Australia to ban vaping.

WhatInThe said:
Yeh many apartments are like that. Sometimes it local fire codes or the landlord's insurance won't cover fire damage from a smoker or give a discount for renting to non smokers. Also nicotine stains the walls and can prevent paint from sticking unless the walls are cleaned prior.
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Sounds totally unreasonable to me, particularly if it's being applied to condo owners who bought before the ban. Unless it somehow is shown to effect the health of others it makes no sense. Things like insurance and wall stains should have been taken into account when selling. Maybe a ban that applies to new buyers, who are aware of the ban when signing, would work... but I'm not even sure I'd support that.
 

MrPants said:
There could be an argument made that Government's influence on people's lifestyle choices is appropriate when the country you live in has publicly funded healthcare applicable to all without surcharges of any kind should your lifestyle choice end up costing that system hundreds of thousands of dollars or more at some point.

It's a real conundrum though in that case because the same government is collecting billions in tax revenue from products that have a propensity to end up costing that same government billions in healthcare costs. Kind of nuts when you think about it.
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The US gov't uses billions in tax revenue every year on "the war on drugs" and education about tobacco use, so the argument about healthcare costs is a red herring, imo. Legislators create a tobacco tax, for example, to fund educating the public on the evils of tobacco, but the public has no knowledge of exactly how large the funds are and how they are appropriated. We see brochures on lung disease in our doctor's offices and a few kitschy public service messages on TV, but that's about it.

Meanwhile, tobacco corporations spend billions on lobbyists and extra on sweet gifts for their favorite legislators.
 
Alligatorob said:
Sounds totally unreasonable to me, particularly if it's being applied to condo owners who bought before the ban. Unless it somehow is shown to effect the health of others it makes no sense. Things like insurance and wall stains should have been taken into account when selling. Maybe a ban that applies to new buyers, who are aware of the ban when signing, would work... but I'm not even sure I'd support that.
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It is and isn't. Leases are renewed yearly so the tenant knows it's coming. I know people that rented 20 years ago with a lease about 1/2 dozen pages. Now the lease is over 30 pages of changes.

Condos are tough because these condo boards could put one in effect even though legal in the town. If someone owns a town home they've been in for 30 years probably not much can do other municipal code. Many apartments had to put smoking bans in place because some had shared or common heat & ac vents, hallways, stairways etc.
 

WhatInThe said:
Yeh many apartments are like that. Sometimes it local fire codes or the landlord's insurance won't cover fire damage from a smoker or give a discount for renting to non smokers. Also nicotine stains the walls and can prevent paint from sticking unless the walls are cleaned prior.
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Indeed, many apartments are like that, but it has nothing to do with fire insurance. It's not even about having to use a primer when an apartment is repainted, the excuse I've heard time and again. It's a virtue signal that can get property management companies specific subsidies and tax breaks.

(according to a lady I used to date who owned a property management company in northern Cali)
 
WhatInThe said:
It is and isn't. Leases are renewed yearly so the tenant knows it's coming. I know people that rented 20 years ago with a lease about 1/2 dozen pages. Now the lease is over 30 pages of changes.

Condos are tough because these condo boards could put one in effect even though legal in the town. If someone owns a town home they've been in for 30 years probably not much can do other municipal code. Many apartments had to put smoking bans in place because some had shared or common heat & ac vents, hallways, stairways etc.
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You make a good point, and I can see significant differences between rented apartments and owned condos. I am guessing @Pepper owns her's, but don't know.
 
Alligatorob said:
Is that right, do landlords get tax breaks for banning smoking? I had no idea.

Not sure what to think of that, may have to mull it over.
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I need to point out that "landlord" isn't the same as "property manager." A landlord is an individual. I have no idea if a landlord can get those perks.

edit - I was just told landlords can get those perks if the rental property is under Section 8.
 
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