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| Yes | 39% | 2248 votes | Total: 5761 votes | |
| No | 61% | 3513 votes |
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Add to FavoritesShould smoking be allowed in public places? This is a question recently addressed by some states in the Union, mostly regrettably so. My answer to this question can be summarized as "yes". I'll explain why and expound:
First, I'd like to clarify. I am from Ohio. I have studied Ohio's law. I am not familiar with the intricacies of the laws or Constitutions of the other 49 states regarding this issue, therefore my opinion may not be universally applicable.
Now then: according to the Ohio Constitution, paired with the federal Constitution, there is no justification for government bans or restrictions on smoking in public places. The government does not and never had the right to regulate smoking. For the sake of argument, why is this important?
Once again I state: the rule of law is the basis of our nation. Ignorance thereof provides the groundwork for our fall. The government does not have any more authority to violate that rule of law than you or I. Therefore the government must remain within the restrictions placed upon it by the Constitutions. Nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government given the right to regulate actions for the purpose of "promoting health or well-being". Whether or not you accept the claim that second-hand smoke is harmful is irrelevant. The government does not have the authority to regulate smoking.
This does not, however, mean that private business owners are incapable of doing so. If a business owner wishes to regulate or ban smoking on the premises of his establishment, he has every right to do so and no government official can (validly) tell him otherwise.
So a succinct statement which sums up my view: The government does not have the right to infringe upon citizens' ability to smoke while they are on public property. Private business owners do have such a right.
Learn more about this author, Jonathan Patton.
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No
No, I believe smoking should not be allowed in public places. It is unfair to non-smokers and especially older people, the ill and young children to be subjected to the second hand smoke. With all of the research and statistics available, it is unfortunate that so many people are still smoking in public and inflicting the smell and the air pollution onto innocent bystanders.
When our shopping mall banned smoking several years ago we all breathed a nice clean sigh of relief - until all of the smokers began to congregate right outside every entrance to the place! In order to go inside our shopping mall I have to wheel by twin babies and my toddler through a thick haze of cigarette smoke.
This is especially disturbing for me as my little baby boy has severe respiratory problems and must be kept away from cigarette smoke. Is it fair that I should not be able to take my baby boy shopping with me because of people smoking in a public place? I think not.
I understand that smoking is an addiction that some people just cannot give up, and for some people it is a pleasure that they do not wish to give up. But with all of the research available so many more people are giving up smoking. It is banned from restaurants, cafes, shopping centers and even nightclubs and pubs, but this is pointless if people are standing around clogging up the entrance ways to these establishments with smoke and cigarette butts.
A few weeks ago our family was siting in the park enjoying a lovely picninc. Along came another family with young children. They sat down quite near to us and the father and mother both began to light up. I didn't feel that I could ask them not to as we were in a public place and I'm not really that sort of person. So we had to pack up our things and move to protect my own children's lungs.
As we walked away I could hear the mother, father and the little toddler coughing away. It certainly didn't look like a picture of happy, healthy fun. If you really can't quit, or don't want to, then please keep it to yourself and on your own private property. Clean fresh air is for all of us to share - not dirty, poisonous cigarette smoke.
Learn more about this author, Cassie Kristof.
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