Banning Smoking
The DEBATE WHETHER TO BAN SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES OR NOT has been an extensive one. Each side has tried to defend its opinion with compelling facts. Although smokers should not be stopped from doing so if they choose, the problem arises when people who are non-smokers are adversely affected by cigarette smoke.
Unlike other personally harmful, self-indulgence behaviors which are singularly linked to the participant; smoking in public spills the injurious effects to innocent non-smokers. this paper tries to establish the reasons to why smoking in public places should be banned. ALTHOUGH IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT SMOKING IS ASSOCIATED WITH very adverse health effects, studies are increasingly establishing the dangers associated with second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke (passive) is that smoke that a person gets exposed to from being around smokers (american college of cardiology 2009). Those who don’t smoke should be protected from the harm that results from second-hand cigarette smoke. People usually don’t smoke because they are aware of the harmful effects associated with smoking cigarettes.
IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT SECOND- HAND SMOKE IS responsible for a number of health problems non-smokers. When a non-smoker inhales cigarette SMOKE, HE OR SHE IS MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE lung irritation and reduced oxygen supply in the blood. Some researches indicate that, an individual is likely to experience diminished blood flow through the heart by being exposed to cigarette for merely thirty minutes. Other effects such as eye irritation, cough, headache, dizziness, nausea, and sorethroat have also been found to be caused by passive smoking (fichtenberg & glantz, 2002). The connection between disease and second hand or passive smoke is a well documented phenomenon and a correlation between cardiovascular complications and passive smoke is also apparent. Second hand smoke can lead to a number of complications to the cardiovascular system of non-smokers.
This can eventually result in a number of coronary diseases such as heart attack. Studies suggest that passive smoking can also lead to damage of blood vessels. Studies further indicate that between 37,000 and 40,000 people die annually from blood vessel complications and heart disease caused by smoke from active smokers. Of these, about 35,000 non-smokers die from coronary heart diseases such as heart attack.Therefore to ensure non-smokers are protected from these adverse effects, imposing public smoking bans is inevitable (american college of cardiology 2009).
Studies indicate that banning of public smoking plays can play a vital role on lowering cases of heart attacks among non-smokers and young individuals. These studies indicate these bans will help in reducing cases of heart attack as much as 26 percent. Even breathing small doses of cigarette smoke increases one’s chances of getting a heart attack (kanaka & shetty, et al, 2005). Another reason to why SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES SHOULD BE BANNED IS THE EFFECT that second-hand smoke can have on children. The tissues of children are very vulnerable and are easily affected by cigarette smoke. Studies indicate that physical and cognitive development of a child can be disturbed by continuued exposure to cigarette smoke.
Studies further indicate that a large number of children are hospitalized annually as a result of the injurious effects arising out of passive smoking. Health professional suggest that passive smoke can have very adverse effects to individuals suffering from asthma. This smoke can make them experience a great deterioration in the function of the lungs (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 2006).
SEVERAL STUDIES have also shown that cigarette smoke increases the chances of getting cancer for both active smokers and non smokers by about 25%. Apart from increasing the risks of getting heart diseases and lung cancer, cigarette smoking also LEADS TO A NUMBER OF COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS INCREASED blood pressure, decreased tolerance to exercise and risk of blood clot. Therefore passive smokers need to be effectively protected from any effect that may come as a result of inhaling cigarette smoke from an active smoker.The only way to do this is making sure that smoking is prohibited in all PUBLIC PLACES (U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 2006). conclusion although some people may argue the contrary, the fact is; smoking in public places is associated with very adverse effects. Passive smoking puts the health of a non-smoker at risk. Although smokers should not be stopped from doing so if they choose, the health of a non-smoker should be protected at all cost. THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS IS TO IMPOSE smoking bans in all public places. Tthis will ensure that; as smokers enjoy their habit, they do not put the health of innocent non-smokers at risk.
