Montonaro 1

Regina Montonaro

English 101H CRN 84082

Professor McKeever

November 2, 2015

Word Count:1329

Should Authorities Ban Cigarette Smoking?

The controversy of the pros and cons of banning public smoking is nothing new in

today’s society. People are constantly sharing their viewpoints either supporting the ban of

cigarette smoking or their opinions on the opposing side. Despite the attempts of smoking

regulations around the United States, many cities are still finding it difficult to enforce

regulations and pass bans by vote in their cities. Personally, although it would be a long and

difficult process, I believe that cigarette smoking should be banned completely. Smoking

cigarettes causes health problems not only to the smoker but to everyone around them, increases

health care costs that the state covers, causes premature death, and in several ways can actually

hurt the economy, however these issues are often over looked by many with the argument that

smoking cigarettes is a form of freedom and will boost businesses to help the economy.

Many attempts to implement a ban on public smoking have been successful. In 1975,

Minnesota became the first state to ban smoking in most public places. Other cities worldwide

followed their example within the following years because it protects against the effects of

second hand smoke (At Issue: Smoking Bans 1.) Studies have proven that secondhand smoke

causes many of the same health problems as direct smoking and prolonged exposure to smoke
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can be fatal. These health issues include major issues such as lung and other cancers, breathing

problems, premature aging, gum and tooth decay, and hair loss. Supporters of smoking bans

claim that not being allowed to smoke in public places can save the lives of both smokers and

non-smokers. In the small town of Westminster, Massachusetts, there was an attempt to

completely ban the sale of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco.

Although this ban did not pass when the community voted, supporters avidly argued the benefits.

“Youth who shop at least two times a week in stores that sell tobacco are 64% more likely to start

smoking. Tobacco will kill 50% of its users, and that is ethically against public health missions”

says Andrea Crete (Board of Health Director.) (Quoted Seelye 1.) In this case, it is evident that

even regulating places that smoking may not be enough to make public smoking disappear.

Being exposed to readily available tobacco may make it seem more appealing to youth, causing

an increase in smokers. Also, with the sale of electronic cigarettes, more and more teens are

using them as a gateway to tobacco products. Society is re-accepting smoking as a social norm

by allowing e-cigarettes in places that normal cigarettes are banned. By allowing e-cigarettes in

public places, a message is being sent that smoking publicly is okay and should not be frowned

upon. The variety of flavors and claims to be less harmful than smoking tobacco products seem

appealing to young teens. “Allowing e- cigarettes in bars and restaurants undermine existing

bans on tobacco based products” says Dr. Thomas Farley (NY Health Commisioner.) (Quoted

Sisak 1.) Electronic cigarettes are not chemical free. They do not contain as many chemicals as

cigarettes, but they do release dangerous toxins into the air. Most electronic cigarettes still

contain nicotine and tobacco that is being released. The dangers of secondhand smoke from these

devices still exist in the same fashion as regular cigarettes. Smoking publically causes health
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issues to everyone around and should be regulated intensely in order to cause an eventual stop to

public smoking altogether.

Smoking is not only an issue in the average person’s daily life, it is also a major issue in

the military and armed forces as well as many places of employment, such as hospitals. On

average, the military spends about $1.6 billion per year on medical care of service members from

tobacco related diseases that can be 100% prevented if smoking were banned. It is estimated that

175,000 active military members will die due to a smoking related illness in the not so distant

years if they do not quit. Smoking is causing our armed forces’ health to be decreased and in turn

making them less equipped to fight for our country. Also, several employers world-wide are

making their businesses a smoke free workplace; especially hospitals. For example, the

Cleveland Clinic does not hire smokers because they are aiming to transfer providing “sick care”

to supporting “health care.”

Advocates that are against any type of smoking ban have a very different view point of

the risks of public smoking of any kind. A major point that these people make is that banning

smoking would infringe upon their rights and hurt private businesses. They believe that the

government is slowly looking for ways to take away freedoms day by day and that the ban is not

focused on tobacco, but rather it is about control over society. Proponents also state that

electronic cigarettes make it easier to quit smoking regular cigarettes. However, they claim that

being put into the same designated smoking areas as regular smokers may make the temptation

for a cigarette higher. Many of these people may argue that as of now, smoking is legal and

should be allowed in public places. They feel that their personal choices are being restricted and

that this would give the government excessive control to strip their rights of life, liberty and the

pursuit of happiness. As far as smoking defenders view on economical affects, they believe that
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smoking bans in bars and restaurants would hurt business and cause a recession. “Smoking is

associated with liquor and a ban is killing bar businesses. When someone builds a business with

a clientele that smokes, they should be able to go in there and smoke” (Quoted in Wyatt 1.)

However, it is never considered that allowing smoking in these places will actually harm

business more than exercising a smoking ban. Many non-smokers will completely avoid

smoking venues to prevent health problems and having to breathe in very unclean air. If smoking

were allowed in public places, many people would avoid these venues, thus harming the

business.

Some former military members are also advocates that support smoking. “THIS IS OUT

OF CONTROL! When I was sitting in a bunker in Vietnam at 0400, a cigarette gave me comfort

and pleasure. OH! It is not good to get lung cancer but a chest wound is?” – Ex Marine (quoted

Pincus 1.) Several military members use tobacco products to relax and comfort themselves in the

challenging times of war. Another Marine stated “We sleep in the dirt for this country. But we

can’t have a cigarette if we want to for this country, because that’s unhealthy” (Rep. Duncan D.

Hunter. Marine Reserve Major.) (Quoted Puncus 1.) Society has accepted smoking as a normal

thing for people to do in order to relax, but the health risks of secondhand smoke are being

severely over looked by smokers themselves. They do not see the harm that they are doing to the

people around them.

Public smoking causes so many health issues not only to the smoker themselves, but

everyone around them breathing it in. Smoking has been accepted as a legal choice for humans

to make, however, smokers are taking their luxuries too far. Smoking advocates continue to

argue that the economy will worsen with a smoking ban, but smoking in public places will also

cause people to stay away from those areas. “To say that people want to roll back smoking laws
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because of the economy, it’s absurd. We might as well roll back health codes because the

economy is bad. Or repeal the child-labor laws to make factories more profitable. It makes no

sense” (New Jersey group Against Smoking Pollution.) Not only are smoking bans not at all

harming the economy, they are also saving lives. Clean air will significantly reduce cancer risks

and the state will be spending less money on tobacco related medical care and will be able to use

that portion of money on other important matters. Smoking bans will not happen overnight. With

the right determination and slow steps, I believe it is possible to completely end smoking

altogether someday.
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Works Cited

1. ProQuest Staff. “At Issue: Smoking Bans.” Request LLC. 2015: n.pag. SIRS Issues

Reasearcher. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

2. Seelye, Katherine Q. “In Anti- Smoki Town, Firestorm.” New York Times. 18 Nov. 2014:

A.12. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

3. Pincus, Walter. “For Members of U.S. Military, a Ban on Smoking Could Really Burn.”

Washington Post. 24 Jun. 2014: A.15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
4. Sisak, Micheal R. “Users Bemoan E-Cigarette Bans in NYC, Chicago” 29 Apr. 2014: n.p.

SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

5. Terpeluk, Paul. “Why We Won’t Hire Smokers.” USA Today. 30 Jan. 2012: A.6. SIRS

Issues Researcher. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

6. Wyatt, Kristen. “Economic Fears Snuff Out Smoking Bans.” Denver Post (Denver, Co).

Feb. 4 2009: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

7. Price, Betty. “The Freedom to Make Bad Choices is Ours.” Atlanta Journal-

Constitution. 20 Jul. 2012: A.20. SIRS Issues Researchehr. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.