Imagine, you are dining in your favorite restaurant. As you take a moment to inhale the aroma of the food you ordered. Suddenly your body reacts with a strong cough. Glancing around, you notice an individual smoking heavily. “How would you react?” Smoking in public facilities can lead to many problems and should be banned. A pure and clean breathing environment is something everyone needs, especially if you are dining.
When individuals smoke in public places, they are giving off their exhaled smoke to others nearby. This act is known as secondhand smoking, and it is quite dangerous. Secondhand smoking is more life threatening than regular smoking habits. For example, if someone is sitting at his / her table and they decided to start smoking near a group of people, that group of people is in taking more smoke than the smoker.
When going out to your favorite shops, bars, and other social activities; the last issue any person wants to deal with is a bad smoking area. Secondhand smoke cause bad taste and smell to food, and can irritate your eyes. Though these might seem like the worst possible consequences to secondhand smoking, there is one serious problem that occurs. The most common problem that secondhand smoking leads to is lung cancer. The risk of obtaining this type of cancer is high when a person visits a facility that allows smoking on a regular basis. Smoke that is inhaled travels directly to an individual’s lungs.
If this pattern is frequent, the chances of getting lung cancer as you get older increases. One age group that is affected the most by these factors is the elderly. Individuals who are over the age of 50 have more chance of getting lung cancer through secondhand smoke, than those who smoke regularly. “Would you want any of your older relatives to have a chance of getting ill just because they decided to go to a smoking facility several times?” The decision to ban smoking in all public places is very controversial.
Not allowing smoking will create fewer problems between non-smokers and smokers. Regular smokers won’t feel discriminated against just because they decided to have a cigarette while going out. All public facilities should provide a secluded area to smoke in. This action allows smokers to have their own space without causing any kind of discomfort for those individuals who don’t smoke. If the exhaled smoke is secluded, the chance of inhaling it lowers. Banning the use of cigarettes in all public places will help prevent many problems that occur through secondhand smoke such as lung caner and impaired vision.
What can you to do to help? Go to your local health department, or write a letter to your Governor. Do anything to keep the health of you and others intact. Helping to stop smoking in public places will strengthen your community both physically and mentally.