A Smoker's Island

As a non-smoker, I applaud the bill introduced by New York city councilman Peter Koo (D-Queens) to ban smoking while walking down the street. (See New York Daily News, March 20, 2018.)

I can recall numerous times being subjected to second-hand smoke by someone walking in front of me. I have often thought of carrying one of those hand-held paper fans you see women in churches using as a way to disperse the smoke.

Perhaps the City Council should designate one of the abandoned islands in the East River as a haven for smokers, providing them with free ferry service to and fro.

Environmentalists would probably protest vehemently such an idea, but it's worth considering--smokers with an island of their own.

A Cigarette Smoker's Plea

I recently found three unopened packs of cigarettes on top of a newspaper vending box  at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 105th Street, in Manhattan. Attached to one of the boxes was a blue Post-em with the handwritten message that said "Help Me Quit!"  I'm not a smoker, but I removed the packs from on top of the box so no kid would find them.