All the way back in 2007, there was a bill passed, in the House, to ban smoking in the workplace and at bars...sort of, but the bill died by the time it reached the Senate. This time around, in 2009, the Lance Armstrong Foundation is really pushing for the newer bills to be passed. And instead of the "this is banned..sort of, kind of, in a way" type of deal, they are really pushing hard for the full on banning of smoking in the workplace and bars. The reason why the foundation is supporting this bill is because they want to save people's lives and help prevent deaths from secondhand smoke. Rep. Myra Crownover claims that "this will absolutely, positively save lives."
On the opposing end of this bill, the opponents argue that the banning should be left to local business owners to decide. Bob Deuell, a doctor, brings up a very good point: "I hate cigarettes, but I don't think (lawmakers) have the right to regulate private property."
But honestly though, I don't think that this banning would make much of a difference in preventing secondhand smoke. I can see the sanitary issues where smoking would cause some problems, especially in restaurants. I've seen a chef cooking with a cigarette in the corner of his mouth, and the ash barely hanging off the end. It makes you wonder where that ash might be next. I mean, if someone can't smoke in one place, then they'd go off and smoke somewhere else and give other people secondhand smoke. Not to mention, this might hurt some bars that make some revenue off of selling cigarettes to their nicotine addicted customers.
Source:
MacLaggan, Corrie; Yadron, Danny. "With time running out, statewide smoking ban in limbo." Austin American Statesmen. http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/05/07//0507smoking.html
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I believe that they should ban of smoking in workplaces or bars. I personally don't like to go into places where they smoke in the building. I don't like to go home and smell like cigarettes. I think its a good idea to help support this bill because of the life causing deaths it can cause just by being around a room full of smoke. I do understand that if they can't smoke in one place, they might just go off somewhere else and smoke giving off the second hand smoke to others around. But thats they choice they get to make once they are out of the building. I do believe that this bill helps prevent it that much more just for having people not to smoke inside a closed building where people who go there don't smoke, but instead go there to shoot pool or just have a drink or something.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Albert's post entitled Oh! No smoking here! I believe that the post was nicely written and gave both sides to the argument. I work in a restaurant, and as far as i am concerned, there should be no smoking, obviously, but I do not believe that the legislature has a right to make that decision. What I enjoyed most about Albert's post is the way in which he was able to relate what happened in 2007 to what is happening now and still keep me interested and informed at the same time. Albert writes, " I've seen a chef cooking with a cigarette in the corner of his mouth, and the ash barely hanging off the end. It makes you wonder where that ash might be next. I mean, if someone can't smoke in one place, then they'd go off and smoke somewhere else and give other people secondhand smoke. Not to mention, this might hurt some bars that make some revenue off of selling cigarettes to their nicotine addicted customers." This was really gross, yet painted a perfect visual as to how dirty smoking actually is. This was a great post of his. I think that with maybe a little bit more detail we would have been able to form a more valid opinion for ourselves.
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