BACKGROUND INFORMATION For several decades, smoking remains one of the most common and most unhealthy of human habits. Smoking, specifically in public, had generally been regarded as a personal choice that bystanders had little control over. Now for the first time, the act of public smoking is becoming regulated, even restricted in many cities worldwide. The city of Columbia has recently implemented a ban on smoking in efforts to reduce the negative effects of smoking on employees and customers of restaurants and bars. The issue is that smoke directly affects everyone in the vicinity of a public place, restaurant or bar. Based on the evidence that a ban on smoking prevents secondhand smoke, deters the unhealthy habit of smoking, does …show more content…

That reminds the receptors about the pleasure of smoking to that individual, and that's what produces the cravings and urges to smoke" (Neighmond). A smoking ban also decreases the number of children who start smoking. Because children are more likely to smoke when they have a role model in their life who smokes, a ban from smoking would deter those role models from smoking, and in turn children would be far more likely to not smoke ("Tobacco").
RECOMMENDATION
Without a doubt, the city of Columbia should retain its smoking ban. The prevention of secondhand smoke is essential, because of its negative health issues. Additionally, businesses in similar cities to Columbia were not affected based on statistical changes in tax receipts and increasing employment in bars and restaurants. What's more, smokers aspiring to quit would be more likely to give up the habit, as they would not be surrounded by other smokers and smoke itself. The smoking ban offers a promising future for Columbia's economy and public health; there are no "butts" about it! Works Cited
"Fact Sheet: Secondhand Smoke". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2/4/2008 <http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/Factsheets/SecondhandSmoke.htm>.
Huang, P. "Impact of a Smoking Ban