Smoking has been banned in certain restaurants to protect the health of nonsmokers. And it seems that due to this ban there has been a recent study that not as many kids are becoming smokers. A U.S study that was published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that teens in towns with complete smoking bans were forty percent less likely to become an established smoker compared to other teenagers that live in areas that have not yet implemented these smoking restrictions. It showed that in towns where smoking was banned in restaurants, only 7.9 percent of teenagers become smokers.
"These regulations are basically sending a message that smoking in public places is no longer socially acceptable," says Dr. Michael Siegel, a professor of social and behavioural sciences at Boston University's School of Public Health. "I think that decreases the appeal of smoking to adolescents. Kids' perceptions of how many people are smoking is a major factor in whether they decide to sm
Personally I was extremely happy when the government implemented the banning of smoking in restaurants. Who wants to be eating an delicious meal and the all of a sudden smell smoke? You can even sometimes taste the smoke in your mouth. I for one cannot stand that. By implementing this ban people are able to enjoy their meals without worrying about what they are tasting. Also a lot of restaurants are family restaurants and as they do say "second hand smoke kills", kids that are inhaling other people's smoke are unfortunately having to deal with the consequences.
Reading that this ban has also reduced the amount of people, especially teenagers, that do start to engage in this habit is a very good fact to know. I am happy that less people are smoking, as it does harm you and can cause many diseases and cancers.
Really in the end people should not even need to smoke in a restaurant, they should be enjoying their meal. I believe restaurants are for eating and bars are more for smoking!
Please feel free to state your thoughts and opinions. How do you feel about this topic? Do you agree that smoking in restaurants is unacceptable?
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/456686
3 comments:
I agree that should not be allowed in enclosed public areas such as bars or restaurants. It's a clear imposition on other people, and its good to know that forbidding it comes with a positive side effect of deterrence. The thing that aggravates me though, are all these initiatives to stop the sale of tobacco products. It's the smoker's body and it should therefore be the smokers choice. The claims that smokers are a drain on the system is false. It was an argument that was tried in a court case out West, that was shown to be completely false. Smokers die much more expeditiously than healthy individuals and, therefore, rack up a smaller medical bill.
I agree as well that family restaurants should not allow smoking inside. It’s just disgusting to only smell smoke while you are trying to eat your meal. The implications of second hand smoke almost speaks for itself having killed hundreds of innocent waitresses and bartenders just doing their jobs. I have been a smoker for about 4-5 years now and am just coming to realize how much of a health hazard it is. However, I do think that smoking in bars should be allowed if and only if they have the ventilation system to suck it out. Smoking at the bar is a huge compliment to alcohol, they go hand in hand. In the middle of winter time going out to the cold patio is sometimes enough to deter one from smoking in the first place. I have been to bars all over Canada and the States and found that as long as children are not allowed within the vicinity it should be allowed to some extent. This can work for the bar as well, possibly selling cigarettes over the bar to increase revenues a little bit. As for the children aspect of smoking, I think that no kid should start smoking until they are late in high school or university when they can chose and think for themselves. I started smoking in grade 12 and have just now found the willpower to give it up fully and will never look back.
I agree with you 100% smoking is disgusting and the last place you want to smell or even taste smoking is when you are out eating with your family.
Smokers are not only harming themselves but everyone around them who can inhale their dirty air. As the person above mentions bartenders and waitresses, I can only imagine how damaged their poor lungs are.
I think that the government made a wise decision to ban smoking in restaurants. The next place should be the car, if individuals are smoking with kids in the car they should get fined. (I know that the government is debating this issue and I'm not sure how it is going at the moment) Why would you smoke and endanger the health of your own children? I actually do think smoking in high schools are decreasing because a lot of them have programs or clubs that empower students to not smoke and do drugs. I think that the government should stick with programs like these and organize them in more schools.
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