Smoking and Law

["Heather Swann" <swann@Intercon.Com>]

Poster: "Heather Swann" <swann@intercon.com>

Gentles All-
	I must put in a word in support of a 'no smoking in public areas' law.  
I am allergic to cigarette, cigar, and many other forms of smoke.  If a group 
of Gentles stands in a doorway or very near the doorway of a hall, I cannot 
exit by that door to get a breathe of fresh air, or to go watch outdoor 
activities.  If gentles smoke at the list field, I have to spend 80% of my 
time watching where their smoke is going and moving to avoid it.  This 
detracts from my enjoyment of the tourney to the point that I have not 
bothered to watch some tourneys at all, having noticed a large number of 
smokers nearby.  
	I realize most Gentles understand this allergy as it pertains to 
breathing, but here is something you may not have considered:  I have to avoid 
getting smoke on my skin and clothes.  If I get smoke on my skin, it itches 
terribly, and I have to scrub it off with water and a cloth.  It also causes 
nausea.  I cannot merely hold my breath and run through the smoke, although I 
have had to do so on occasion when no other option was possible.  If the 
concentration of smoke is too high, I turn funny colours and stop breathing.
	The allergy seems to be specific to things that people actively smoke, 
such as cigarettes, cigars, and, I discovered thanks to some downstairs 
neighbors in college, illegal substances.  I was living in an upstairs 
apartment when my downstairs neighbors decided to hold a (I presume, since I 
am not terribly familiar with the smell) pot party.  I would have died if I 
had not managed to drag myself out to the parking lot where I lay gasping like 
a fish out of water for several hours, scrubbing the smoke off my skin with a 
puddle of rainwater.
	I have no problem with the smoke from a blacksmith's forge, for 
example, or even pipes.  The chemical composition of the smoke appears to be 
substantially different.  
	I just wanted to clarify for smokers why this particular law and its 
enforcement is import to the allergic non smokers.

	Thank you for your patience, I'll step off the soapbox now....

Miri

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