “Tre” Ravenal spoke to our high school students at an assembly, he asked “How many of you have experimented with alcohol?” Almost all raised their hands. Well folks, that is confirmation of an illegal action.

“Marijuana?” A third raised their hands. Well guess what? That is also confirmation of an illegal action.

Have we developed such a severe case of tunnel vision that we cannot see past tobacco? The two illegal actions deserve our attention now because they affect young people now.

Templer Horry

Clovis