by J.R. Lewis

Created on: July 23, 2007

Smoking should be allowed in certain public areas. For example, smoking should be allowed in open aired places such as sidewalks, parks, neighborhoods, and beaches. Places where someone who is not a smoker has area that is not affected by the smoker smoking.

Smoking inside buildings such as schools, groceries, department stores, and restaurants should not be allowed, but having smoking sections in bars, restaurants, or airports would be a good idea.

Smoking is not good. It has many health risks attached to it. Certainly nonsmokers should not have to endure the smoke in cramped, airless places. However, the smoker has certain rights as well. The smoker should be able to partake in their bad habit while at work, waiting for a plane, and walking their pet down the ocean side.

Health risks are not debatable when speaking on smoking. There are serious and real negative side effects in dealing with smoking. These factors should be considered when placing limits on where one can and cannot smoke.

The line is crossed when there is demand for the smoker not being able to smoke in their own privately owned vehicle. This form of control is truly foolish. If a smoker wants to smoke in the privacy of his or her automobile, they should be allowed to do so.

There are many who feel inclined to tell a smoker where they can and cannot smoke. Sometimes it crosses the line of reason and into the field of personal freedom. I cannot agree that if a smoker wants to have a cigarette as they depart a mall, walking toward their car, for such activities to be illegal.

There is a fine line between the need for government to tell someone what to do on their own time acting like a person's mother and a helpful force making air cleaner for those who do not smoke.

Smokers understand the habit is costly, may and will cause certain health issues, and that nonsmokers do not like it. Most go out of their way, avoiding smoking where the smoke might bother someone~ be it someone they know or a stranger.

Smokers are not inconsiderate as a whole. They DO try to go to a space without children and without people in order to light up. It would be nice if nonsmokers were more considerate as well. Rude remarks and snide comments often cause the smoker an inclination to "rebel".

The addiction of smoking has a firm gripe on many people, me included. I do not believe that smoking in certain public places should cause any harm to anyone except me in most situations. The temperament of those who smoke that are refused a space to do it can be ugly and unhappy.

Smoking SHOULD be allowed in some public forums because it is the public that smoke! Common sense and logic should factor into where would and could be proper places for the smokers to smoke. It should not be blown into a greater pretence than it already is.

This can be a healthy transition for all involved when this logic is applied. It can reduce the smokers' count of a cigarette which improve their health, but allows the addiction to be fed so that the smoker remains productive and contented. The nonsmoker can enjoy air quality, avoiding the sections where smoking is allowed, and not worry if the smoking interferes with their productivity.

A simple balance, somewhere in the middle, where both sides are sated and satisfied, should be the goal of finding a solution.

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