"fags"

Maybe it’s because I hang around so many Brits. Maybe it’s because I’ve accepted that it’s part of Hong Kong. Or maybe it’s because I’ve somehow turned into a pushover lately, but I put up with a lot of second hand smoking now.

Coming from California, I’ve long gotten used to not having to deal with second hand smoke because it’s against the law to smoke indoors. The city of Glendale has recently taken it to another level—they’ve banned smoking completely. You can’t smoke on public streets, in open areas, outside coffee shops, etc.

Even for a anti-ciggie guy like me, that’s a bit much, ain’t it? So now smokers are only allowed to smoke in their own home or car? They should be allowed to smoke on the streets. I mean, worse case scenario is us non-smokers will have to make like Marky Mark in The Happening and run away from the wind.

I’ve always liked Glendale. It holds a special place in my heart because I spent most of my weekends there from 2000 to 2003 (it’s near Occidental College), hanging at Borders and eating steak at Grinders. I love it, it’s a nice community. It’ll be interesting to go back and see a completely smoke-free city.

It’s amazing Glendale was able to go through with the no-smoking law. I mean here in HK, it took years and years just to get the indoor smoking ban law passed, then it got stalled for over two years because people were bitching. Recently, 2000 people marched the streets to protest the upcoming smoking ban. I read they’re mostly bar owners and workers.

Fuck that, man.

They'd rather sacrifice their health to make money? Fine. Whatever. But non-smokers shouldn’t have to suffer.

I’m being fair—I think Glendale’s outdoor ban is too much and wouldn't want that in HK. But an indoor ban is a must. It’s 2009 for fuck’s sake. Get with the times Hong Kong.