Smoking should be banned in ALL public places

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Here's What I Think

Smoking should be banned in all public places.

A smoker's (poor) choice should not affect the health of others.


Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of toxic chemicals including arsenic ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, benzene, and vinyl chloride. It is known to cause cancer, coronary heart disease, and respiratory problems. There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Non smokers should not be subjected to this disgusting habit.

Wanting to ban smoking in public places isn't about taking away a smoker's rights. You will still have the right to smoke in your own space. The right to slowly and deliberately harm others was never yours to begin with.

Your Turn! 



(The top posts are the most recent.)

Smoking should be banned in all public places. Indoors and out.

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Yes, you're right!

cyberpunkdreams says:

Fortunately more and more countries are banning smoking in public, which is obviously a very good thing. Here in England, smoking is banned in enclosed places of work (which includes, pubs, restaurants, etc), but not yet in the street...

mela says:

YES! if we did, we would have a cleaner city and a better environment. I HATE it when people smell like smoke, it pisses me off.

coco says:

I think smoking should be banned only indoors. what people what to do without harming others is there own decision. for example, if my friend smokes outside his house.. who is that harming?

noah olson says:

we should not alow any smoking in any public places

OhMySally says:

I live in a major city and I love that smoking is banned. Love it!

stacy_mcdaniel says:

Yes, It should be banned everywhere. I cannot stand to smell it. Proud to say, I've never been a smoker.

Charles_R_Williamson_Jr@yahoo.com says:

The Surgeon General's Report of 2006 continues previous research by the Health and Human Services that 2nd hand smoking can not be filtered or "fanned" away. It should be banned. Your RIGHT to smoke ends at my nose.
Charles_R_Williamson_Jr@yahoo.com

Jean says:

AGREED! Smokers are so ignorant of how they can affect other people. Especially those who smoke while walking in a crowded area. They can decide to gradually kill themselves as they take that drag but they shouldn't be allowed to contaminate other people's air.

Ms.EYEBURGER says:

YESS IT SHOULLD
I AINTT FAIRR FORR MEE-.-
I LOVEYOUUU, GOD BLESS:)

paperfacets says:

I am rather proud of my husband who worked for six years to get smoking banned in phone company buildings of Pacific Bell in Ca. That was in the late eighties, early nineties.and he was President of a CWA union local.

Cynthia says:

I tihnk that they should ban smoking is ALL public places because it can effect those who dont smoke. People are most likely to DIE from second hand smokking that someone that is a full time smoker. for people who smoke, would you really want to be the cause for someone losing their life?

Surfie says:

Definitely!

rian says:

hell yea

lottielulu x says:

yes i agree it's a disgusting habit aswell.MAKING OUR LIVES SHORTER BY BREATHING IN THEIR SECOND HAND SMOKE!!!!!!!! should definitely be banned all over the country.So should the car oils awell. lottielulu x

lottielulu x says:

it should be banned EVERYWHERE making us brethe in their own poisinous tar and that lot. PEOPLE ARE GIVING US SHORTER LIVES FROM PASSIVE SMOKING!!!! lottielulu x

Desiree says:

smoking causes many health ailments. i'm tired of walking down the street and have a person who is smoking blow all the cigarettes toxic fume into the air.

TheBongDude says:

I agree and I smoke!

Shelly says:

Yes indeed! We non-smokers have been passive victims of the stench and harm to our health too long!

idk says:

it should not be banned!!!

Jess says:

yes it shouldnt be banned in some cities it should be banned all the way arounf

No way, Monkeybrain!

kab says:

We pride ourselves in our freedom. I don't smoke, but I appreciate their right too, because I know I have the right to walk away.

ImportEyedeas says:

I think people should be very wary of a govt that seeks to restrict the rights and privileges of the people it serves. There are many damaging things we do as humans that cause harm to ourselves and each other but part of being a rational adult in a democratic society is making an Informed decision. Please take into consideration all the factors that Banning Smoking would require and ask yourself if you want the Govt to have that much control over your actions

David says:

Like it or not, smokers have the same right to do to their bodies as you have to do to yours. Banning a legal substance is going to be very difficult to accomplish. When you start banning peoples rights, where does it stop? Maybe you can start banning other things you don't like, Do you like books? No? Ban them! Do you like music? No? Ban it! How about the freedowm of religion? No? Ban it! It seems some mentalities in this world are stuck on the word "BAN", without knowing the true meaning and the ramifications it. Get a real life and stop trying to force your views on other. Now there's a good ban, huh?

Brady says:

It should be banned from public places for sure. As for outdoors, not so much. Not being a smoker, I get really mad when people subject me to the chemicals that they like in their body. In an indoor public place (restaurant) I can't get away from it. Smoking is not a right, it's a privilege. Sure, smoke if you want, it's your health, but as soon as your smoking infringes on MY health, we have a problem.

andrewmcd says:

I htink it i a selfish idea. Where would people go for a fag? I don't smoke by the way?

squidwalker says:

href="
http://www.squidoo.com/help-for-stop-smokingMy lens
Banned only in places where it is of consideration of the non smokers, but then again smoking related deaths from cancers is just huge and the associated costs for health care for it is of course billions, much of it subsidized. Banning smoking in the civilized world? hmmm..

DeboraR says:

As an Xsmoker myself I'm angered by how far smokers have let the government go to take away their rights to smoke in public. Not only that but to let them add chemicals to their cigarettes to cause them to 'go out' if you don't puff on them enough in order to prevent you from burning your house down with you in it. And why would they care? If the smoking won't kill you then what will that chemical do for you? On top of that, they have added more taxes onto the cigarettes and I've not heard any protest over that. Excuse me 'smokers' but is the nicotine paralized your brains? Are you just rolling over and playing dead? If you want to keep lighting up you better start speaking up or pretty soon the government is gonna make it illegal for you to smoke. I guess they will always be the freedom to drink yourself into oblivian and drive. Its better to not advertise cigarrettes on TV and in magazines or your children will start smoking but let them drink and give them a formula for making METH instead! That will make the world a better place! Ya think?
Having said all that.....I thought it was good enough to let the smokers have a designated place to smoke away from the non-smokers.

Hunter says:

Okay, let's just treat alll the smokerslike dogs and put outside. Oh and have you seen a smoker have a nicfit? I'd rather deal with second hand smoke. Thank you.

PlayGuitarToday says:

Indoors - Yes, you can't get away from it, Outdoors I really can't see a problem...

Mars-Bar says:

Smoking is fine as long as you keep away from the people who are smoking at that exact time

Dillon K. says:

Its our personal choice to be smokers. If your willing to try to take away our rights just to meet your own satisfaction then you can technically be considered a terrorist. We all have our right to freedom of speech but freedom of speech has its limits.

storge says:

Indoors-definitely yes
outdoors-not definite unless an area is specially allocated for smokers such as a smokers' zone.

Sinderbox says:

I don't see how you can say smokers 'deliberately harm others'. Smokers don't go around purposefully blowing smoke at non-smokers.

alexdunne9 says:

Ban smoking outdoors ??? what's next ban fast food and alcohol !!!

Anti-depressants and sleeping tablets are addictive and bad for you should we ban them as well and see everyone in the world go crazy ?

homebasedangell says:

An ex-smoker - I despise smoking, smelling it, seeing it, knowing it exists... You get the picture. That said, until it's ILLEGAL to smoke, I don't understand how we can ban something that's perfectly legal to buy, use and so on and then turn around and say not here...or there. You didn't put a column for someone on the fence so I am going to put it in the yes column! Or may not.....!

no problems here says:

I don't smoke but i do believe they should be allow to smoke in public places. How can you ban one thing and not others? Like drinking, fat people, skinny people, people with different hair color, gay people, straight people, etc...its all the same someone is always going to have a problem with something

rj reynolds says:

thank you for smoking

kgfdljhgefy says:

lolololol!

reneh2o says:

Smoking Outdoors should be allowed, I don't see anything wrong with that.

BlindOptimism says:

Although I don't like being around smokers, and agree with the current ban, I think it's unfair to take away their rights completely. Wouldn't a complete ban of smoking in public spacesonly leave them with their own homes? I think what we have right now is a fair compromise

 
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Unlike the typical cigarette, an E-Cigarette releases a cloud of water vapor instead of smoke.

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Tragic Death

Feb. 2008: First reported case of an immediate death caused by second-hand smoke.

A young asthmatic woman collapsed and died shortly after arriving for her shift as a waitress at a bar in Michigan. The autopsy showed that she died from an acute asthma attack triggered by work-related environmental tobacco smoke.

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Smoking Bans in the US 

This is the introduction to a Wikipedia article. Click the link below to find a list of smoking bans for restaurants, bars, and non-hospitality workplaces sorted by State.

The following is a list of smoking bans in the United States. For smoking bans and restrictions outside the United States, see the worldwide list of smoking bans.

The United States Congress has not attempted to enact any nationwide federal smoking ban. Therefore, smoking bans in the United States are entirely a product of state and local criminal and occupational safety and health laws.

As further detailed in this list, smoking laws vary widely throughout the United States. Some places in the United States do not generally regulate smoking at all, some ban smoking in...

World Wide Smoking Bans 

Click the link below

This is a list of smoking bans by country....

February is American Heart Month! 

American Heart Month was started in 1963 to raise awareness of heart disease and encourage everyone to take steps to help prevent it.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US.

Secondhand smoke is estimated to cause between 22,700 to 69,600 premature deaths from heart disease annually among nonsmokers.

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The Smoking Debate on Squidoo 



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  • Reply
    stacy_mcdaniel stacy_mcdaniel Nov 16, 2009 @ 11:40 am
    My grandpa died from cancer because he smoked. He laid in the hospital for eight weeks and didnt say a word, because of the chemo. That was when I was twelve. I decided right then that I would not be a smoker. I'm thirty-four and proud to say I've never been a smoker.
  • Reply
    lasertek lasertek Nov 15, 2009 @ 6:56 pm
    Definitely agree! Non-smokers must be very vigilant in their fight against smoking because they are greatly affected.

    Visit my lens as well. Thanks
  • Reply
    paperfacets paperfacets Nov 15, 2009 @ 4:37 pm
    All I know about smoke is it stinks and is pretty troublesome when you get near it. This is from a former smoker. This reaction does not happen till you have been smokeless for over seven years.
  • Reply
    Heather426 Heather426 Nov 13, 2009 @ 11:52 am
    Fantastic lens and ~blessed by a squidangel~ I'm with Brenda, I don't want to be forced to breathe smoke...but smokers should have an area too...it's a quandry.I think it should be a local decision, not a national one.
  • Reply
    TheBongDude TheBongDude Nov 7, 2009 @ 5:55 am
    Very nice lens and would say I have to agree and I smoke!
  • Reply
    Artemus-Gordon Artemus-Gordon Nov 3, 2009 @ 2:14 pm
    It really bothers me how smokers stand in front of doors and smoke so that you have to walk through a cloud to go into a building.
  • Reply
    Tipi Tipi Nov 3, 2009 @ 12:58 pm
    This is very good lens on a controversial subject. Well done!
    Squid Angel blessed today!
    Susie
  • Reply
    Shelly Shelly Nov 3, 2009 @ 12:46 pm
    Way back in 1972 I joined the Association for Non-smokers Rights at the university I attended--It has been disappointing to see how long it has taken to get smoking out of the public. Clean air should be a given for all!
  • Reply
    Spook Spook Oct 28, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
    I said I would come back. By now I also think you well know I detest this type of thing. It's actually beside the point. Why? Because it's a great debate and I have always loved those. Blessed by an Angel.
  • Reply
    Lee Lee Oct 22, 2009 @ 3:22 pm
    I've been trying to give up for 2 years. I thought the birth of my second child would do the trick - but I'm back on them again.

    For me - the answer is legislation and taxation. The only thing that's gonna make me stop is if someone makes if very difficult or expensive for me to continue. Go ahead - raise the taxes and refuse me medical insurance (you'll be doing me a favor). Use the taxation money to educate kids on why they shouldn't start in the first place.

    http://www.squidoo.com/scimedical
  • Reply
    Pukeko Pukeko Oct 22, 2009 @ 6:35 am
    Fantastic lens. Squid angel blessed
  • Reply
    DeboraR DeboraR Oct 15, 2009 @ 1:20 am
    Great lens on a very contraversial topic. I'm an exsmoker of 21 yrs. However, I believe its a persons right/freedom to make the choice to smoke or not. All the hoopla over second hand smoke has never shown me any tangible proof that any such thing is deadly.
  • Reply
    Spook Spook Oct 13, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
    Coming back soon. Oh what fools us mortals be.
  • Reply
    homebasedangell homebasedangell Jul 21, 2009 @ 9:44 am
    Great lens on a subject that should be debated until nicotine is only alive in history books! The best decision I ever made was to quit (12 years ago).
  • Reply
    Sarunas Sarunas Apr 10, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
    Awesome lens : )
    Good job. 5 stars from me.
    Keep it up.
  • Reply
    Treasures-By-Brenda Treasures-By-Brenda Apr 7, 2009 @ 2:31 pm
    This is one of those basic debates that I find easy to answer. I don't think anyone else should 'force' me to smoke.

    I'd be thrilled if you'd way in on another 'simple' debate that isn't, well, quite so simple. Banning paper coffee cups is being strongly considered in Toronto. Did you know that they are not recycled!?! Please visit and let me know what you think of that subject!

    I am lensrolling your lens to mine; yours is just on a different type of pollution than mine. And, oh yes, blessing your lens, too!

    Brenda
  • Reply
    jura jura Mar 29, 2009 @ 8:50 am
    I agree with the lens.
  • Reply
    Adrian Haggett Adrian Haggett Mar 20, 2009 @ 5:21 am
    Let's be totally honest here - how many people do you know personally who have died from pacif smoking? I think the bunny-huggers of this world have gone too far. If you sit around a camp fire you are likely to inhale smoke from the fire, but we don't ban camp fires, do we?
  • Reply
    JoanneOtt JoanneOtt Mar 5, 2009 @ 2:27 am
    I agree that smoking should not be allowed in any public places. I live in a city that banned it about 10 years ago now. It's so nice to go out and not be subjected to second hand smoke!
  • Reply
    Christene Christene Feb 27, 2009 @ 3:28 pm | in reply to mysticmama
    ha...it does!
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"Isn't making a smoking section in a restaurant like making a peeing section in a swimming pool?"

- George Carlin

 

No smoking sections in restaurants are laughable