People United
For Freedom
(P.U.F.F)*
P.U.F.F. stands for People United For Freedom. It is a religious organization for people who smoke and those who support an adult’s right to smoke. It was formed to help prevent official harassment of those who choose to smoke.
FAQ
Yes, absolutely.
Why NOT a religion for smokers? As you probably know, there are Native American religions
which celebrate the smoking of peyote. Why
should tobacco be different? We
feel that tobacco usage can be a bonding experience and lead to fellowship with
one’s friends. We, the members of
P.U.F.F., believe that consenting adults should have the right to indulge in the
smoking of tobacco without harassment from law enforcement.
Religious freedom and smoking tobacco have a long history in America;
some of the Founding Fathers were tobacco farmers and the U.S. was, in part,
formed to allow citizens to worship as they saw fit without government
interference.
In recent months,
state and local governments have taken it upon themselves to restrict the
activities of smokers, forcing them out of places traditionally used for
fellowship (bars, restaurants, etc.). Smokers,
simply because they partake in the sacrament of smoking, are being treated as
second-class citizens.
We believe that
laws restricting or prohibiting tobacco smoking violate the First Amendment
right to the free expression of religious beliefs of those who choose to smoke.
This violation of Constitutional rights must stop!
Some consider it
so. We do not.
Many consider drinking alcohol a vice, yet some Christian denominations
partake of alcohol in their worship services.
We feel it is unfair and unconstitutional for governments to pass laws
restricting participation in our
sacrament. It is NOT the job of
government in a democracy to determine which religious rites are
“appropriate” or where they can be practiced.
Who can be a
member of P.U.F.F.
Anyone over the
age of 18, whether or not they smoke, can be a member of P.U.F.F.
I already
belong to another church. Does that
interfere with P.U.F.F. membership?
Not at all.
We have no problem with whatever beliefs you may hold, just so long as
you are sincere in your belief that the rights of smokers should not be
infringed upon.
No, membership is
open to any sincere adult. We do,
however, suggest that you purchase an Official P.U.F.F. Membership Card.
The purpose of the card is to demonstrate to any law enforcement official
who may approach you in a place of smoking fellowship that you are engaging in a
religious ritual, that you expect him or her to respect your right to worship as
you see fit and that they should cease any harassment immediately.
By making it known publicly that you support the work of P.U.F.F. and that your place of business is open to the smoking public as a Fellowship Center. While there is no fee for joining, we suggest that you purchase an Official P.U.F.F. Worship Center Certificate to display in a prominent place on the wall in your place of business. It demonstrates to any law enforcement official that you are making your place of business available to those who choose to participate in the sacrament of smoking. It is our belief that law enforcement should respect the sanctity of this sacrament and should not fine or harass an establishment involved in this activity. Contact P.U.F.F. at (212) 481-2790 for full membership details.
What else can I do to help the fight?
Slycraft.com, which is generously donating web services and office space to P.U.F.F., is making available to the public some smoking-related products. A portion of the proceeds from each sale goes to supporting the work of P.U.F.F. Every purchase you make helps us help you.
What else is P.U.F.F. doing to fight the harassment of those
who choose to engage in the sacrament of smoking?
We are using every means at our disposal to spread the word
about P.U.F.F. and our fight to uphold the rights of those who choose to smoke.
P.U.F.F. founder, Rev. Robert Porter, is available for interviews by any
news or media organization. Other
members have made themselves available for interviews and public speaking as
well.
P.U.F.F. can be reached at (212) 481-2790
* P.U.F.F. is a strictly religious organization, and not in any way a commercial entity. However, P.U.F.F. would not have been blessed with such membership growth were it not for the help and support of Slycraft.com. The Reverend Robert Porter would like to take this opportunity to thank Slycraft.com personally for its generosity and prayers. Through Slycraft's donation of space and funding, P.U.F.F. has been able to spread the "gospel" around the world. Slycraft has also agreed to generously donate 10% of proceeds from its site to support P.U.F.F. in its proselytizing efforts.
Thank you Slycraft!
Rev. Robert Porter
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