I would like to see a ban of smoking in public places including local, state, and federal parks. The evidence cannot be disputed about the negative health effects of smoking and so the government has the responsibility and the right to ban it in public places. On the other hand, I think that bars and nightclubs and other private business should be able to allow smoking as long as tobacco products are legal. I don’t want to make tobacco products illegal, just prevent them from being used in public. I, and I think many others, just would not go to a businesses that allows smoking and so most businesses would remain smoke free. Then maybe smokers will break their addiction and kids won’t pick up the habit and smoking will die away naturally and everyone can live longer healthier lives.
12 December 2007 at 4:29 pm
I feel deeply conflicted on the subject of smoking bans. While my Inner Libertarian agrees that the Invisible Hand of the Free Market *should* motivate some businesses to voluntarily ban smoking in their establishments, my experience as a person who likes to eat good food *and* breathe clean air demonstrates that too few of them do, for my taste. As simple as it sounds to say that if you don’t want to inhale the smoke, don’t go to the restaurant, whether or not the restaurant allows smoking is not the primary criterion, the food is. If you don’t want to breathe second-hand smoke, you can settle for second-rate food, or just grit your teeth and put up with the smoke.
The problem was bad enough in Ithaca before New York State instituted the ban. Do you remember what Hal’s was like? It was like trying to eat your knishes in an ashtray. Beloit is a smidge smaller than Ithaca, and has a lot fewer dining establishments to choose from, and very few that were smoke-free.
Beloit has instituted a city-wide ban, and, from my own selfish point of view, it’s great. Sadly, the best Italian restaurant in the area is in South Beloit. It’s totally disgusting to be in the middle of a lovely meal when e a party of heavy smokers sit down at the table next to yours and start puffing away. Happily, Illinois has instituted a ban that takes effect January 1st.
This might just be a flimsy rationalization on my part, but, aside from my own self-interest in wanting good food without having to breathe other people’s second-hand smoke, what tips me in favor of smoking bans is that a restaurant is a workplace, and the people who work there are often the sort of workers who do not have a lot of choices about where to find employment. In my mind, to ask those workers accept the health consequences of the customers’ smoking is like asking them to work with dangerous fumes without adequate ventilation and safety equipment–many will be willing to do it anyway to get a paycheck, but that doesn’t mean it’s fair to ask them to do it.
I firmly support a smoker’s right to smoke, but, as they say, your right to fill the air with tobacco smoke ends where my lungs begin. Smoke at home, in your car, or in an adequately ventilated area (i.e. the Great Outdoors, and not the portion of the Great Outdoors right next to the entrance of the building, thankyouverymuch), but not where I have to inhale it. I shouldn’t have to sacrifice my good health and comfort in deference to your voluntary habit.
13 December 2007 at 11:02 am
It is true about the employees but I would hope that if smoking is allowed inside that the law would require adequate air handling under OSHA requirements. The rules for manufacturing are so strict about air quality – why wouldn’t the rules also apply for restaurants? Then the cost of putting in the equipment for air handling would be so high that most restaurants could not afford it and then they would still not allow smoking. Although I may just be unrealistically optimistic.
14 December 2007 at 4:45 pm
That would definitely be the best technology solution: an affordable de-smoke-i-fier that would mean that restaurant customers could enjoy a cigarette without disturbing other patrons or endangering the health of the servers.