Banning smoking in public places?

Question

I'm wondering what other people think.
I think it's rediculous.
I can understand %110 about people being concerned for the sake of non-smokers' health, but why can't there be designated areas like there are in many restaurants and bars already?
Why ban it completely?
I honestly think it's unconstitutional for a state, city, county to ban smoking in public places.

I know most people view bars and restaurants as public places, but they really aren't. They are all privately owned, that is why I say it's unconstitutional. It should be up to the owners whether or not their establishment should be smoke free or have designated areas. Smoking is completely legal and therefore should have no restrictions by the government as to where you can and can't do it.

Answer 1

Banning smoking in PUBLIC places I can understand, but doing such in a privately owned establishment is UN-constitutional. What ever happened to the right to private property in this country? If I own a bar/restaurant (or any other place of business for that matter) it is my right to allow smoking if I choose to do so. To allow the government to control what is done on my private property is inviting disaster. Please reference the recent stories of "eminent domain" being employed to displace people from their homes for "local economic benefit" What's next people? No alchohol? No art because someone finds it offensive (oooppps already been done) books (also been done) Once the government is permitted to legislate our private lives this country is doomed.

Answer 2

Here's how my logic breaks it out Jarhead.

1. The owners of the public places have not done their jobs to create a safe and healthy public place. I will give my solutions later.

2. The non-smokers like me plus many do-gooders have gotten to the politicians and their involvement has screwed things up even worse. The government is not the best at protecting the public against anything.

My solution? Walls don't really help that much because the air conditioning systems still circulate the air plus smoke can get thru cracks in walls. SOLUTION: REQUIRE businesses to have adequate ventilation whereby smoke is pulled from the inside to the outside using fans. Consult an engineer for specifics, but several 6" holes leading outside powered by electric motors could change the environment 100%, with or without separating walls.

But in the absence of good planning or implementation of rules, the error should always be in favor of public health.

Answer 3

I don't have a definitive answer, as I am a non-smoker. A lot of people gather outside a bar and/or restaurant and smoke, and, honestly, when I see people in front of a business smoking, I usually won't approach to enter, because I would be walking through their cigarette cloud. Where can a smoker go? I don't know. It's still better to have the smoke stay outside instead of inside, because breathing and tasting someone else's cigarette smoke while you eat...is not very tasty. I forgot the name of the town, but there IS a town in California that recently banned everyone from smoking everywhere except for inside their vehicle and inside their home they own. I don't encourage smoking, and I don't like it at all, but, I still don't know if there is an answer for you. Maybe someone has a suggestion.

Answer 4

As long as smoking itself remains legal, there should be provision for smokers in public places where smoking has traditionally been allowed. At the same time, the rights of non-smokers to an "unpolluted" environment must also be respected, especially in view of the compelling evidence of the serious health risks with second-hand smoke. In indoor areas, separate rooms can be designated as smoking and non-smoking. How you separate the smokers from the non-smokers in outdoor settings like terraces and sidewalks is beyond me. Some cities are now banning smoking on restaurant terraces, because air movement sufficient to keep the smoke away from other patrons cannot be guaranteed. Tobacco smoke pollution is similar to noise pollution and should be dealt with in a similar way. You have the right to smoke and/or listen to loud music, but not in a place where it irritates or causes risk to others.

Answer 5

I think the ban is OK for restaurants and public buildings. But I do not think bars, private clubs or any adults only place of business should have bans. The owner of the business should be the one to make that decision. Non-smokers do not frequent bars and such places to make up the lost revenue. We had a total ban and I know of three bars that cut hours and laid off employees and one that closed. The ban was lifted for the bars and clubs. Some choose to stay non-smoking and some allow it. That way everyone had a choice of where to go, not just the non-smokers.

Answer 6

I look at it in a different light.

The health and public safety concerns regarding smoking and second hand smoke are well documented. Most smokers earn far less then non-smokers and also have less health care coverage so a large amount of their health care costs rest on non-smokers shoulders.

Even with all of the evidence we still have people who will tell the story about their cousin Joe who was around a smoker for 75 yrs 24 hours a day and never got sick. Those people will never believe that smoking is bad until they are on a respirator and then they'll probably blame something else.

So we need a way to try to discourage smoking, especially young smokers, and try to lower the public acceptance of this nasty habit. I personally can't stand the stink and don't want to have to walk through a cloud of smoke or walk out of my way to avoid the stink - and I shouldn't have to. If you want to smoke in your home go ahead but you won't smoke in mine.

Answer 7

No, there has never been a conclusive study which could prove that second hand smoke kills.

Check out these websites:
http://www.davehitt.com/facts/

http://www.forces.org/evidence/evid/second.htm

http://www.joebobbriggs.com/specialreports/20020816.html

Just admit it, folks. You hate the smell of cigarettes. I hope the legislators ban nasty perfume from public places. Whether you like smoking or don't like smoking, the point is the bans are discriminatory. Banning smoking in someone's establishment of business IS wrong. If I were a tavern owner I would take this to the supreme court.

Answer 8

That would be great if their were walls that would keep the smoke isolated to one area, but that is not the case in the huge percentage of places. Smoke does not just stay around the person who is smoking, it wafts throughout the room. I did not understand this until I became a non-smoker and was actually very embarrassed at how the smell most likely offended other people. I think it's very constitutional.

Answer 9

I am a prior smoker who stopped smoking due to health problems from smoking.

I do not want to be limited as to what restaurants or bars I can go to because smokers are polluting the air and making it difficult for me to breath.

Most smokers do not care about the rights of non-smokers. True!

You have no idea how many times smokers have yelled at me when I have politely requested that they please use the smoking area as they are making it hard for me to breath and that they are currently in a non-smoking area.

Restaurants with an exhaust fan in the center of the restaurant is a joke. How many smokers just sit there and smoke? None. They get up and move around and say hi to their friends, etc. As they are roaming around, the exhaust system is having no affect on their smoke because the smokers are no longer near the exhaust.

The poor waiters/waitresses have to tolerate secondhand smoke or lose their jobs. Smoking causes cancer, emphasema and numerous other health problems, raises the healthcare costs for everyone, and takes away other people's rights in public places.

Please note that I am not against adults having the right to smoke without exposing others to their habit. I never want our government taking away the rights of individuals to make that choice. But it is because smokers have not cared about the rights of those who don't smoke that they are losing their ability to smoke in public places.

So who is really at fault for this happening? Children and Non-smokers should have the right to clean air. For those of you smoking around children in your home, Shame on You! You are violating the rights of your child and exposing your child to health problems.

If you continue smoking around children in your home, you will be causing the next reason for banning smoking all together.

Maybe the taxes on cigarettes should be used to offset the rising costs of healthcare due to smoking.

Answer 10

when you are smoking the smoke is a hazzard to everyone within several feet of you. If I were to walk into a mall and start shooting my gun into the floor or ceiling shouldn't I be allowed to do that as well then, I mean at least guns ARE protected in the constitution and cigarettes are not. I used to be against the smoking bans too, but the vast majority of smokers are so rude about it that it is time to ban it. There are lots of other things that are not harmful to people and they are not allowed in public. You can't have sex or walk around nude so should we allow that too? 90% of the people smoking today started AFTER the facts that smoking is dangerous and addictive became public knowledge so I have little sympathy.