Should smoking be banned in public places?

We nearly lost my sister when she was 4 due to pnemonia, she has asthma to this day, I am horribly susceptible to bronchitis. NONE of those things run in the family, and both our doctors have told us this most likely resulted from being exposed to second hand smoke as kids. Granted, back in the 70's we didn't know as much about the effects as we do now, but yes, I do think it's child abuse to subject kids to second hand smoke. We DO know better now. I remember being trapped in a car with 2 smoking parents on long car trips, you can't tell me it doesn't harm them. :banghead:

NO ONE has or ever will smoke in my house, in my car, etc. especially if DS is around. Not even my Mom. In fact, I refused to even bring him to her house unless they all smoke outside. It's not worth the chance of causing long-term health problems. You want to smoke, that's your right, but not around my kid. I'm an adult and can choose to go to restaurants, meet friends, etc that smoke, it's my job as a parent to limit his exposure.

 

Omg is all I've got to say. I never smoked while pregnant and my DH or I have never smoked in our cars, home or around our children (always outside).

I do have a set of friends who smoke in the car and home with their child and he is always sick with a respiratory type illness.

My mother did smoke back 40-55 years ago when myself and siblings were born. She said back then that the Dr.'s didn't discourage it at all while pregnant. I think that's why she had little 6 lb. babies. I can never remember my parents smoking in our house or cars, they always smoked outside.

 

We had her cremated.

 

This reminds me of a situation several years ago when the federal government asked scientists to come up with what we could call a safe level of radiation.Scientists responded by saying there is no such thing. Exposure to small levels of radiation is bad for you. Exposure to higher levels is worse. The same can be said of second hand smoke. My wife was exposed to second hand smoke not only at home but in the office where she worked as well as restaurants and other public buildings. And what in the world makes you think it is any less callous for you to expose other patrons to your smoke than for me to smoke in my home.

 

Considering his wifes age, her time in the workforce was a time in which smoking was not banned from the work environment. I'm not as old but close to it and remember my first job everyone smoked in the department lounge where everyone took their break or ate their meal, inside the hospital. About 10 yrs. after I started working there they moved all smoking to outside common areas. I can see where he's coming from. Also considering his age, it was a time when there wasn't as much awareness of the damage it does to ones health or those living in the same home. Knowing what he does today, chances are he wouldn't have it the same way.

 

I'm not going to say smoking is good for you but I too have doubts about 2nd hand smoke. There are so many things that cause cancer these days. Recently it was discovered that flouride may cause cancer as well as radio waves thru the atmosphere and power lines. All of these things are of the 20th century when cancer became so prevelant. Also, todays "clean kids" who are not allowed to get dirty or be exposed to the elements are becoming sicker and sicker without good immune systems to defend against diseases.
JMO, sorry to offend anyone.

 

Okay, I take you as an educated, openminded man. Go on the Nathional Cancer Institutes website and read about this topic. Some of the facts, studies performed by the EPA, NTP (national toxicology program) and IARC (international agency for research on cancer) show that secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer. Studies show that even low levels of secondhand smoke exposure is very harmful, measured by testing the indoor air nicotine, levels of cotinine (nicotine byproduct) in nonsmoker's blood, saliva and urine. Exhaled smoke from smokers places at the least 50 known substances in the surrounding air that cause lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer and respiratory tract infections, not to mention the exacerbation of asthma, bronchitis and allergy related issues. The opinion on the issue on a safe level of secondhand smoke, their studies say "NO", there is no safe level, be it in a restaurant, bar, public place or home the exposure is harmful.

 

should smoking be banned i public places.......????????????????????????


no

should ugly people be banned from public places?
How about noisy rowdy children?
ALL THOSE THINGS MAKE ME ILL just like eveyone says cigarettes do.

Ban Breastfeeding in public? Oh.. la leche would have a fit
Ban baggy, low slung pants oh there goes some other group getting their shorts in a knot!!
Ban perfumes and scented sprays that offend my nose as well!
ban eating in public - you may burp and I find that gross.

Bring back prohibition because a lot of folks die from liver problems and drunkness related injuries. It's a hazard. Ban it.

Like I told the guy who asked me to not smoke on a parade route where we all had been standing for hours and hours - literally -
Him: could you pleeeeaase out that thing out! *sigh*
me: NO

 

You make some really valid points. I've even seen kids in public that looked to be 4 yrs. old lipped locked on mom's boob, ugh. I believe anyone has the right to smoke, it's your God given choice, but in a confined area such as a restaurant where no matter how hard they try the ventilation is never enough to completely remove the smoke from traveling throughout the entire place. I'd love to see it banned in the restaurants for that reason alone, otherwise smoke on boys and girls because frankly your my job security for the future. Let's face it, it's just a matter of curtesy, same as me having a very bad cold at this time and decided to not have lunch with my best friend so that she as well as others wouldn't be exposed to this upper respiratory infection.

 

For the record, I don't necessarily think smoking in public should be banned.

What I do wish is for my loved ones to quit, I wish my sisters and I hadn't been exposed to 18 + years of second hand smoke. I do however, reserve the right to not have my own child exposed to second hand smoke by not going to smokey restaurants, not allowing smoking around him, etc. And I promise you there will be hell to pay if I EVER catch him with a cigarrette, I don't care how old he is! :mrgreen:

Do I having smoking friends & family? Absolutely! Do I try to accomodate them without endangering my own family's health? Yep, that's why I have nice deck with ash trays available. 8)

 

It's ok to breath diesel fumes in a restaurant but not at home, right? It's hard to get your point when you haven't made a point.

 

oh my opcorn:

 

Diesel fumes (which by the way has federal regulations) and secondhand smoking are apples and oranges. The last time I went to a restaurant my car and everyone elses was outside in the parking lot. So, what your saying is that you don't respect others in a public place, that I shouldn't go to those restaurants that have a greater % space available for the smokers, ex. pubs? Well, your right in one sense and wrong in another. I can choose not to go to those places. So, should the solution be to have smoking only restaurants (which by the way will never survive) and those that are nonsmoking? Why would someone having dinner in locally owned restaurant want to expose others to something that is potientially harmful. You say you didn't smoke around your loved ones, are people in a restaurant not worthy of the same kindness to give to your family? There have been times that we've left a very nice restaurant because of the gray cloud filtering throughout the place via the smoking area and have had the manager say he wished they'd ban it because he's lost some good customers. Do you stay at home when you have the flu or a really bad viral infection? How is this any different? Once again, it's just common curtesy. Who can't wait just two little hours to have a smoke?:lol:

 

Well, I hope everyone has a great evening. Such a beautiful day. I'm off to expose everyone in the grocery store to my viral bronchitis and sure to get some really ugly stares when they hear this horrible, gagging cough I have, sounds like I'm coughing up a lung.

 

Call Lowes Foods, place your order and pick it up outside. It's win/win - Nobody gets your germs and you don't have to get out of the car and shop.

 

well, if you can do that, whats the problem with me smoking in the grocery store? Sometime those screamin *** youngins I was speakin of earlier, get on my nerves and I need a little smoke while I'm in there, if you are gonna hack thru the grocery store, why can't I smoke?

 

thank you!

 

In Massachusetts where smoking is not allowed in restaurants or bars (unless you are specifically a "cigar bar") patrons who chose to step outside to smoke have to be atleast 10 or 20 feet from the doorways. And if you are concerned about your drink, they'll be happy to give you a plastic cup to put it in. It really is refreshing to go to a bar on occasion and not come home smelling like an ashtray.

 

:grouphug:

and I love you for it!!