My smoking protest

My walk by the river this afternoon, prompted me to write this. I have thought about this for a long time now, but have been waiting for the right circumstance to talk about it. I have a big concern for health care professionals smoking on the job.

There was this group of handicapped people there having lunch with their caregivers. One lady stepped away from the group to have a smoke and even though she was about 3 feet away, still was blowing her smoke into the group. I have no problem with people who smoke. I used to smoke. My husband smokes. His whole family smokes. With the number of warnings and all of the education out there, if you still choose to do it then that is your prerogative. I do have a problem with putting unhealthy or unknowing people at risk. I think that if you are on duty, put them out.

They banned smoking in bars in Buffalo, what about 3 years ago or so. You are supposed to be smoking in bars and the people who go there and stand in the smoke know the repercussions and they are entering at their own risk. Why is this issue not addressed to people who should not be around the smoke?

When my son first went to daycare, I chose a place that I wasn’t too sure about. It was close to work and that was really the only benefit. I went to feed him for those three days that he was there on my lunch and everyday something bothered me. The second day I got there and his teacher was on her break and was outside smoking. The third day I went there, all the kids in the nursery were coughing and she said “I don’t know why they are all having asthma problems today”. I could tell you why. She goes and smokes then holds the babies with their underdeveloped lungs. I got my kid out of there. My husband never smokes around him.

I think they should look at this issue a little further. Put the smoking back in the establishments that are there for that reason, and take it out of places that deserve to have clean air.