Designated Smoking Areas

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Limiting smoking in public areas is necessary to prevent exposing others to smoke, however it is not worth restricting the freedom of people who want to smoke. Those that smoke should be free to enjoy the same rights as the rest of the human beings around them. Opponents of this topic would say it is difficult to avoid being exposed to smokers that are in doorways or in a main public area. They are under the impression that even if smokers smoke in a designated area that it still affects them and causes them harm. Their opinion is that it is unfair to expose anyone to this danger and should be banned no matter if it violates the smoker’s freedom to choose.
However, by prohibiting smoking in public areas and restricting it only to a certain place prevents smokers from fair participation in their social life. The main goal of the smoking ban is to make it socially unacceptable to smoke, which helps force smokers to quit. Medical studies have been conducted and published that show the dangers of smoking and the effects of second hand smoke. The research is very vague though and never truly shows you the exact causes. People have a choice not to expose themselves to many of the same harmful materials in our everyday life, such as soda, fried foods, and car exhaust.
Smoking should be allowed outside in designated areas where only the smoker is placing themselves at risk. The smoker should a little have situation awareness when lighting up a cigarette to limit exposure to others.

Those that agree with a ban would support for several reasons. They would first say that the ban would discourage more people from smoking since it would limit their ability to do so any time they want. There is very good reason considering if...

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...allowed to make the choice to smoke in public. They must consider the risks of their actions and how it affects those around them. Health concerns cannot be the only driving factor when society allows other activities that are equally harmful to be legally allowed. Smokers have rights just as much as non smokers and as long as they do so in a manner that is respectful to others in a designated area, they should be permitted to do so.

Works Cited

Bell, K. (2013). Where there's smoke there's fire: Outdoor smoking bans and claims to public space. Contemporary Drug Problems, 40(1), 99-128.
Chapman, s. (2008). Going Too Far? Exploring the Limits of Smoking Regulations. William Mitchell Law Rev 34 (4), 1605-1620.
Robson, D. (2009). Fuming. New Scientist, 202(2702), 34-37

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