¶ … Second Hand Smoke
Should there be a ban on smoking in public places? Many people say yes, because they do not want the negative effects of second hand smoke on their lungs and other organs. Innocent people can be harmed by this second hand smoke. Since not every person chooses to smoke cigarettes, pipes, or other tobacco products, people who do not smoke should be protected from those who do. As such, rules are needed (i.e. smoking bans) that stop people from smoking in public places where others could be harmed by the smoke coming from their tobacco products. Those who choose to smoke know that there are consequences, but it is unfair to extend those consequences to others just to ensure that the "rights" of the smokers are protected. When people walk down the street and have smoke blown in their faces, or when they go to restaurants and other establishments and have to deal with the haze of smoke that permeates the air, it can make them feel bad, can cause them to get sick, and can also raise their risk of future health problems with their heart, lungs, and other bodily systems.
That is a very important consideration for these people, and a large part of the reason that second hand smoke should be avoided. The best way to avoid second hand smoke is to stay out of places that cater to smokers, but sometimes it is nearly impossible to do this and still go to all of the places one enjoys. It is not just a United States problem, either. There are hundreds of thousands of people in other countries like China where second hand smoke is a serious health problem. They are all being harmed by this smoke, and the media can and should be playing a pivotal role in talking about the virtues of quitting smoking. It often takes several attempts for a person to quit smoking once he or she has decided to do so, so the sooner a person decides to quit the better it will be for that person and for anyone who that person comes near. Protecting the health of mankind as a whole should always take precedence over the rights of smokers.
The True Cost of Smoking
While often overlooked by many people, second hand smoke is still very deadly. This is smoke that has been exhaled by a smoker, or that comes from the lit end of a pipe, cigar, or cigarette, and that is then able to be inhaled by someone else - often a nonsmoker in the vicinity. There are more than 7000 chemicals in second hand smoke, and 69 of those are known to be cancerous (Americans, 2012; Wang, 2011). In addition, 200 of those chemicals are known poisons (American, 2012; Bryant & Oliver, 2009). The United States Environmental Protection Agency has classified second hand smoke as a Group A carcinogen - a substance that causes cancer in humans (Centers, 2012; Reuters, 2012). Vehicles, bars, casinos, and even outdoor spaces are all public places where second hand smoke occurs, and it can certainly be inhaled in private places such as homes, as well. Pregnant women should not smoke, because they are exposing their unborn child to smoke hand smoke (Reuters, 2012). This increases the changes of low birth weight, stillbirth, or spontaneous abortion, along with other pregnancy and delivery problems that can appear and cause serious harm (Centers, 2012; Reuters, 2012).
Children who are exposed to second hand smoke can have severe asthma attacks, ear infections, and an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) (Americans, 2012; Centers, 2012). Children who are 18 months old or younger make up between 150,000 and 300,000 cases of pneumonia and bronchitis yearly, all from second hand smoke (United, 2012). Additionally, second hand smoke has an effect on the cardiovascular system, and that can be seen immediately in those who do not smoke but who are subjected to it through the close-quarters smoking of other people (United, 2012). When people who do not smoke are consistently around those who do smoke, they raise their risk of heart disease by 25-30% (United, 2012). This results in an estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease each year - and the vast majority of those could have been avoided by banning smoking in public places and by stronger education programs for people who smoke and people who are around them on a frequent basis (Centers, 2012). That way, more smokers would consider quitting and more non-smokers would choose to avoid being around smokers.
More than one billion dollars in medical...
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