Smoking Should be Banned in Public Places

During the past few decades it has come to light that smoking kills. The federal government mandates that every pack of cigarettes carry a warning on it that smoking can lead to health problems including death. But the messages are rather clinical, for example: “Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, and May Complicate Pregnancy.” Smoking is a danger to one’s own health but there is now evidence that smoking can affect others as well. Second hand smoke has been shown to cause cancer. Second hand smoke has been shown to produce the same negative health effects that smoking first hand does. Cities across the nation are taking it upon themselves to address the issue of smoking in public place because of the evidence about the dangers of smoking. Bars and restaurants are often the target of smoking bans, as they are typically gathering places for smokers. Smoking bans have been handled at city levels, county levels and statewide levels in various parts of the nation. The federal government mandates warnings on cigarette packages and commissioning studies about the dangers of smoking. The government needs to ban smoking in public places to include bars and restaurants nationwide because smoking bans do not hurt business, second hand smoke is harmful and people have the freedom of choice.

Those who are against a nationwide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants point to personal choice, addiction, and profits as the reason to oppose any national effort. Some fear local bans will drive customers across borders or into neighboring communities. Others claim that smoking and drinking are inextricably linked. A smoking ban runs the argument that people will stop drinking which will cut down on the profits busines...

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