Agree With New Yorks Ban

¶ … agree with New Yorks ban on smoking in bars and restaurants?

New York Ban on Smoking

There is presently much controversy regarding smoking and the locations where it should be allowed. It is widely known that second hand smoking affects people more than actually smoking cigarettes and more and more people have expressed their total disapproval in regard to smoking in public places. Many smoking supporters consider that it is wrong for the authorities to implement such a law, as it apparently prevents people from exercising their rights. With New York being one of the international hallmarks of freedom, the smoking ban in bars and restaurants has generated much controversy and has made it increasingly difficult for people to analyze matters from an objective perspective. In spite of the fact that many are unwilling to accept this particular law, it is actually essential for people to understand that smoking affects other people and that it would be wrong to force others to become second hand smokers if they want to visit a particular bar or restaurant.

Surely, one would have to be an extremist in order to claim that people should not be allowed to smoke. However, to lobby in regard to how individuals should be allowed to smoke wherever they please would practically mean that they would have the liberty to negatively influence the health of everyone. This is especially important when considering people who are allergic to tobacco smoke, as they would virtually have to go through great efforts in order to avoid coming across someone who is smoking. Smokers are typically inclined to protest every change in the smoking-related agenda, as they feel that they are treated with injustice. Not being able to enjoy a cigarette in the park, in a bar, or in a restaurant seems to be overstressing for some smokers. However, in blaming the government for the fact that they are no longer allowed to smoke wherever they want to, smokers tend to overlook the fact that many people are actually harmed by the smoke that they generate. "Nobody dies from a little bit of cigarette smoke" has come to be an irresponsible and completely thoughtless claim. Millions of people die every year as a result of being affected by the cigarette smoke they inhale. Similarly, a large number of individuals experience distress and even death as a result of being second hand smokers.

Smoking is a freedom and all adults are allowed to exercise this respective freedom. However, when they abuse it and when they put others at risk by smoking, it only seems natural for smokers to be prevented from smoking in locations where they are likely to negatively affect others.

Many bar and restaurant owners have joined smokers in protesting concerning how they are negatively affected by the smoking ban. They were initially inclined to claim that the ban on smoking in bars and restaurants is very probable to destroy their business, as there is apparently a strong connection between the consumption of alcohol and the smoking of cigarettes. "Perhaps less dramatic because of their ubiquitous presence and legal status, nicotine and alcohol are often consumed together for physiological and/or social reasons. Both drugs stimulate dopamine release, and work synergistically to increase dopamine levels" (Menke, 2009). Similarly, the concept of enjoying a drink and a cigarette makes some people think that they live in a permissive environment, this standing as proof that they live in a democrat society. Moreover, "the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA, 1 998) reports that between 80% and 95% of alcoholics smoke" (Menke, 2009). It is thus difficult to consider the outcome that the smoking ban has had on bars and restaurants without actually checking for convincing data. In spite of the fact that many bar and restaurant owners complained in regard to how their businesses were severely affected by the smoking ban, reality seems to be different. The smoking ban was only confirmed to have little to no effect (some businesses have actually experienced positive results consequent to the smoking ban) on the well-being of bars and restaurants. People tend to ignore the fact that in addition to the fact that many smokers visit other locations as a result of the smoking ban, new customers flow in because they know that they will not be disturbed by cigarette smoke (Whitney, B).

Individuals who support smoking in bars and restaurants motivate their position by claiming that it would virtually be impossible for an adrenaline-fueled city such as New York to put an end to its cigarette-related culture. The concept of smoking because it "looks cool" will no longer be present in bars or restaurants in New York, as their owners would risk being fined or even having their business closed for supporting such a practice. People will simply have to be presentable without smoking and they will have to be satisfied with enjoying a drink or a dinner smoke-free.