Not to be outdone by Boulder, CO Springs bans outdoor smoking...

http://www.krdo.com/news/smoking-ban...z/-/index.html

Smoking banned in Colo. Springs parks

Water restrictions eased

Rana Novini, Anchor/Reporter, r.novini@krdo.com


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Colorado Springs City Council voted Tuesday to ban smoking in all city parks.

Karen Palus, the city's director of parks, said that on many occasions Colorado Springs parks employees have found mounds of cigarette butts in city parks. The tossed butts present a fire danger, according to Palus.

As news of the ban broke in Memorial Park on Tuesday afternoon, there were mixed reactions.

Gordon Butt and his wife were playing by Prospect Lake with their 18-month-old son. Butt told KRDO NewsChannel 13 that he was glad his son could soon come to the park without worrying about second-hand smoke.

"When you're in a public park, and I want to be playing with my son, I don't want to have to take him somewhere else because there's three or four adults right next to the playground smoking," Butt said.

Smokers at the park were outraged.

"As an adult in the state of Colorado, I feel that if I'm able to go fight for my country, I should be able to smoke freely wherever I want to," said Jesus Pacheco.

Also on City Council's agenda was easing water restrictions in Colorado Springs.

Council voted to allow residents to use 2500 cubic feet of water instead of 2,000 cubic feet. Customers who exceed that usage will be charged 1.25 times the cost instead of the previous two times the cost.

Gary Bostrom, chief water services officer for Colorado Springs Utilities, told KRDO NewsChannel 13 that, basically, customers can now use more water and will be fined less for going over the limit.

The number of days a resident can water has not changed. Watering restrictions remain at two days a week.

"City Council certainly understands we're in a drought, and given the uncertainty of where the snowpack will be next year, we need to continue to save to be in a better position for next year by saving water this year," Bostrom said.

Is this a sign that the Springs has been lost to the Bloomberg liberals?
Next thing you know, Morse will win the recall election...

Fack.

What's the issue? Now a person with asthma or other upper respiratory issue can enjoy the park, and a smoker is inconvenienced by not being able to light up...

Can't we, as people, simply ask one another not to smoke or move if we don't like being near a smoker? As an asthmatic former smoker, I hate cigarette smoke with a passion, but c'mon. The people are already outdoors after all, it's not like they are being trapped within Sertich Ice Arena with a bunch of chain smokers.

Less legislation, less government = more freedom.

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Originally Posted by hghclsswhitetrsh

What's the issue? Now a person with asthma or other upper respiratory issue can enjoy the park, and a smoker is inconvenienced by not being able to light up...

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"No shooting on public land. Now people that want to hike and atv, can enjoy the wilderness and evil gun owner is inconvenienced by having to go somewhere private". See the issue yet?

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Originally Posted by Dave_L

"No shooting on public land. Now people that want to hike and atv, can enjoy the wilderness and evil gun owner is inconvenienced by having to go somewhere private". See the issue yet?

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Yep I see that.

I guess the issue is human decency. And that will never be able to be enforced through legislation.

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Originally Posted by 3beansalad

Can't we, as people, simply ask one another not to smoke or move if we don't like being near a smoker? As an asthmatic former smoker, I hate cigarette smoke with a passion, but c'mon. The people are already outdoors after all, it's not like they are being trapped within Sertich Ice Arena with a bunch of chain smokers.

Less legislation, less government = more freedom.

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I'm in the same boat (asthmatic former smoker), and I concur. I hate the smoke, not the smoker, but can't restrict freedom.

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Originally Posted by Dave_L

"No shooting on public land. Now people that want to hike and atv, can enjoy the wilderness and evil gun owner is inconvenienced by having to go somewhere private". See the issue yet?

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Well put! And that is a separate issue that really pisses me off that'll have to wait for another thread on the topic. [Beer]

FOR THE CHILDREN!

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Originally Posted by hghclsswhitetrsh

I guess the issue is human decency. And that will never be able to be enforced through legislation.

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Remove God, and you MUST legislate all human behavior...

Kinda funny how they seem to have used 'mounds of cig butts' as evidence! How do they know the butts were burning when they were deposited on the ground?

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Originally Posted by sellersm

Remove God, and you MUST legislate all human behavior...

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Amen, preach it!

[Beer]

I really really hate smoking in general. But, it's a park outside.... come on.

Now, an outdoor mall like pearl street or 16th street. Sure. Understandable. But the park?

Sent from my teepee using smoke signals.

The premise of this is a fallacy. Second hand smoke can be detrimental to ones health, but only in a relatively confined space(such as an automobile or small home) and prolonged exposure.
If this premise were true then everybody at a concert would be stoned due to a few stoners.
The "dangers" of second hand smoke in an outdoor environment are right up there with global warming.
Pure BS.
I smoke and if I am someplace outdoors if you mention in a considerate away that it bothers you I will: a- move to a different location b-put it out.
I will respect your space if you respect my right to smoke.
Now if somebody is a jerk about it I will gladly: a-tell you to find someplace else or b-chain smoke like a train.
Respect begats respect.
BS like this is why Boulder and now the Springs will see damn few of my dollars.

i pretty much hate smoking and smokers. i find smokers for the most part (not all) to be lazy and inconsiderate pos's.
in the Marine Corps, I found out how lazy smokers were for the first time. dropping their butts every where too lazy to put them in the trash. we all had to clean up after those dbags. any time you go to a store or other business now, you have to run the gauntlet of dbag smokers at the entrance (since they can no longer smoke inside)(and because they are too lazy to walk into an area that it wouldnt bother others). i hate smoking, i hate smoke.

BUT, I love freedom, so I wont legislate away someone elses freedoms or suggest that they should be. I wish MOST smokers were considerate. But, I also wish ammo was cheap too and that aint happening.

I was a heavy smoker for many years but gave it up 28 years ago. I hate the smell and the butts everywhere but I still think smokers have rights too !

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Originally Posted by Kraven251

FOR THE CHILDREN!

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Im just happy "If it saves just ONE LIFE".

It's all about the butts and litter being left behind. Smokers always just toss butts on the ground. The rest of their reasoning is an excuse. M

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Originally Posted by 3beansalad

Can't we, as people, simply ask one another not to smoke or move if we don't like being near a smoker? As an asthmatic former smoker, I hate cigarette smoke with a passion, but c'mon. The people are already outdoors after all, it's not like they are being trapped within Sertich Ice Arena with a bunch of chain smokers.

Less legislation, less government = more freedom.

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This ^^^^^

I hate cig smoke with a passion. But I am also all about personal liberties and I do not like to see the encroached upon. IMO part of the problem we have in this country with poor social skills is we legislate instead of just communicating. Giving the example I quoted it takes all interaction out of the equation. I am fine with you having the desire to smoke and take a walk in a park just like you should respect the fact when I express that I have an issue with smoke and could you please put it out for a few till I am done or smoke in another section of the park. Legislating it takes all of our community communicating skills and tosses the need for them out the window.

I thought being in a Public place meant putting up with other people and by extension their habits. Hell I dislike people in General, can I get a waiver that all you ugly mugs have to leave before I show up?

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Originally Posted by colorider

It's all about the butts and litter being left behind. Smokers always just toss butts on the ground. The rest of their reasoning is an excuse. M

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^That's exactly what this is all about. They even said so. This has very little to do with smoking It's all about them littering and causing possible fire concerns.

While I HATE smoke and I am perfectly okay with this but I am afraid between this and the retail pot ban (which I am also all for) we may have put our Republican strong hold at risk here. Colorado Springs is the last (large city) hold out for us on the Pro Republican/Pro gun front and I don't want to lose it.

.

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Originally Posted by mtnrider

While I HATE smoke and I am perfectly okay with this but I am afraid between this and the retail pot ban (which I am also all for) we may have put our Republican strong hold at risk here. Colorado Springs is the last (large city) hold out for us on the Pro Republican/Pro gun front and I don't want to lose it.

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This just brought something to my attention... what about recreational pot use? I personally do not like the effects, the smell nor can I be around it. So once it's "fully legal" or whatever they have to do to make it so people can enjoy their 64th Amendment rights here in good old California Pt 2, will it be regarded like MMJ where folks have to smoke in homes/cars and not in public? Or will they fail to enforce or loosely enforce public smoking bans for pot? Or will it be completely okay in public? The only reason I ask, being a former smoker (cigarette smoker not talking about pot) I'd much rather be exposed to cigarette smoke than have to cough on pot smoke. I already know a couple bars in CO that if the staff caught someone smoking weed, wouldn't do a damn thing about it... some might even join. So will it be demonized harsher than cigarettes? Or will they relax the standard because "it's not as harmful"? <Which is a lie.

So I guess this means I am hated and reviled by a few folks here.

Wonderful........

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Originally Posted by colorider

It's all about the butts and litter being left behind. Smokers always just toss butts on the ground. The rest of their reasoning is an excuse. M

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Always eh. I have always stripped it and put the but in a trash can but if you say always then it must be true. Yo, Thomas! guess what you always do.[Flower]

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So I guess this means I am hated and reviled by a few folks here.

Wonderful........

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1/2 the staff as well.

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Originally Posted by BPTactical

So I guess this means I am hated and reviled by a few folks here.

Wonderful........

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I still like you! Fwiw...

And this has probably run its course before it gets ugly.

Just one passing thought. I did not smoke until the Military. I am old enough that back then they taught you that if you smoked you got breaks. 4 cigs came in every field ration until the MRE's came along (83)

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Originally Posted by jerrymrc

Always eh. I have always stripped it and put the but in a trash can but if you say always then it must be true. Yo, Thomas! guess what you always do.[Flower]

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I *thought* I was field stripping 'em and holding 'em until I could dispose of them in a trash can; or putting them in a 1/2 filled water bottle in my car. I must be wrong about that since we "always just toss butts on the ground".

Whoops.

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Originally Posted by BPTactical

So I guess this means I am hated and reviled by a few folks here.


Wonderful........

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I wuv's ya Bert.