There have been fights and arguments over smoking for many years. Whether it is someone’s right to tell, not ask a person(s), not to smoke, where to smoke, when to smoke and/or how bad smoke is to their body, or, on the other hand, a person(s) have a right to affect their body and smoke I believe is the smoker’s business. This argument goes both ways, have many variables and cross many lines, clear and hidden. I will only touch on it lightly.

Imperial Plaza have been going through this for a few years and, I hate to say this, will see no end to the controversy. Brookdale, who leased Imperial Plaza in the past, was to give clear guidance and areas in which to smoke to the residents last year. They never did proceed in the actions (I am guessing) because they knew for a long time they were leaving and they would let the new administration handle the volatile situation. Now the new guidelines are in effect with many people ready to carry the fight to full war.

I see both sides, I know that both sides have fanatics, I can agree with some of what both sides want. I used to be a supervisor, mediating many disagreements, seeing what both sides want while trying to prevent total war between the parties. Because of the smoking bans, cigarette companies have moved from states that put undue pressure on them, their source of money and extra taxes on them. However, the populace should look at, feel for and understand the smokers that are caught in the middle of it all.

First and foremost, like the non-smoker, smokers have rights also. The way things are set in the USA, smokers don’t have any rights except to be able to buy cigarettes when they reach a certain age. Then they are greatly taxed for buying the legal weed and layered with many legal issues in order to smoke the legal weed. They are told the over taxation goes toward the over burdened medical system in order to care for the health problems that smoking brings upon the human body. Okay, then don’t allow the nonsmoker benefit from the program, let that money take care the smoker.

Then, the smoker is put out in the rain, cold, boiling hot sun, humid air and placed yards away from everyone. If a nonsmoker happen to come near, smell the smoker and complain, the smoker is moved even further or told not to smoke, even though the nonsmoker could have walked around or gone in a different direction. To me, the smoker do not have rights.

Somerby have done just that. They have banned smoking in many areas and to be able to smoke the resident have a long walk to get to the area, if the resident is not lucky enough to live in the nearest building. I am a cigar smoker and I have a few days left before I am completely moved to another community. I will not have to do the things residents here does. I am one of the lucky ones. Maybe these rules/laws will effect me a few years from now but at this time I will not be under the strict laws that have come about.

The nonsmokers do not have to go out into the rain, sun, wind, cold, snow, etc. to do what they have a right to do under the laws that were passed by our elected officials. The smoker, as far as I see, does not have the same rights and they are not only over taxed (and the nonsmoker benefit from that) but shunned worst than our pets. I see both sides and feel for both sides. All I have to say is I am moving at the right time and I am sure more will do the same, I have heard rumors. Neither side want to bend (give a little) but in order to have peace and tranquility the sides must.

After I wrote the part about peace and tranquility an incident happened that shows that there are people that do not want peace. Three or four people were sitting around smoking and talking, enjoying the afternoon. A person that live two buildings away came over to confront the smokers, called the police to the Imperial Plaza property but refused to lodge a formal complaint. True, they were illegally smoking, however, they were not in her area of domicile nor were they bothering other people. All I can say now is GOOD LUCK people at Imperial Plaza. My wife and I are out of here!