Smoker's rights

Enough is enough. Got an associate who is on a rampage about smoking in public. It seems she was in a state where there is smoking in restaurants and got upset when she was cursed out by a patron. She told a patron who was smoking at his table, to put his cigarette out.
I'm trying to stop smoking but I don't think that it's right for someone who is at their table, which is in a smoking section, to have their rights infringed by someone who doesn't like smoking.
Any thoughts from the masses on this subject?

 

My father was a heavy smoker, I have never smoked. I hate the smell of cigarette smoke and never understood why people would do it. That being said, I think it's rude when people do what you described. The smoker is well within his rights to smoke at a table that is in a smoking section.

 

So, just out of curiosity, moddy, what is your definition of an inconsiderate smoker? Not being mean here, but honestly trying to figure it out. He is smoking at his table in a smoking section. Is that inconsiderate?

 

Just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean the proper decision in a given situation is to exercise it.

 

Fair enough. Like I said, I have never touched a cigarette or a cigar in my life, and I hate the smell and what it does to people, but for whatever reason I tend to lean to the side of smokers in situations like this.

 

Paging Zag...10-9-8-7-6-

I'm surprised there are places left in North America where you can still smoke in restaurants. Seems kinda odd.

 

Oh, and the term "smoker's rights" was coined by that honourable group, the tobacco industry.

 

Just assuming the story is true, why would smoking a cigarette while eating your dinner, IN THE SMOKING SECTION OF A RESTAURANT, not be a proper decision for anyone who choses to do so? And if there are babies around, is it the smokers fault for the other patron sitting in a smoking section? I get that there are grey areas, like people sitting at the last table of a non-smoking section right next to the smoking section, but for the most part, the smoker is not at fault here.

 

Y'all are relentless. I love it.

I'm as obnoxiously anti-smoking as anybody, but I can't imagine walking up to somebody's table in a smoking section and asking them to stop smoking.