Hey Rick
Your comment that no death certificate lists a cause of death as "second hand smoke" is way off base. Did you see a death certificate that listed "smoking" as a cause of death??? No but you can find lung cancer, COPD, Heart Attack, Emphysema, etc quite easily all proven over and over again to be caused by smoking. Even the tobacco companies now have to admit that using their product as intended CAN KILL YOU. Sorry but that's just a fact not an opinion. Let me tell you another FACT. I work with children many of whom come from homes where family members smoke like chimneys. Its interesting how such a greater percentage of these children develop asthma compared to non-smoking families. Personally I think that smoking in the presence of a child is child abuse and should be treated as such. If you want to pollute your lungs that's fine with me. Do it on your time and out of my face (and lungs). I choose not to smoke and I have the right to not have to breathe your poison!!

Tobacco smoke is not a natural part of the atmosphere. I have at least as much right to go into a smoke-free restaurant as the smokers have to smoke. Smokers are stepping on everyone's toes and really don't care or are covering up their addiction by denial of a problem. Statistics show that smoking costs everyone in money and length of quality of life. I don't have the right to keep smokers from killing themselves from smoke, but I do have the right to clean air in public spaces.

Yep,again someone has made a choice for me!I'd have liked to watched that cartoon ad. But somebody was upset with it and now it's gone

Some great comments and 'stories' from both 'sides' on this one. A tip of the hat to all those who responded.

I wish to post my opinions only... just that, opinions only, and I intend no offense to others.

Yes, I am a smoker and have been for many years. Do I believe it is bad for my health? Definitely. I have chosen to smoke of my own free will and realize the risks I am taking. I honestly can say I don't know of anything in particular that 'caused' me to start smoking as it was after my days in college.

I grew up in the days of cigarette commercials and advertising everywhere. Back in 'those days', many people smoked and many did not, each group respecting the choice of the other. No one in my family ever smoked, yet many of my relatives did as did many of my parents' closest friends.

Although I am a smoker, I can respect both sides of this smoking/non-smoking issue. And, when I do choose to smoke, I am highly respectful of those that don't as it is my 'habit' that I do not want them to have to tolerate in discomfort.

However, with that said, I'd like to add a few of my comments and opinions.

I'm still a bit on the side of 'the jury is still out' regarding second-hand smoke, but what concerns me a great deal more is second-hand alcohol. Yes... I drink alcohol also. However, my observations of events in life lead me to believe that a great deal of 'damage' to the 'innocent' is caused by alcohol; driving accidents, violent crimes, child and spousal abuse, suicides, birth defects (also likely with smoking), etc. I am not suggesting that alcohol causes any of the above, but in many cases contributed to these actions.

Now, here's where I have a real problem. Why is any form of tobacco use so bitterly and vocally despised by the today's 'general public' and those in government, yet alcohol is not only 'socially acceptable', it is heavily promoted and encouraged as 'living the good life' ? Look around... Promoted and condoned by all forms of the media, nearly all sporting events, on clothing, household goods, etc, etc, etc. Like I said, I too drink alcohol. But this 'opposite extreme' of tolerance versus the smoking issues really puzzles me. (I also still chuckle a bit in wonder when I hear someone say to another person, "What?... You don't drink?" As if to say, "What's wrong with you?" or "You're weird.") Hmmm....

OK... enough on that.

Here's a final idea I'm suggesting as one possible way to accomodate both sides of the smoking issue with respect to one area of the 'general public':
In any publicly-used establishment, a nationally-standardized sign (similar to the warning on cigarette packaging) would be posted on the entrance door(s) to a building with wording such as this:
"Warning (or "Caution, Attention", etc...): This establishment is a smoking-optional business. The presense of smoke in and around this building is likely. If you choose to be a customer and/or guest of ours, you agree to be be subjected to the likely presense of smoke. You have the freedom of choice. 2 in fact: Not to complain or not to enter. We graciously respect either of those choices." --- Sincerely, The Management.---

Thank you all for allowing me to express myself.

Just an 'old school' kind of thinker, I guess.

People are losing their freedom everyday in this country and they brainwash people by making it seem like it's for their own good. Smoking is bad they say so ban it. Wear a seatbelt and a helmet, not your choice, but, because we say so. Now we took asthma medicine off the shelves so while people with asthma suffer because they can't get what they need the drug addicts that took it for the wrong reasons can at least survive! And when they tell you your new born will be given a chip implant to deter kidnapping, but in reality it will be used to track your child for the rest of his or her life the fools will spout the goodness of that idea as well! The terrorists however will just cut someones chip out of their body and use it illegally. We allow big brother to take over, tell the restaurant owner or bar owner that they are not allowed to have smokers in their own establishment...I say it's their business it's their choice! People should wake up and fight the oppression not approve of it! Even if you don't smoke you should not condone any Government that forces a business to comply to something like this, next thing you know you won't be able to sneeze or you'll get a germ ticket fine! Fight oppression!

I,TOO GREW UP WATCHING 'THE FLINTSTONES'. I LOVED IT. MY GRANDFATHER BUILT ME A FLINTSTONE CAR - COMPLETE WITH PHONE - IN HIS BACK YARD.I LOVED THAT CAR. IT COULDN'T BE 'DRIVEN',BUT WAS STILL LOTS OF FUN. HE USED TO TELL ME STORIES ABOUT HIS ADVENTURES BACK IN THE OLD DAYS WITH FRED FLINTSTONE. NOW,ABOUT FRED & BARNEY SMOKING:THOSE ADS APPEARED ONLY IN THE ORIGINAL NETWORK RUN. THEY WERE EDITED OUT FOR SYNDICATION. WATCH THE COMMERCIAL;AT THE END WILMA & BETTY DUMP ALL THE TOOLS ON BARNEY & FRED AND THEN RELAXED THEMSELVES. ADAM

Hey, this morning I watched a Tom & Jerry cartoon with my grandson. In this cartoon, Tom was smoking a cigarette. While we found the cartoon funny, my grandson is adamently anti-smoking!

yanno...i remember when america was free... not liberalistic,communistic nazi fascist society we have now where the minority rules.time was you didnt want to smoke...you didnt...but ya didnt whine like a narcissistic bleeding heart liberal about second hand smoke ...old flintstone commercials hawking winstons.(I STILL HAVE A COMMERCIAL WHERE THR BEVERLY HILLBILLIES SMOKE AND ADVERTISE WINSTON CIGARETTES...AND I WILL TREASURE IT AS A SYMBOL OF WHEN AMERICA WAS THE LAND OF THE BRAVE...AND THE HOME OF THE FREENOT THIS WHINY POLITICALLY CORRECT FASCIST SOCIETY WE HAVE NOW)..well paint out the cigareete and put a bud in fred and barneys hand...AND QUIT WHININ

Fred & Barney smoking Winston cigarettes? Why not? Wilma & Betty are popping Speed pills, Dino's on LSD and Bam-Bam is using steriods! The only normal one is Pebbles; she's obviously still on the bottle.

i grew up watching these cartoons and most actors smoke. i am a smoker and have been since the seventies. i feel fairly confident that fred and barney smoking had nothing to do with this as i also watched the roadrunner show and have never strapped an acme rocket to any part of my body , have never repeatedly hit anyone over the head with a sledge hammer , nor have i ever dropped a refridgerator on anyones head,how can this beyou ask , my parents took the responsability of teaching us right from wrong and to make our own choices. please do not promote censorship to make up for your lack of parenting skills