No more smoking or vaping in the parks

[luvsJack]

Surgeon General's report came out Jan 11, 64. But information on the dangers of smoking was available even before that. So my statement stands. Anyone over 80, I'll accept that excuse. Anyone under such, you either knew or you didn't want to. Further, even if someone is 80 and smoking, they've had over 50 years now of definitive notice of the effects. So I'm being extra generous by even giving them a pass.

Again I wasnt talking about the health dangers. I was talking about the level of addiction. Two different things.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I shared this on another thread, but Ill post here too.

What this means to me is people can light up, take their few puffs until a CM asks them to move. By then, they have had their "fix" and just dump the cigarette on the ground. Disney has now basically given a green light to smoke anywhere in the park. Only loss to the smoker is about 1/2 a cig, but I heard the prices in FL are super low, so it might not make a difference.

 

[pens4821]

At the risk of being attacked, and perhaps thrown off the board, I’ll give my thoughts. First, second hand smoke, outdoors is harmless. It’s unbelievable how many people worry about passing a smoker outdoors, but at 50 pounds overweight (or more) think nothing of walking down Main Street with burger in one hand and s Mickey Barr in the other.
I a aware that many people don’t like to pass the smoking areas. The easy answer is, as smokers had to walk out of our way to the smoking area to smoke, why not go a few steps out of their way to avoid passing it? Oh, right, many are too out of shape to take 5 extra steps...but they’re worried about my second hand smoke. Really??!

Hopefully everyone that is so strong against smoking outdoors is also as passionate about reducing pollution too.

 

[Hrhpd]

Hopefully everyone that is so strong against smoking outdoors is also as passionate about reducing pollution too.

Oh definitely. While scientists do not think that the actual smoke from cigarettes contributes to global warming, tobacco farming has a heavy negative impact on the environment.

Tobacco must be grown, and that process puts a serious hit on the environment. The plant itself is very demanding, absorbing six times as much potassium from the soil as most crops do. Farmers in some undeveloped nations grow tobacco until the soil is useless and then clear-cut forests for fresh land. In those areas, 600 million trees are felled and burned annually to dry and cure tobacco leaves. Additionally, four miles of paper an hour is used to wrap and package cigarettes. Setting aside the pollution generated from manufacturing cigarettes, just losing this many carbon-dioxide-absorbing trees leaves at least 22 million net tons of CO2 in the atmosphere, roughly equivalent to burning 2.8 billion gallons of gasoline.​

 

[Carolrita]

Please post links to research that concludes that second hand smoke outdoors is not harmful to health. I would be interested in reading these studies.

Ok clearly you dont understand how experiments (research) work. You are the one who holds the burden to proof...but it doesn’t exist because it would be near impossible to prove given all the other pollution in the air. (No one ever attacks drivers though.) Common sense would tell you though that in the outdoors, smoke from a cigarette is so diluted it will not harm a non smoker. It’s the same as swimming in the ocean. There is urine, feces, dead bodies, you name it in the ocean, but it is safe to swim because it is such a large body of water, the dilution makes it safe.
People believe whatever the hear without thinking for themselves or applying common sense she.
It’s funny though that so many people at Disney who profess to be worried about their health consume an ungodly amount of calories while visiting the parks, even though they’re already overweight.
Part of this is also because many people complain just because they dont want to be inconvenienced by avoiding the smoking areas. People should practice the tolerance they preach.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

At the risk of being attacked, and perhaps thrown off the board, I’ll give my thoughts. First, second hand smoke, outdoors is harmless. It’s unbelievable how many people worry about passing a smoker outdoors, but at 50 pounds overweight (or more) think nothing of walking down Main Street with burger in one hand and s Mickey Barr in the other.
I a aware that many people don’t like to pass the smoking areas. The easy answer is, as smokers had to walk out of our way to the smoking area to smoke, why not go a few steps out of their way to avoid passing it? Oh, right, many are too out of shape to take 5 extra steps...but they’re worried about my second hand smoke. Really??!

I missed where the topic at hand was eating non-healthy foods and being overweight as opposed to a desire to not have to deal at all with DSAs or discussing how even with DSAs people were impacted.

I readily admit I should lose some weight probably a lot really considering my height. I really truly from the bottom of my heart appreciate your concern though

But just to give you some information:

WDW trip in 2017 5 days worth a combined step count of 117,506 steps. That's excluding 3 days worth of Universal on same trip.
DLR trip in 2019 3 days worth a combined step count of 74,447 steps.

Now granted I'm still considered young enough. It's why I readily admit I should lose some weight now.

But yes please do continue with "can't move steps because they are out of shape" discussion

 

[DISNEY1975]

At the risk of being attacked, and perhaps thrown off the board, I’ll give my thoughts. First, second hand smoke, outdoors is harmless. It’s unbelievable how many people worry about passing a smoker outdoors, but at 50 pounds overweight (or more) think nothing of walking down Main Street with burger in one hand and s Mickey Barr in the other.
I a aware that many people don’t like to pass the smoking areas. The easy answer is, as smokers had to walk out of our way to the smoking area to smoke, why not go a few steps out of their way to avoid passing it? Oh, right, many are too out of shape to take 5 extra steps...but they’re worried about my second hand smoke. Really??!

According to a Stamford article I just read, if you are within 6 feet of someone smoking outside, the second hand smoke can still be toxic for someone, especially a child or infant. Outside of 6 feet showed no problems. The toxins evaporate quickly in the air. It did mention that the case would be slightly different if it were a group of smokers, opposed to one smoker. Best to keep 15' away with a group.

"Parents who are educated by pediatricians about thirdhand smoke are more likely to believe that it is dangerous to their children."

 

[Starwarsfan2]

Arm the castmembers……………..with squirtguns.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Disney just announced that smoking and vaping is now banned in the parks. There will be smoking areas outside the gates.

Also, effective today only ice packs, no more loose ice or dry ice permitted in the parks.

They will also be restricting stroller sizes. Stroller wagons will no longer be permitted.

Just to note, the ban goes into effect May 1st, not today.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We have had so many really great trips to Disney, but I know my husband won't go back with a no-smoking policy in place...I'm so disappointed that we'll never take that adults-only trip we've been talking about for years or give DD her 21st birthday wish with a Food & Wine trip.

Has your DH ever tried nicotine gum or a patch to get him through the day? Maybe that, with a toothpick, or something for his hands/mouth, will get him through the day?

If he were able to quit, he'd have done it when she was born. Or when her little sister was born. Or when we bought this house and decided he wouldn't smoke indoors, which sometimes has him standing out on the porch or sitting in his car when the windchill is -30. He's tried many times, with gum, patch, counseling, vaping, and he's never made it more than a few days. It just isn't that easy to give up a habit you've had for 30+ years.

I understand your DH's struggle. - My dad has quit twice, and went back to it both times...and I certainly love him just the way he is! But I'm also sure he would have compromised for a few days if I'd asked it as a 21st birthday present, so I wouldn't jump to canceling your DD's trip just yet. I bet your DH would be able to use the gum just during in-park hours for the trip.

I personally wish they would just keep the DSAs and actually be very strict on enforcement...I'm tired of this mentality where X amount of people are jerks and break rules, so we have to either deal with it or make an entire system change, instead of just punishing the people who are acting like jerks.

I agree. I'm not a smoker, but I'm fine with designated smoking areas. I would think asking someone to move to a DSA would be a lot less of a confrontation than kicking them out!

...When WDW started this measure, there were plenty of DSAs. The last time I went (early 2018), there was ONE in AK, TWO in MK, several in the World Showcase in Epcot, and I don't remember how many in HS. It was a royal pain trying to find one and I remember asking myself why I was spending so much money just so I could waste my time trying to find a smoking section.

I think that's exactly what Disney is counting on! That'd rather people just figure it's not worth it to light up.



But I also think smoking is on it's way out. There are fewer and fewer older people who were hooked before the danger was known, and fewer and fewer young people are starting now that it is. - Maybe Disney thinks the tipping point has been reached where smokers are such a small minority that it no longer makes sense to accommodate them?? (though I don't really see that it's costing them much to accommodate them. It's not as if the smoking areas were big enough to put a new ride in. )

 

[arminnie]

Doesn't really matter whether one wants to ban smoking just because or because of health concerns. If one wants to ban smoking you don't have to justify it.

 

[Hrhpd]

Ok clearly you dont understand how experiments (research) work. You are the one who holds the burden to proof...but it doesn’t exist because it would be near impossible to prove given all the other pollution in the air. (No one ever attacks drivers though.) Common sense would tell you though that in the outdoors, smoke from a cigarette is so diluted it will not harm a non smoker. It’s the same as swimming in the ocean. There is urine, feces, dead bodies, you name it in the ocean, but it is safe to swim because it is such a large body of water, the dilution makes it safe.
People believe whatever the hear without thinking for themselves or applying common sense she.
It’s funny though that so many people at Disney who profess to be worried about their health consume an ungodly amount of calories while visiting the parks, even though they’re already overweight.
Part of this is also because many people complain just because they dont want to be inconvenienced by avoiding the smoking areas. People should practice the tolerance they preach.

"You prove it" says everyone trying to push fake science and who does not have empirical evidence to back up their claims.

Trying to compare smoking, which harms innocent people nearby, to obesity which can be harmful only to the individual is ridiculous. And not everyone who is obese is consuming ungodly amounts of calories.

Here is a great article explaining scientific evidence. It may be interesting to you.

https://phys.org/news/2013-07-scientific-evidence.html

If Disney wants to ban smoking in their parks, they have every right to do it. As financially savvy as the company is, you can be that they are confident it will not only not hurt the bottom line but might increase it due to the prevailing and emerging world view about smoking.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And where did I suggest possession?

Apologies if you were not one of the posters who wondered if cigarettes (not smoking, just the product - were going to be banned.

Please post links to research that concludes that second hand smoke outdoors is not harmful to health. I would be interested in reading these studies.

Extended/prolonged contact. Not just briefly walking by or near smoke https://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/may9/smoking-050907.html https://articles.mercola.com/sites/...ow-dangerous-is-outdoor-secondhand-smoke.aspx

Surgeon General's report came out Jan 11, 64. But information on the dangers of smoking was available even before that.

As I posted earlier, warnings on cigarette packs (the specific comment to which I responded) started a bit later than the 1965 cited. They were much vaguer than they are now. "Can" and "will" aren't synonymous.

Anyone over 80, I'll accept that excuse.

We're much more aware of harmful activities now than we were (even) 55 years ago: drinking, driving drunk, not wearing seatbelts, driving with your child in your lap... Even so, again, the math is wrong.

 

[Carolrita]

I missed where the topic at hand was eating non-healthy foods and being overweight as opposed to a desire to not have to deal at all with DSAs or discussing how even with DSAs people were impacted.

I readily admit I should lose some weight probably a lot really considering my height. I really truly from the bottom of my heart appreciate your concern though

But just to give you some information:

WDW trip in 2017 5 days worth a combined step count of 117,506 steps. That's excluding 3 days worth of Universal on same trip.
DLR trip in 2019 3 days worth a combined step count of 74,447 steps.

Now granted I'm still considered young enough. It's why I readily admit I should lose some weight now.

But yes please do continue with "can't move steps because they are out of shape" discussion

My point was that many people claim to be worried about their health because of second hand smoke, but how worried can they be when they continue to overeat and are overweight to begin with? I’m not taking a shot at overweight people. I, too, need to lose a few pounds. I just think it’s silly to worry about passing a smoker OUTDOORS if that same person has bigger (legit) health problems like being overweight.
IMO these people are just intolerant of smokers and like to complain about other people’s flaws instead of looking at themselves. Some people feel good about themselves by putting other people down.
Remember, blowing out someone else’s candles won’t make your own burn any brighter.

 

[amberpi]

But I also think smoking is on it's way out. There are fewer and fewer older people who were hooked before the danger was known, and fewer and fewer young people are starting now that it is. - Maybe Disney thinks the tipping point has been reached where smokers are such a small minority that it no longer makes sense to accommodate them?? (though I don't really see that it's costing them much to accommodate them. It's not as if the smoking areas were big enough to put a new ride in. )

This peaked my curiousity, just because as I mentioned I seem to know a lot of smokers, although some of them are cigarette with a drink types. So I looked it up and this article at least agrees, and Science Daily is pretty reputable.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180709143909.htm

 

[Jennasis]

I don't allow smoking on my property, at my business either.

 

[kaytieeldr]

According to a Stamford article I just read, if you are within 6 feet of someone smoking outside, the second hand smoke can still be toxic for someone, especially a child or infant.

I think that's one of the articles I linked. Skimming it, it appears that if you remain in that proximity for a period of time, yes, it could be harmful. If you walk past that area and keep going, there's no proof there's a risk.

 

[Carolrita]

I did read the article linked above. According to the article:
1. Cigarette smoke exposes people to second hand smoke. It says nothing about making them sick.

2. This is a quote, “PM2.5 is a toxic pollutant produced by cigarettes, wood-burning stoves, diesel engines and other forms of combustion," Ott explained. "It contains benzo(a)pyrene, a carcinogen, and many other toxic chemicals that can penetrate deep inside the lungs."

This is why it is so difficult to know if second hand smoke is harmful. As I said before, there is so much pollution in the air, they can not know for sure whether this pollutant is from the cigarettes 6 feet away or one of the several other places they mentioned. It’s not an authentic study.

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

Sounds like some pretty good news to me.

 

[Hrhpd]

My point was that many people claim to be worried about their health because of second hand smoke, but how worried can they be when they continue to overeat and are overweight to begin with? I’m not taking a shot at overweight people. I, too, need to lose a few pounds. I just think it’s silly to worry about passing a smoker OUTDOORS if that same person has bigger (legit) health problems like being overweight.
IMO these people are just intolerant of smokers and like to complain about other people’s flaws instead of looking at themselves. Some people feel good about themselves by putting other people down.
Remember, blowing out someone else’s candles won’t make your own burn any brighter.

People can control and decide for their own what they consume.

People cannot control when they are put in harm's way with second hand smoke.

See the difference?

And nowhere in this 8 page discussion did anyone or Disney propose that they were moving the DSAs to outside the parks for health reasons. Disney has decided that allowing smoking, ice, and large strollers, are no longer in the company's best interest. Their right to make those decisions.