Emma, I have never suggesting making smoking illegal. I have merely suggested moving it outdoors where the smoke can disperse into the open air. That does not interfere with a person's choice to smoke or not to smoke. I have a good friend who is a smoker by choice, and she asks visitors to smoke outside, as she does, so that her own house won't smell like an ashtray.

I am also in favor of legalizing the smoking of marijuana, although I don't wish to smoke it, but I would likewise suggest that it be done outdoors, not inside buildings....because inside a building it affects everyone there not just the smoker.

I do not intend to take away anyone's right to suck smoke into their own lungs.

It is people's violent or destructive behaviour against others that we need laws against, and we already have all those laws. We have laws against theft, murder, assault, rape, property destruction, fraud, embezzlement, slander, arson....all of those are cases of a direct attack of some kind on another human being or their property...or an attack on society in general. Those are the laws we need, and we have them.

We do not need more laws that restrict people's free choice in matters that are NOT an attack on another human being or on society.

Rinslinger: If, as you say, "churchgoers should leave children alone and let them decide for themselves if they want to be brain washed"....Well, HEY.....then so should capitalists, Republicans, Democrats, Communists, atheists, heterosexuals, gays, conseratives, liberals, and everyone else who does anything that in any way influences the future thoughts and beliefs of their own children in such a way as to superimpose those thoughts and beliefs UPON their children...ahem! To brainwash them, in other words.

How are we going to achieve that? How are we going to end ALL brainwashing of children by people who, like all people, naturally want to bring their kids up in their own minset?   ;-) We AREN'T going to achieve it. And we shouldn't, because we have no right to. Therefore, forget it. Your beliefs, your philosophy, and your prejudices are no more sacrosanct than anyone else's....and your children may one day resent having had some of those beliefs and prejudices foisted on them when they were young and impressionable.

You never know...

(I say that because my parents foisted a lot of their beliefs and prejudices on me when I was a child. Naturally! That's what parents do to their children. They almost can't help it. It just happens. I later completely rejected some of their attitudes and beliefs, while I retained others. I developed independent beliefs of my own. Give young people the benefit of the doubt! Give them credit for having some brains of their own. Whatever their parents brainwashed them into when they were young, chances are that they will take a fesh look at it at some point as they move into adolescence or adulthood. If they do, fine. If they don't, it is no one else's business to pass a law forcing them to.)