Despite what the tobacco companies would lead everyone to believe, smoking is a disease that affects us all. Smoking tobacco in cigarettes, cigars and pipes releases toxins into the air and into the lungs of anybody unfortunate enough to be in breathing distance. And those toxins slowly kill their victims — whether they are chain-smokers or just passers-by.
The evil part about tobacco is just that; it kills people who choose not to be smokers. Since the federal government has decided that tobacco — and its money — is too important to outright ban in the country, it should use all of its power to ensure that the people who want to breathe free from tobacoo smoke in this country still can.
The government should follow California’s lead and ban smoking in all public buildings. That way, people who want to die a slow and painful death from a tobacco-related disease are restricted to smoking in privates areas where the toxins are restricted to inflicting those who choose to be infected.
Outside the Golden State, one of the biggest still-acceptable public areas where smokers can breathe their smoke into the air are restaurants. Patrons are already conditioned to have to request for areas where they can enjoy tobacoo-free food: “Party of four, non-smoking.” Walk into most busy restaurants, and the waiting period for a table in non-smoking as opposed to first available (a.k.a. don’t mind sitting in the smoking section) can be a difference of up to an hour.
Even if the restaurant-goer is sitting in the non-smoking section, it still doesn’t matter. Smoking and non-smoking sections are generally not divided into separate rooms or even different sections where giant fans keep the death cloud at bay. A person in the non-smoking section can be sitting right next to a table in the smoking section. A plate full of eggs, bacon and hash browns taste a lot different if an atmosphere of nicotine is surrounding the meal.
Not to mention that smoking in restaurants basically drives all people in the serving staff to smoking. Go to any restaurant, and most of the waiters and waitresses there will be smokers. Even for non-smokers, a couple of days of working in the section where everyone is puffing away on their cancer sticks will make anyone addicted to nicotine.
In addition to restaurants, bars serve as another popular hangout for human chimneys. Most people do not complain about the smoke in bars because they have already come to expect it. Because smokers are already banned in so many other places, it is felt that bars may be the last sanctuary for people who choose to light up. But what about sanctuary for people who want to breathe? Both smokers and non-smokers go to bars to drink. Why should non-smokers have to sit surrouded by a nicotine cloud just because they want to have a beer? If bar owners want to make their places of business a sanctuary after the government passes the smoking ban, then they should be forced to get a special permit and let patrons know that smoking is acceptable there.
People choose not to smoke, in part, because they do not want all the negative health effects that go along with nicotine. The government should ensure that these people who want to live free still don’t get infected by the smokers’ poison.
