Should smoking be banned in public?

i work in the military, another high-stress job like those listed above. several rules on smoking include: no smoking in a government building. no smoking within 50 feet of flammable substance containers. all of the designated smoking areas are well out of the way of people that don't want to smell the smoke. when we are in the field, we generally smoke at least 20-50 feet away from areas where people gather. we also make sure that every cigarrette butt is cleaned up. while the rules are strict, they do not make it impossible for someone to grab a smoke. everyone in the military knows that it is indeed stressful, and anyone who would try to deny someone a stress reliever is actually denying a person something that will increase their performance.

about the relating banning smoking with communism, i believe the thought behind that is, with every freedom the government takes away brings us that much closer to a totalitarian government. the "big brother" government that can control everything we do. with every freedom we give up and let go, for the good of our children, another freedom threatens them. if we let smoking be banned everywhere but our houses, what will happen with gun-control, abortion, welfare, unemployment, etc. be careful, everyone, the very internet you are using is dangerous to our children because they search for porn!! the ten commandments are harmful to our children because they teach them a few morals that too many irresponsible parents don't!!

if smoking gets banned in all restaurants and bars, in a couple years, it will be banned within 50 feet of any door. in 10 years, there will be 1 designated smoking area for every square mile. in 25 years, you will not be allowed to smoke outside your house. in 30 years, apartment tenants will not be allowed to smoke in their rooms which they pay for. the spiral continues. my entire family is made up of non-smokers. i have found ways to feed my habit without them smelling the slightest bit. they live in erie, pa, which is one of the most polluted areas in the country, but i respect what they and others want.

IMO, people sacrifice their health for something they want, but if it something they don't want, they use every loophole they can think of to get it away. those of you that live in, say, los angeles. arguably the worst place in the u.s. for your health. you live there for the oppurtunities it presents for you. if you were 100% concerned about your health, you would live in, say, Butte, montana. i think the only reasonable way to solve the smoking issue is to have building owners decide to allow smoking or not allow it. smoking outdoors should be permitted, with designated no-smoking areas. california politicians should pull the stick out of their butts, and people should be considerate towards each other. that includes smokers not smoking around kids and the elderly, etc.

 

Well said.

**applause**

 

In my opinion, smoking should absolutely be banned in public. As a non-smoker, I find it to be a nauseatingly gross habit, and I also think that it's an unecessary health risk breathing the stuff in. You know, it may give me a certain addictive pleasure to urinate on floors and walls, and I can do that all I want in my own home, but I'm sure as hell not allowed to do it in public -- it's gross and it's unsanitary. Same goes for smoking.

 

Slightly unrelated tangent: Does anyone else find that cigarette companies have truly the greatest marketing campaign ever?? I mean seriously...there's this weed that doesn't get you high, doesn't make you feel any better, costs a lot of money, is highly addictive, and gives you health problems. There's really no benefit you can get out of it at all until you're addicted...and that's only because you're addicted. And yet somehow millions of people have started...

Okay back on topic, I disagree that smoking should be banned in public. I think that if you all of a sudden don't let people smoke anywhere but their homes, the murder rate is going to skyrocket. For real. Have you been around people that haven't had a cigarette in like 8 hours? It's scary. I wouldn't want to go to work. I read somewhere that smoking is more addictive than heroin. And we love those heroin addicts...give them our money for rehab, detox, welfare, whatever they need. But the smokers? Well they might be hurting us by smoking around us. So who cares. Let's just set them loose in public without their fix and see what happens.

 

I'm an ex-smoker and can understand not wanting to be eating in a smokey room. Even when I smoked, I couldn't stand people blowing smoke in my face or being in a hazy room. However, I think for the most part, with the exception of making people smoke directly outside an entrance to a building, which is dumb, public places already do a pretty good job of separating smokers from non. In the course of an average day, I have no opportunity to come into contact with second-hand smoke because the people making it are in their designated areas. And I have no problem in restaurants. Maybe I'm just not as hypersensitive to it as some are.

My main gripe is the other one that has come up in here a few times: the litter. The people upstairs from me smoke, as do all their friends that come over. They also have a four-year old. While I commend them for not smoking around the kid, it drives me bonkers that to avoid her they stand on their balcony and then flick the damn butts down onto the lawn, right outside my front door. I detest smokers who do this, leaving their filth wherever they go, as though all the world is their ash-tray.

 

I Don't think that smoking should be banned. I think it is a completely disgusting habit but it is none of my business if you want to slowly kill yourself. None of my kids will do it as long as they live under my roof.

I would like to see public places exercise a little common sense when creating a smoking area. In other words, provide some ventilation to get it out of the air and put the smokers far enough away that it doesn't just blow into the non-smoking section.

 

We don't allow companies to just fill the atmosphere with any old chemical byproduct from their manufacturing plants, why do you suppose that is?

If there's a public benefit to smoking in public places, I certainly am unaware of one... other than people not breaking out in violent nic-fit induced rage (which probably means they have a stress problem, for which smoking is a rather weak solution... just ask my father who's had two heart attacks). I don't know that it's necessary to ban smoking in public, but public places such as buildings/enclosed environments, parks (where cigarette butts often accumulate and clutter) and any places of business which wish to present a clean atmosphere for their patrons... many states and businesses have already done so.

There are many reasons I can think of to not smoke, but only one I know of that makes people continue smoking past their first cigarette: addiction.

What you do with your own body is your own business. But what you do with this atmosphere is everyone's business... everyone should have a say in it, and we do... this is, after all, a democratic republic. We all live in this atmosphere, we all have to breathe it, so I suggest that both sides speak up their voice with their congressmen and women... and we'll see where the majority opinion falls.

The time we spend debating it here could be better spent writing a letter to our Senators and Representatives expressing each of our views on the subject.

 

"I Don't think that smoking should be banned. I think it is a completely disgusting habit but it is none of my business if you want to slowly kill yourself. None of my kids will do it as long as they live under my roof.

I would like to see public places exercise a little common sense when creating a smoking area. In other words, provide some ventilation to get it out of the air and put the smokers far enough away that it doesn't just blow into the non-smoking section."

Oh but it is your business. It's causing you and your family harm when your in a no smoking section and they seat you next to the wall separating you from the smoking section which trickles down into your lungs, causes your eyes to water and frankly could make you lose your appetite.

So it is your business. People who smoke should keep their nasty habit to there own self and that means away from me. Smoke in your home or some smoke tank, but not out in public where others who can't stand smoke, smell and such because they are allergic and have no choice whether they are allergic or not to smoke. You have a choice to smoke and not to smoke but people who have medical problems don't.

 

I'm so sick of everybody using the argument, "Well if I'm in a restaurant and someone lights up, it's kill me, blah, blah, blah." My question is, if you're so worried about it, why even go to a restaurant where you know people are going to be smoking? I asked this before and the only response I got was that they didn't know a restaurant that didn't cater to smokers. Sure. Whatever.

If you are so against smoking in public places and want it banned, I would think that you would want to boycott restaurants and business owners who allow smoking in their establishments to make a point as well.

 

[sarcasm]Ah yes, sebulba! boycotting would help, but why go through all that effort when it's just as effective for them to sit around and discuss it with the small group that comes in here?[/sarcasm]

 

So, if I go to your favorite restaurant and, er, release odorous gases in your direction as often as my body will allow me to, your response would be to kindly go to another restaurant?

 

"why even go to a restaurant where you know people are going to be smoking?"

Oh I don't know maybe they make a good Steak, or they have something else I like on the menu. Or how about I don't think I should live a sheltered life, because I and millions others like me have allergy problems which is a serious medical condition and one of those just happens to be SMOKING!!!

I don't have a say about my medical condition, except for the medication I can take to help me out here and there. People who smoke DO HAVE A SAY of when and where they light up. Hense it's wrong for someone who can't smell that stuff be forced to be in a room with it. Bann it and get rid of it. Your house is one thing, but a public place is another. Your putting other peoples health besides yourselfs at RISK. I shouldn't have to live inside a freaking bubble because you have to light up every 15 minutes to get your craving forfilled.

Get your priorities straight.

 

Ok, I don't care if people want to smoke because that's there choice. BUT, when you smoke in a public place that I can't help but be in... that's infringing on my rights. And especially that of my family, like my brother and mother who have horrible allergies to smoke and asthma. I think it should be banned in public.

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

Oh but it is your business. It's causing you and your family harm when your in a no smoking section and they seat you next to the wall separating you from the smoking section which trickles down into your lungs, causes your eyes to water and frankly could make you lose your appetite.

Thats my point Darthpigfeet, it IS possible for a resteraunt to provide the proper ventilation in a smoking area to remove most of the smoke. My complaint is with places that put up a 4 foot wall and seat smokers right on the other side as you were talking about.

 

"My question is, if you're so worried about it, why even go to a restaurant where you know people are going to be smoking? I asked this before and the only response I got was that they didn't know a restaurant that didn't cater to smokers. Sure. Whatever."

For one thing, look at where I live. This is tobacco country. There are no completely non-smoking restaurants here.

And for another thing, what DARTHPIGFEET said. Why should I have to go to another restaurant just because you have a bad habit? You can choose not to smoke--it's called Nicorette gum, or even Wrigley's Spearmint, pal--I'm an ex-smoker, I know. I, however, cannot choose not to breathe, and my dinner shouldn't be ruined, or I shouldn't have to wait an hour for a table in a no-smoking section while there are five empty tables in the smoking section, just because someone else chooses to smoke.

 

anakin_girl, you are showing everyone what i mean by being rediculous. to completely ban smoking from all restaurants so people don't have to wait for seats is rediculous. a good ventilation system where the non-smokers are in no way effected by the smokers is reasonable and sane. productive ideas that help people to live in harmony with each other are good. it is, unfortunately, easier to have ideas to just get rid of whatever you don't like.

Darthpigfeet, i'm sorry you have allergies to cigarrette smoke. i personally know several other people who are allergic to cigarrette smoke. when i am around them, i make every effort possible to not get any smoke near them. they appreciate it and we are all reasonable with demands and complaints.

 

Smokers are lazy workers, and while they get a smoking break every hour or so for ten minutes, non-smokers get to work more for the same amount of money. All because smokers can only work their hardest when they're smoking. When they're not, they mostly think about when they'll get their next cigarette.


Actually I worked at Best Buy and basically a 10 minute smoke break whenever they need it. Outside of their normal break. With that said I'd like to tell you that second-hand smoke is not as dangerous as the government and health organizations would lead you to believe. See the people who die from second-hand smoke have had prolonged exposure to it. How long does anyone actually stay at a restaurant? Maybe an hour at the least? No, I don't smoke, yes I've smoked occasionally. I hate smoke and what it does to your body, but if it's your choice to smoke then that's fine with me. But for all us non-smokers, people who smoke have the same rights as us. Bill Mahr made the point that if Ketchup were as hazardous as smoking was then the government would want to ban it too.

This anti-smoker craze has got to stop, it's stupid. If you can't smoke in public you're going to do it in your home which is actually worse considering the people who'd live there would be inhaling your smoke. I think the advocates who are against smoking are doing this more for personal preference instead of actual health concerns. Whatever happened to freedom of choice? Are we now supposed to separate a segment of the population just because of what they like to do? Think about it, would you really want someone to take away something that you like to do regardless if it hurts yourself or not?

 

Fire_Ice_Death: Yes, smokers have the same "rights" as non-smokers--the right to do whatever you please as long as it doesn't interfere with anyone else's rights. When someone else's smoking is interfering with my right to breathe clean air, my rights are being infringed upon.

pkloa: One, I don't want smoking banned in public places just so I don't have to wait for a seat--that would be a fringe benefit. I want smoking banned in public places so I don't have to sit near someone smoking, which sometimes happens even in the nonsmoking section, and get nasty smoke in my hair, eyes, and clothes.

The ventilation systems you're speaking of are extremely expensive and most establishments are not going to install them.

Once again, I haven't seen a valid argument for my earlier point: Smokers can choose not to smoke. I can't choose not to breathe.

 

Yes, smokers have the same "rights" as non-smokers--the right to do whatever you please as long as it doesn't interfere with anyone else's rights. When someone else's smoking is interfering with my right to breathe clean air, my rights are being infringed upon.


Only if it's in an enclosed setting.


'ehh.....we can choose when to breathe too. Holding your breath comes to mind. Only side-effect is death. See? Smokers and non-smokers are equal.

 

a-g, you are 100% correct you cannot choose not to breathe. however, would you support a restaurant that has a good ventilation system, or would you still go to a restaurant that has no such system? that is your choice. that is more effective than preaching to me about why smoking should be banned in public.

 

Anyone ever been to a restaurant and it's been cold? I think they do that to kill the smoke.

 

Fire_Ice_Death: LOL. All the restaurants around here are cold. Now I know why.

pkloa: Yes, I would go to a restaurant with a good ventilation system.

One city in North Carolina, Hickory, banned smoking in all its restaurants unless said restaurants would install a ventilation system such as you are talking about. All the restaurants in the area chose to ban smoking rather than install the expensive ventilation system. The outcry was unreal. Smokers all threatened to take their restaurant business elsewhere. Nonsmokers responded to the threats by saying that just because smokers wanted to destroy their bodies didn't mean nonsmokers should have to breathe in the poison. I don't know what ever came of the situation in Hickory, because I moved away before it was all over; I do know that no other city in North Carolina has passed such an ordinance.

I'll never understand why people smoke, or drink alcohol, or eat fattening food all the time, or lie out in the sun. I think some people think they're immortal. But I'm also old enough to know that I'm not the health police and people have choices. As far as my "preaching" to you--I wasn't preaching; I was defending my right to breathe smoke-free air. What you do in your own home, or even outside, is your business.

 

I'll never understand why people smoke, or drink alcohol, or eat fattening food all the time, or lie out in the sun. I think some people think they're immortal.

Smoke - if you lived with today's parents(some of them) you'd understand.

Drink Alcohol - it takes the edge off of being stressed out, same with smoking. I drink on occasion, it's so stupid there's an age limit. It's like they're calling us idiots.

Fattening foods - quick, cheap, and easy. Come to think of it you find girls like that as well. Hey! Fattening foods and cheap girls. Gotta love it!

Most of all it's because if you're gonna die from something you might as well die for a reason.

 

a_g, the situation in hickory is completely out of control. it is my belief that the government should not be able to tell us where to smoke. i think it's bull for the city to tell restaurant owners they have to ban smoking in their establishments. i think if a restaurant owner wants to ban smoking in their restaurant, that is their sole decision. i also think if a restaurant owner does not want to ban smoking, they should not be forced to. IMO, a ventilation system would be the best solution, however, the choice to allow or not allow smoking in an establishment should be with the owner.

 

I was really hoping for an answer to this question; I guess I'll find it notable if I don't:

"So, if I go to your favorite restaurant and, er, release odorous gases in your direction as often as my body will allow me to, your response would be to kindly go to another restaurant?"


And the concept of banning aside for a minute, do any smokers here ever feel bad if they ruin someone's meal at a restaurant? Even though it's your right, I'm curious to know if you ever feel any regret over it, or if you just carry a "too bad for you" attitude all the time?