Smoking

Smoking

Smoking in public places should be banned. Although some people believe that it is their

right as individuals to smoke where they please, they really are not only hurting themselves.

Three reasons that smoking should be banned in public places are cleanliness in public places

where food and pharmaceuticals are produced is imperative, second-hand smoke is hazardous to

those people around the smoker, and there is a reduced risk of fire.

First, cleanliness is a social issue as well as a moral issue. An online article states, "The

lifestyle argument regarding the right to smoke as ones pleases could be countered by another's

lifestyle right to breathe smokeless air." (Wikipedia). However, an ashtray filled with cigarette

butts is a dirty sight and can result in a bigger mess if it is not handled with care. A restaurant is

a prime example of a place where smokers thrive, and while a separate section is reserved for

those who indulge, the mess that cigarette ashtrays may create is commonly demonstrated in

many different areas of the venue, and may even contaminate food.

Second, the hazardous toxin that is secondhand smoke is a major factor of why smoking

in public places should be banned. Many people in society are allergic to any kind of smoke, be

it smoke emitted from a motor vehicle or the smoke that is created when a piece of paper is

burned. Secondhand smoke is known to contain more than 50 carcinogens. Exposure to these

deadly toxins are responsible for thousands of lung cancer deaths as well as tens of thousands of

heart disease deaths each year among non-smokers. More so, secondhand smoke also results in

cases of lower respiratory infections, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome and chronic ear

infections in children. In an article by Adrian O'Dowd, he quotes John Britton, a professor of

epidemiology as saying, "Smoke-free legislation will save lives, reduce health inequalities, save

money, and improve public health." ("News Roundup"). Even short-term exposure to

secondhand smoke, for example at a restaurant or bar, can increase the risk of the person to

experience a minor heart- affecting event.

Third, the risk of fire that smoking creates is unimaginable. Many people smoke in their

homes and in their cars, not realizing how dangerous