Smoking in Public Places, to Ban or Not to Ban?
by A research paper I wrote about smoking in public areas and the consequences of it. Smoking is killing people every day and these are my thoughts about it. Included are all the facts.
Smoking in public places has become a big issue in today’s society. Many people are up in arms about the subject and people on both sides of the argument feel that the subject is unfair and unjust. Banning smoking in public places is arguably unfair to smokers and takes away from their freedom; on the other hand however not banning it is unfair to the nonsmokers and puts our health in danger making it unsafe for us to go to public places where there are smokers. I do understand that smokers have certain rights here in the United States. We claim to be a nation of freedom and equality so therefore I understand the point of view of smokers that not allowing them to smoke in public is taking away their freedom. However do nonsmokers not have the right to their health? Do nonsmokers not have the right to clean air? Do nonsmokers not have the right to be able to go to public places without being suffocated by cigarette smoke?
Secondhand smoke is the smoke that is given off when burning a pipe, cigar, or cigarette mixed with the smoke that is exhaled from the lungs of smokers. Just a few of the 250 dangerous, toxic, cancer causing chemicals in secondhand smoke include formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide. All of these chemicals are extremely dangerous poisons and would never enter the body where it not for breathing secondhand smoke. Avoiding secondhand smoke is very hard because about one in four people smoke.
Secondhand smoke is very dangerous for many different reasons and it has been proven that it is more dangerous than smoking a cigarette yourself. There are many health factors that come along with secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke causes irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. It also irritates the lungs and causes coughing and chest discomfort as well as excessive phlegm. There have also been cases where some people will break out in hives when exposed to it. The dangerous chemicals that are in secondhand smoke cause many different diseases and health issues and are the basis behind the raise for concern.
Secondhand smoke increases the risk of fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease by about 30%. In studies smokers had less of a risk or problem with coronary heart disease than the people exposed to second hand smoke. Secondhand smoke also increases the risk of lung and other cancers as well as other respiratory problems and accounts for 53,000 deaths each year in the United States. 3,000 of these deaths alone are from lung cancer in non smokers and approximately 22,000 are from heart disease in nonsmokers.
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Post CommentJodi
On November 14, 2007 at 6:15 am
I have many friends who are smokers, and therefore understand that they should be allowed to smoke places. At the same time though, my daughter has terrible asthma and allergies, and smoke makes her very sick. I have never understood the statistics saying that second-hand smoke can cause worse problems than actually smoking. How is this possible? Smokers tend to smoke near other smokers. This means they are not only getting the dangers of smoke, but logic would say the dangers of second-hand smoke as well. By limiting the places in which smokers can smoke, we are not taking away their freedom to choose to smoke. However, by allowing them to smoke anywhere, we are encroaching on non-smokers air.
Janice
On November 14, 2007 at 6:17 am
When people smoke, they emit all sorts of pollutants into the air. This has already been established. Now that we are starting to understand the impact we are having on the environment, I would be curious to see a study on how smoke affects the environment.
-Janice
Sheena
On November 14, 2007 at 9:48 am
I wrote this article for a college paper. I found out that second hand smoke is more dangerous because you are not only breathing in the smoke the smoker is breathing out for the smoke that comes from the burning end of the ciggarette as well.
Sheena
On November 14, 2007 at 9:48 am
I wrote this article for a college paper. I found out that second hand smoke is more dangerous because you are not only breathing in the smoke the smoker is breathing out but the smoke that comes from the burning end of the ciggarette as well.
EdRoberts
On November 14, 2007 at 11:58 pm
I am now a non-smoker, having quit after many years.
I think the author has been – as have so many in recent years – completely brain-washed.
All the anti-smoking Nazis seem to care about is ending freedom; if you cannot find a restaurant or public place that is non-smoking, there is something wrong with you.
With so many choices, why do you INSIST on going to one of the few ’smoking’ places left to the smokers, and trying to close it down? Doesn’t matter if you are the only one of 200, you want to shut it down, even though there are 20 non-smoking establishments within walking distance.
Get a life, and acknowledge that there used to be freedom in this country, and there still should be….
Reply to Ed
On November 17, 2007 at 8:07 pm
That was just plain out rude to speak that way… if all resteraunts allow smoking in her area then how can she simply choose ones that dont? Great article Sheena!
myca
On May 9, 2008 at 2:07 pm
i feel somking should be just bANDIT IF YOU CANT DO THAT I LOST TO MANY PEOPLE FOR SMOKING and its sad
Marissa!!Reyes!!
On May 23, 2008 at 10:29 am
i think that u wrote an awesome paper Sheena!!i am an 8th grade student and i believe all of this and i really do wish that they do ban smoking from all public places because i wouldnt want to put peoples health in danger!!i am doing a report for my history class thats similar to yours and wen im done im thinking about showing my dad because my dad smokes and im really trying my hardest to make him quit but its not really working!!but thanks it was interesting seeing wat u had to say =)
Marissa
mondo and nessa!!
On May 23, 2008 at 10:37 am
SMOKE SMOKE SMOKE
AND DIE AND DIE DIE
JK
Edward
On July 12, 2008 at 3:12 am
It really helped me a lot for the assigned homework my teacher gave me. Thank you sheena.
Fylsernd
On July 28, 2008 at 10:45 am
i strongly agree that smoking should be banned in all public places. this purpose doesnt only good for non smoker to keep away from dangerous but it is also encourage the smokers to have a good habit to keep healthy from harmful themselves. the non somkers have the right to keep away from being passive smoking. once the smokers light up a cigarette in public places, it means that all thousands of innocent people will be caused disease just because of u,the smokers! smokers, dont you feel guilty for that situation? thousands of life are being ran in your hands!
in conclusion, smokers please think twice before u light up ur cigarettes.
kate
On August 5, 2008 at 1:37 am
what the point of banning smoking in public place because what next? banned obesity
lisa
On August 5, 2008 at 1:39 am
it what they want to do
avec
On August 5, 2008 at 2:26 am
I extremely agree that smoking should be banned, the reason is obvious. Lighting up a cigarette equates to debilitating health of the society.
Its better to quit now or live in a dead planet where humans and either animals cannot live because of the smokes bring about by the smokers!
Quit now!
antah
On September 1, 2008 at 2:57 am
no
sara
On October 19, 2008 at 11:39 am
It’s realy unfair to let these kind of people ’smokers’ to destroy our life ‘health’ and i compeletly agree that smoking should be banned for all .We should not turn the blind eye. please try to quit now.good article fylsernd
catricia
On November 12, 2008 at 11:01 am
i think you should be allowed to smoke in public. it’s your business you can do what you want to do. if they don’t like it they can just go somewhere else.
Wonder Woman
On November 12, 2008 at 11:07 am
ok now im a super hero guys. and if i think that smoking should be ok in public places then it should.
if the people who dont want to smoke or be around smoke. then go to a different place of the restauraunt. its peoples rights. if the government can keep ciggerettes legal then they shouldnt ban it form being used in public places. so if u dont want to smell the smoke then go to the government and tell them to make smoking illegal. dont punish the people for what the government lets them do. its stupid to say”oh yeah you guys can smoke, but u cant do it in public places!” come on now. its the people who are making smoking look “cool” so then people get addicted and so they should be allowed to smoke in public place. so in conclusion. if the governments gives you ciggerettes, then you should be allowed to smoke them in public. =]
kristen
On December 2, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Hey thanks. I’m a 8th grade student. and im writing and research paper and i needed to find something like this.
THANKS!!!
Alex
On January 8, 2009 at 7:43 pm
I AGREE SMOKING IS RETARDED.
Marissa :)
On March 16, 2009 at 9:00 am
I’m doing a paper on smoking in public places and I found this really useful. My dad has been smoking since he was 12 and I’ve been trying to get him to quit. Thanks for all the info!!
Allyssa Corbett
On April 10, 2009 at 10:27 am
im doin a resurch paper aswell im in 8th grade, this realy helps. im still tryin to find more info though.
yo mama
On May 2, 2009 at 9:48 am
Gay smokers need their rights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jacob roberts
On May 20, 2009 at 11:28 am
they should be able to smoke in public places. Were ese are they going to smoke. My mom smokes and i think they should. Right about that in you article.
Chelsea Kim
On June 29, 2009 at 8:40 am
thx this helped me a lot for my essay =)
Justin A.
On February 11, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Why ban everything that keeps people from dying? The world is overpopulated lol, let people die Geez…
J
On June 24, 2010 at 5:15 am
Why is it that people that defend smoking come up with defenses such as “what’s next are you going to ban obesity” “or fast food”. I will never get cancer or even have my breathing limited by standing next to someone that is obese or is eating a double double. Smoking really decreases intelligence.
I know that smokers feel attacked but they have to remember, it’s not the smoker that people don’t like (unless that person is totally rude and insensitive) but the cigarette smoke. You are not being banned, your cigarette is. Please stop being a slave to the evil tobacco companies that take your hard earned money by making you addicted to smoking tobacco leaves on crack. Good luck to you to kick that horrible habit. No one hates you.