On smoking, cell phones

Smoking in public places should be banned. That’s a no-brainer. People have the right to protect themselves and their children. What kills you doesn’t make you stronger.

Alcohol and tobacco are legal drugs. Maybe tobacco should be illegal. Our government makes huge profits on both. Let’s raise a pack of smokes to $10. Let’s take $6 of profit and spend that money on positive measures such as prevention and research.

Now let’s talk about cell phone use while driving. I commend those in Shawnee for considering banning cell phone use while driving. Our kids learn bad habits from their parents, even road rage. All of these bad habits can be prevented. Remember, what can kill you doesn’t make you stronger.

K. Zarda
Merriam

Comments

[JUNGLEJACK]

This has to be one of the most poorly constructed letters to ever pass the stringent guidelines of the Star's policy.

Rambling, off-topic and vague - I think this was left on the "voices" line, and pushed into the letters section to fill space.

[Kate]

http://current.com/watch/22278732

[CRD]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-08-09-1Alede_N.htm

[Kate]

“Maybe tobacco should be illegal. Our government makes huge profits on both.”

*sigh* Only businesses earn profit. Our government collects taxes. Now, do you want to make tobacco use illegal, meaning that no tax money would be collected on its use, and tax money would be spent enforcing the prohibition, or do you want to tax it beyond reason, and encourage a black market?

Good thing this is Saturday. Otherwise, in some Johnson County teacher’s lounge, someone would be reading the second paragraph of this letter and fearing for his job.

[T. Hanson]

Yea, those cops aren't too busy making sure people don't drive drunk, speed, bust red lights, tail gate, wear seat belts, make sure kids are buckled up, driving within the lines on the road, not tailgateing, looking for motorist in distress, looking for road hazards (i.e. boxes in the road), listening to the radio to make sure there is no reported crime in the area, performing public relations, writing reports, and studying for promotions.

Those dang cops aren't doing anything so now lets make sure that the 5 seconds that they see just one car on the road that they try to stare down the driver to see if he/she has a bluetooth earbud and see if they are talking.

[BuddyT]

It is a darn good thing you make decent bbq Zarda because your ideas about controlling everyone with more bad laws suck.