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News / Opinion / Letters to the Editor

Letter: Monitoring disobedience is difficult

The Columbian
Published: December 25, 2011, 4:00pm

In response to the passage of the new law banning smoking in the city parks, who will monitor this? The tobacco police?

If you think I’m going to have an encounter with a smoker in the park, and ask that person to stop, you are mistaken. Why not a designated area for smokers? That makes sense. Most smokers I know are reasonable people and will use an area that is set aside. The parks are for all taxpaying citizens. Parks are not enclosed areas where second-hand smoke may bother people.

Our city, state and federal government are removing basic human rights, and asking citizens to monitor each other. It seems to me that more problems are created with the passage of unenforceable laws. We cannot legislate morality and clean living. We tried that with Prohibition.

Drinking alcohol is prohibited in the parks, unless sanctioned by the officials for special events. These are money-making events. Who monitors the drinkers who then get in their cars and drive home?

We all know that the use of tobacco in any form is dangerous to our health, but once addicted, a person feeds that addiction. Do I have the right to tell my neighbor to stop? Suicide by tobacco is a personal choice.

Lillian B. Christina

Vancouver

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