Smoking in Public areas are Illegal!Yes or No?

[Left Now]

What do you think about recognizing smoking in public as an illegal act and against the law?

-I believe that it should be made illegal.These days many people smoke in public areas without even caring about if a person in there doesn't like to breath and smell smoke,or has some kind of breathing problems.

With making it illegal,they won't be able to annoy others,who do not like the smell of their smoke,for longer.

[sqishy]

I agree. Even smoking outside in a public area makes others' around the smoker breathe in the smoke, which makes them 'second-hand smokers'. And that brings bad consequences for health too.

[britishboy]

What do you think about recognizing smoking in public as an illegal act and against the law?

-I believe that it should be made illegal.These days many people smoke in public areas without even caring about if a person in there doesn't like to breath and smell smoke,or has some kind of breathing problems.

With making it illegal,they won't be able to annoy others,who do not like the smell of their smoke,for longer.

I agree, I think it already is here though?

[Harley Quinn]

I agree, I think it already is here though?

Yes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_ban_in_England)

[Left Now]

I agree. Even smoking outside in a public area makes others' around the smoker breathe in the smoke, which makes them 'second-hand smokers'. And that brings bad consequences for health too.

As I have read,the passive smoke is even worse and more dangerous than the smoke which the smoker himself/herself breaths;So it means that the second-hand smoker is even in a worse situation than the smoker person.

[sqishy]

As I have read,the passive smoke is even worse and more dangerous than the smoke which the smoker himself/herself breaths;So it means that the second-hand smoker is even in a worse situation than the smoker person.

That makes the point more justifiable then.

[Left Now]

That makes the point more justifiable then.

Right.

[Elysium]

I think activities that have the potential to physically harm others should be illegal, or at least conducted in very safe, controlled environments (i.e., shooting a gun at a gun range). So, yes, I think smoking should be illegal.

[Jess]

Yes to this. There are too many smokers here at my university. Makes me gag whenever one has to smoke near me and I can't exactly move away because I'm supposed to be waiting for the bus or whatever

[kylem1229]

I say no, unless its inside of a structure. What happend to freedom...something that no longer exists.

[Vlerchan]

I say no, unless its inside of a structure. What happend to freedom...something that no longer exists.
What happened to my freedom not to inhale - and consequently damage my body with - second hand smoke? Avoiding it becomes rather difficult when some college student decides to spark up a few Rothman's beside you at the bus stop.

I'd support this, in urban areas, anyway: there should be designated areas for smoking in cities, is what I think. Most of my friends smoke, and they'd hate me for this; but it's a law that's certainly needed.

[Southside]

I think that smoking in public areas should be banned with a fine if caught..

I fucking hate when im walking behind a smoker or walk past a smoker and I get a cloud of chemicals and shit in my face. Downright disgusting.

As the person above said, more cities should create designated smoking zones for smokers.

[Left Now]

I say no, unless its inside of a structure. What happend to freedom...something that no longer exists.

Then I am allowed to steal your bag because it is freedom and i am free to do that.

[SawyerSauce]

I have to say it should not be illegal because it's a choice to smoke that does not affect others. Other people can avoid the smoke, even if it is very inconvenient.

Honestly though I wish it was illegal everywhere. It's disrespectful and unhealthy.

[Left Now]

I have to say it should not be illegal because it's a choice to smoke that does not affect others. Other people can avoid the smoke, even if it is very inconvenient.

Honestly though I wish it was illegal everywhere. It's disrespectful and unhealthy.

At last it will affect others.It is not like saying that smoke will go to air and will be disappeared.When a person smokes in public,then surely the others will smell or even breath his smoke too;There is no difference if he/she is far from the smoker or close to him.

[SawyerSauce]

At last it will affect others.It is not like saying that smoke will go to air and will be disappeared.When a person smokes in public,then surely the others will smell or even breath his smoke too;There is no difference if he/she is far from the smoker or close to him.

Both parties choose to be in the public area. If one party does not want to be around smoke, they can leave.

[britishboy]

Both parties choose to be in the public area. If one party does not want to be around smoke, they can leave.

no it's illegal here because it's a lot easier to not smoke and be respectful of others than not go in public places

[Vlerchan]

Both parties choose to be in the public area. If one party does not want to be around smoke, they can leave.
The problem is it's always going to be the non-smoker who has to leave. I don't like the idea of having to go out of my way to accommodate for someone else's bad habit - if they want to smoke then it should be them going out of their way; not the other way around.

I don't agree with making it illegal everywhere, though. Ireland wants to do that by 2025 - it's pretty ridiculous, I think.

[CosmicNoodle]

It should not be made illegal, but as has been mentioned many times before on this thread there should be designated smoking area's. I hate it when people around me smoke, hate the smell of it, even worse a bloke once blew smoke in my face after talking a hit of a joint. Not a nice experience.

[Cygnus]

I say all kinds of smoking should be banned, because in the end smoking does more bad than good.

[Luminous]

I agree since smoking in public can and will affect others. Second hand smoking. I don't care if you smoke, as long as you don't force it into my lungs. However sometimes it won't matter, for example in apartments, it's in the privacy of the smokers' own home but other people still secondhand smoke. But making it illegal in public will greatly decrease the amount of secondhand smoking.

[Left Now]

It should not be made illegal, but as has been mentioned many times before on this thread there should be designated smoking area's. I hate it when people around me smoke, hate the smell of it, even worse a bloke once blew smoke in my face after talking a hit of a joint. Not a nice experience.

As you can see the topic says "Illegal in Public areas" not "Anywhere"


I agree since smoking in public can and will affect others. Second hand smoking. I don't care if you smoke, as long as you don't force it into my lungs. However sometimes it won't matter, for example in apartments, it's in the privacy of the smokers' own home but other people still secondhand smoke. But making it illegal in public will greatly decrease the amount of secondhand smoking.

Thanks for your opinion Hannah.

[Korashk]

Smoking in public absolutely should not be illegal, mainly because the risk of harming your body because you accidentally inhaled some smoke on the street is so small that it shouldn't even be a factor when considering the issue. Don't even start spewing nonsense about secondhand smoke. Any secondhand smoke study you can cite will show that it studied people who LIVE WITH SMOKERS, not exposure to smoke in passing.

You shouldn't have the right to make something illegal just because you think its icky either. Tough it up.

[Vlerchan]

I'm late responding because I only just picked up on what I found to be a rather amusing argument from a Libertarian today. Thought I'd best check its legitimacy.
Smoking in public absolutely should not be illegal, mainly because the risk of harming your body because you accidentally inhaled some smoke on the street is so small that it shouldn't even be a factor when considering the issue.
But regardless of how great or small the damage, (if in a public area) doesn't it still constitute an aggressive violation of ones property rights all the same - or am I simply being ridiculous?

You shouldn't have the right to make something illegal just because you think its icky either. Tough it up.
I agree with this, though. Banning something completely on the grounds that you find it morally reprehensible or disgusting is ridiculous.

[johndoe1112]

if you do not like people smoking then move you don't have to stand right infront of the smoke really come on people its there own choice to smoke who are you to say that they can't stand outside away from people and have a smoke

[Korashk]

I'm late responding because I only just picked up on what I found to be a rather amusing argument from a Libertarian today. Thought I'd best check its legitimacy.

But regardless of how great or small the damage, (if in a public area) doesn't it still constitute an aggressive violation of ones property rights all the same - or am I simply being ridiculous?
You are absolutely not being ridiculous. It's a good point to bring up. In a libertarian society I would not oppose smoking bans mainly because there would be no such thing as public property and all bans would be made by private organizations or groups, which is completely acceptable.

However, the society we live in is not libertarian and the government routinely allow things like factories to run and cars to drive. Both of these sources cause greater harm to a passerby in terms of respiratory health than incidental cigarette smoke.

There is also the argument one might make stating that by living in an urban area you consent to dirty air because dirty air is an unfortunate byproduct of industry which is required for city living. You may not like it, but that doesn't mean you don't allow it to happen. Consent is the ultimate defense to violations of property rights.