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It' s like the whole state got Febreezed

Sniffsniffsniff. What's that smell?

What? You smell nothing? (Besides the putrid odor of stagnant, sewage-filled flood water) You can breathe deeply, secure in the knowledge that pesky carcinogens aren't hightailing it to your bronchial tubes?

Yes, readers. Rejoice. July 1 has arrived. The day Iowa goes smoke-free.

Well, theoretically.

Starting today, it is illegal to light up in the following:
Bars; restaurants; restaurants' outdoor seating areas; financial institutions; public and private educational facilities; health care provider locations; laundries; schools; public transportation facilities, including buses and taxicabs, and the ticketing, boarding and waiting areas of these facilities; reception areas; aquariums, galleries, libraries and museums; retail food production and marketing establishments; service establishments; retail stores; shopping malls; entertainment venues, including theaters, concert halls, auditoriums and other similar facilities or sports arenas; polling places; convention facilities and meeting rooms; waiting rooms; public buildings and places of public assembly owned, leased or operated by the state; private residences when used as child care facilities or health care provider locations; and child care facilities


Being a former smoker, I appreciate not only not having second-hand smoke invading my personal space (and that of my family) but also the fact that it won't be around to tempt me as much. It's gross yet addictive, which makes it, uh, grosser. And expensive - something like $5 or $6 a pack in town. If you get caught puffing in public now, you're subject to a $50 fine.

So I would invite you to make a trek to the big IC (all the roads are open and they're cleaning up the dead fish). We'll show you a fun, safe, healthy, tobacco-free good time. Well, maybe wait a couple weeks until the fights stop breaking out amongst the citizens suffering the nicotine withdrawals.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Former SMOKER????
A SMOKER????
When did THAT happen?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Your clueless sister, Anne
Amy said…
Well, I was quite the covert smoker. The asthmatic didn't want to hear everyone bitch at her about how horrible it was.

Remember after college, when I lost 40 lbs? Tahdah. Combine angst over a bad relationship and nicotine, and you've got a recipe that'll shed the pounds. Not saying it was healthy. It was what it was.

And Tim said he wouldn't date me if I smoked. Great incentive.

I know. Everyone's opinion of me is shot to hell. I'll just have to deal with it.

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