You can meet some really interesting people smoking at airports. I’m told that Amtrak (which at least used to have smoking cabins) has the same benefit.

Of course, the last time that I lit up at an airport, it was a bad thing because it was at the beginning of a trip that I had designated “non-smoking” that became smoking starting with that light.

But that temptation will now start being a bit removed because lighters will be banned past the security checkpoints at airports. That leaves matches, which I suck at lightning, and apparently even those may be banned as well.

I don’t really know how to feel about this. On one hand, I want a demonstrable threat before our lives are inconvenienced by the government. I don’t mean planes have to blow up first, but I do need it explained to me what danger the lighters pose when not used in conjunction with something that isn’t already banned. I remember that Richard Reid dork tried to do something with fire (matches, I believe), but I can’t remember what.

But yeah, on the other hand, I don’t want a plane to explode (or worse yet, run in to something again) just so that I am not a little inconvenienced.

Interestingly, with the ban in place for lighters in checked luggage, if both lighters and matches are banned from carry-ons, it could make things more than just a little inconvenient for frequent fliers. Having to buy and discard lighters and matches in every town gone through.

Okay, so we’re talking about a whopping 99 cents for people like me that don’t lose lighters with startling regularity.

Yeah, we smokers can be a petty bunch.

And, of course, part of me wonders if this isn’t just another attempt to marginalize smokers. Not that there aren’t security concerns, mind you, but that possible objections were dismissed because “They’re just smokers and they should quit anyway.”

Yeah, we smokers can be a paranoid bunch.

On a last note, Apparently Texas (the source and focus of the article) has more stringent anti-smoking regulations at airports than does Deseret. As Gazelem International Airport in the state’s capital city, they have indoor smoking areas that are closed off (it’s like a fishbowl!). In Houston’s airports, they don’t allow any smoking indoors whatsoever.

Whodathunkit?