Nonsmoking Laws essays

Nonsmoking Laws essays Currently in the United States, there is no national ban against smoking in public places. Each state is enforcing its own regulations on where cigarettes can be used. However, in the past couple of decades, the number of regulations against smoking has been increasing. Smoking was banned on domestic flights in 1989. In 1998, the state of California passed a law against smoking in bars and restaurants. Since then, other states such as Delaware, New York, Florida and Connecticut have also legislated against Are these laws constitutional' Should all smokers have to stow their cigarettes in public places because of those individuals who do not smoke' The issue of whether or not to have these anti-smoking laws is not an easy one. For nonsmokers, these regulations are gladly accepted. Such bans mean that anti-smokers will breathe in a lot less smoke at work and other public areas. It also means that they no longer have to worry about health problems associated with second-hand smoke. To the contrary, the reasons to allow cigarette smoking in bars and restaurants can be just as persuasive. In a country where personal freedom is so crucial, is it legal to make everyone give up smoking' What about the hypocrisy involved' Why should cigarette smoking be banned in public places, and the drinking of alcohol, which is just as unhealthy and addictive, be allowed' Also, many bar and restaurant owners are being negatively affected by these anti-smoking laws. The history of cigarettes and tobacco go hand-in-hand with the history of the United Statesactually, way before the states were even born. It is believed that tobacco started growing in the Americas around 6,000 BC. However, it was not until around 1,000 years BC, perhaps the Mayan civilization in Central America, that people started to use the leaves of the plant for medicinal purposes to care for wounds and reduc...