For or against smoking bans in public places? why?

i'd like to open a debate about this topic, it seems like it would be a touchy one. What do you think?

:hat:

 

Well, it all boils down to government running every aspect of your life. It's not because the government loves you and wants you to be healthy. That's all.

 

i don't like it, but then, i smoke. i'm biased. it does seem somewhat illegal to force the issue.

 

define public place.

 

I think you can smoke around me and I think I am allowed to shoot you so its all fair.

 

I am against it. But I am a smoker. If I am outside and not blowing it in someones face, I can and will do it. I also do not litter.

This is about government controlling all aspects of our lives.

Which is why I no longer live in the U.S.

 

yeah, a tad more info on the question would be helpful. like i am all for not allowing smoking in the courthouse for example.

but as for businesses, i think it should [generally] be up to the business owner, with maybe some mandatory restrictions in place to benefit the people that work there. but then again, if you are a non-smoker who is terribly worried about lung cancer, don't get a fucking job where you know everyone will be smoking.

edit: i'm a non-smoker

 

Oh how sad, smokers will have to get off their barstools and go outside for a cig.

Meanwhile, the 85 year old cancer patient down the street smoking a joint or vaporizer inside their home is subjected to paramilitary style raids and arrest

I like going to bars more in florida or dc because my clothes don't stink when I leave. In virginia you are still allowed to smoke inside. Florida has a pretty good setup actually. If the place makes 10% of their money or more from food sales, smoking is banned. If not you can smoke.

Even though I can't stand tobacco smoke I feel the government has no right to put these bans in place. I believe in free markets and it should be up to the individual businesses to make these decisions.

 

I think it should be the choice of the establishment. As a non-smoker, if I don't want to be around smoking, then I can NOT go to the establishments that allow it if I choose.

 

I'd take it a step further in the same direction and say that the decision of the business owner ought to be directly dependant on whether or not it is acceptable to smoke around another person period.

 

i'm not sure what you're getting at here. are you saying that it should be up to the business owner, but he should make his decision based on how others feel about public smoking?

 

I think it's beyond retarded to have a gov't ban on smoking in bars. what happened to smoking sections? they could be well ventilated, etc. But as a non(tobacco)smoker I wouldn't want to smell it in every store I went to, but the proprietor would anticipate that and ban smoking at his or her discretion.

this would all be irrelevant if they came out with a super potent tobacco that you only need 4 pulls or so from, like good chronic. if that was the case smokers wouldn't reek up the place wherever they're puffing

 

TN has a law now that doesn't allow smoking in public places except for places allowing only people 21 and over. I like it. I don't smoke ciggs never did. I prefer breathing in cleaner air.

 

yes and no. Yes that it should be up to him, but it should be based on whether or not it is right to smoke beside someone. Thats ultimately at the heart of the question I gather.

Or maybe we should ask whether or not its permissable to willingly harm someone.

Of course, then we get into a matter of degrees. ie. how much harm is acceptable harm and how much is too much. Some might say there is no upper limit. Are they right?

Then we've got to wonder about harm itself. Is it really harm in the first place? Is harm harm if and only if it included willfull intent?

Lots to consider.

but only after the motherfucker tells me what a public place is.

 

So does public places include my car with the windows rolled up in a Public parking lot?

 

The Ban on smoking here in the UK has been in force for a while now (2007).
I'm a smoker, only about 10/20 a day.
At first it pissed me off having to go outside.
Now it does not bother me.
I don't spend as much time in pubs anymore, so the inconvinience is not so great. When I do go out to a pub, I can cope.
I'm not sure the provision most clubs have where I live, so can't really say if it would bother me there.
If you had to go out onto the street, then I would be pissed off I suppose.
Most other places I go, I can easily have a ciggy with out going out of my way too much.

I can see the point of the smoking ban, as we don't live in 1952, we know the health hazards and its effects on other people.
Too curtail the effects of smoking on others (I don't see this as attempting to curtail my own personal choices - though it obviously has a knock on effect), this is a great step forward.

 

Here (England) it is: http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/faq/index.html

 

I suppose you think this is a good idea, too, Odon?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...g-police-hound-smokers-bus-stops-to-quit.html

 

I'm fine with people smoking in a public place as long as there is sufficient ventilation and does not hinder on the wildlife within that public place. I see no problem with it.

 

well i think the motherfucker asked the question and then ran offline...

but yeah, the definition of public place is very important here i'd say. bars and such for example, i would technically consider private establishments. and in that case, i have no problem leaving it entirely up to the owner's discretion. i think that it is very rarely permissible to willingly harm someone, but smoking in a private business wouldn't count as that. if there is a location where smoking is known to occur and nobody has to be there, then smoking in that location is not willingly harming people who willingly choose to go breathe that smoke. on the other hand, take my previous example of a town's courthouse. people generally are there because they have no choice in the matter, and if they are sitting there where they have to be anyway and someone comes up blowing smoke in their face, then that would count as willful harm in my opinion.

i feel like i had another point to make here but i don't remember it anymore... maybe i'll figure it out in a few minutes...