I was a little disappointed that you gave Jasmine Pursley her 15 minutes of fame by publishing her picture with the front-page July 25 story “Smokers continue to light up in city’s parks despite ban.” My take on the photo is that the smoker has an arrogant disregard of the law, that she assumes she won’t be ticketed and that she enjoyed the attention The Columbian gave her.
As for any smoker not knowing the law after six months, don’t make me laugh. Pursley said in the story “the police always come and talk to us,” which means that she and all of her friends are very aware of the 6-month-old law. The fact that police officers give these people only warnings is inexcusable since the officers are there and see them smoking.
I am a healthy nonsmoker who doesn’t allow anyone to smoke in my car, home or rentals. However, I would prefer that the Vancouver City Council retract the law. Why frustrate all of us nonsmokers who prefer clean air by passing a law that is not going to be enforced?
Carl Tuttle
VANCOUVER
