I am split on the issue of banning smoking in restaurants and bars. On one hand I agree that smoking should be banned in restaurants, however I believe the issue of smoking in bars should be a completely separate debate. In both cases I believe that banning smoking in privately owned buildings is a violation of both individual and property rights and the decision should be left up to individual. Smoking tobacco, weather it be cigarettes, cigars or pipes is still a legal act and therefore we should be able to perform that act as long as we do not harm others in doing it. My support for the ban on smoking in restaurants stems solely from the fact that children do not have a voice in the matter on where their parents decide to eat and therefore have no control in their ability to avoid situations where second hand smoke would be present.
English: Smoking any tobacco product, %, Females
English: This photo illustrates smoke in a pub, a ...
Smoking Kills-hyAs I stated above, I believe that property owner in the instance of bars, should be able to make the decision on weather they allow smoking on their premises. Supporters of the smoking ban in bars say that they have a right to breathe clean air and not have their health hurt by secondhand smoke, but as an adult they have made the consciousness decision to place themselves in that situation. If there are enough people who will avoid bars for the sole reason that smoking is allowed I am positive that some bars will ban smoke to capture that segment of consumers.
Banning smoking would have a great impact on what the US Surgeon Generals calls "The single greatest avoidable cause of disease and death". A report titled "The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General" had the...