Does anti-smoking legislation interfere with "The pursuit of happiness"? (freedoms)?

Question

Why is it okay for people to drink alcohol, which destroys relationships, other people's lives and individuals, but it's not okay to smoke in a smoking area- outside. In Missouri, they have banned smoking outside of hospitals, even if your in a designated area. It's a legal substance, just like alcohol...and they don't ban that in restaurants. If you wonder about the smell of tobacco, then why don't they ban perfumes?

Answer 1

Technically, anti-smoking laws do interfere with "The Pursuit of Happiness" clause of the Declaration of Independence. However, the Declaration of Independence is not law. It is not part of the Constitution of The United States.

Some places do ban the wearing of perfume. Granted these are usually laboratories and other areas that need tightly controled environments.

The real reason so many places have gone with no-smoking policies is that the majority of people don't want to breath second-hand smoke. Nor do they want their children see smoking as accepted behavior.

Answer 2

Smoking wouldn't fall under "the pursuit of happiness" because it is detrimental to OTHER people's health. What you do to yourself is more or less your business (with obviously some exceptions). Alcohol only detroys other peoples lives when it gets out of control, which the state can't regulate (how much you personally drink). But they can control you hurting other people by banning smoking in certain areas. Now, making it illegal to smoking in a designated smoking area sounds retarded, since the area is designated for smoking. That I would bring up to hospital management about. That's the point of designated areas: to give you a place TOO smoke, since it helps relieve some stress, which hospitals are known to cause.

Answer 3

When will smokers realize they are engaging in an anti-social activity and those of us that wish to be free of the bad odor and dangerous toxins in the air they breath are perfectly at liberty to complain to those polluting our environment. We should look upon smokers with the same disapproval as a tramp urinating in his pants, making the place smell bad and spreading unpleasant toxins into the immediate vicinity. Smoking has nothing to do with The pursuit of happiness and is just another addictive substance the weak willed find themselves unable to do without.

Answer 4

Well, so long as the designated smoking area doesn't wind up being right outside the hospital doors like it usually ends up being, that just seems silly. So long as it doesn't (physically) affect others, people should be allowed to do whatever they want to themselves.

Answer 5

It's not the smell of smoke, it's the danger. If you drink alcohol, I don't get drunk. If you smoke a cigarette near me, I inhale the smoke.

Answer 6

It depends on whose happiness you are talking about. Mine...I hate walking through a big puff of nasty smoke when I enter a building? Or yours...you want to smoke a nasty cigarette without considering the discomfort of others? My answer based on that is NO.

Answer 7

It is okay, because I am able to drink a beer and not have to spit it out into your nose, whereas when you light up, and smoke, your "happiness" is fouling everyone else's air. Your pursuit of happiness stops where mine begins.

Answer 8

Because their is a lot of hysteria about second hand smoke. There is no hysteria about second hand perfume, even though it can often be as offensive.

Answer 9

Cause perfumes aren't shown to cause cancer from 2nd hand smoke.

Answer 10

1: hospital + fire = BAAAAAAAAAD
2: theres a difference in smelling perfume and smelling deadly toxins