Student, Construction Career Center
"It hasn't gone too far, because smoking damages your body and you're harming other people with that smoke. The surgeon general warns us about it, but people still smoke anyway. I don't really understand it -- that stuff is nasty."
Barbara Vrabek
Elementary-School Teacher
"No, but they shouldn't go any further. In Las Vegas, I saw people covering their mouths and pointing at smokers, and I just thought that was strange, to go to a casino and then act offended when people light up. Personally, I don't do assigned smoking areas. I smoke outside where there's plenty of room and fresh air."
Jim Steiger
Construction Worker
"I think local ordinances can be ridiculous, but on a practical level it's a matter of common courtesy. You don't want to create hazards for nonsmokers, like, I will chew on my cigar rather than smoke it in public. But ultimately, in your own environment, you should be able to do what you want."
Tina Stith
Chimney Explorer
"[When] I see people smoking, I think: 'My God, what are they doing to their bodies?' Recently my husband died of cancer caused by smoking. People will always enjoy their habits; it's just that sometimes the outcome is cancer, and it's horrifying to see."
Hal McGhee
Principal, Shenandoah Elementary School
"They haven't gone far enough, because tobacco should be banned everywhere -- even in bars and restaurants, unless they want to go outside. These people huddled outside of office buildings in the middle of winter, smoking cigarettes in the cold? That's where they belong. Not even my best friend smokes in my house."
Theresa Schaeffer
Foreign-Language Teacher
"Definitely -- it's horrible! In this country, we advocate freedom of choice in all aspects. Smoking is a personal choice, and people who do it are well aware of its consequences, so to place unreasonable restrictions on smokers goes against this country's very foundations. Most smoking takes place within a social context, and people should respect that."
