Breathing Room

Breathing Rights

“Would you like ashes with your meal”? “Perhaps some second-hand smoke to start you folks off”? Nowadays doesn't it seem as if that is the real question when dining at a restaurant that still allows smoking? Smoking in public has been a hot topic for a while now. The non-smokers want to be able to leave their homes and not have to battle for a cloud of fresh air. They want to go out to dinner or a club with out having the smell of tobacco permeate their food, drinks and clothing throughout their visit. Likewise, what about the public parks and other outdoor events where children and infants are present? Studies have proven numerous times that secondhand smoke has a greater negative effect on children than it does on the smoker themselves. Non-smokers should not have to suffer, while trying to enjoy a public activity, solely because the smoker needs a quick fix.
According to our Core Democratic Values, the pursuit of happiness states that all people have the right to seek happiness in their own way. If smoking makes one happy, shouldn't they be allowed to practice this action anywhere they please? Not quite. While the Pursuit of Happiness does state that you can seek happiness anyway you please, it also states that that way should not interfere with others rights. Smoking in public interferes with everyone else's choice to be smoke free and live a happy, healthy life. As stated recently by the Surgeon General, even short exposures to secondhand smoke can have damaging effects such as: causing blood platelets to become stickier, damage to the lining of blood vessels, reducing heart rate variability, and potentially increasing the risk of heart attack. Not only does smoking in public infringe on non smokers health rights, in most cases, it doesn't give them any choice if they want to get away from the smoke. For example, once you've ordered your dinner you can't just get up and leave because a chain smoker has plopped down next to you. I understand where some people may argue that it is the non-smokers choice where they dine. However, only recently have many restaurants been abolishing smoking, and let's face it, those smoke eating devices can't engulf every last smoke particle.
Although some would argue that because cigarettes are legal, the consumer is ultimately paying for the right to smoke in public, this is not the case. Cigarettes and other tobacco products are health hazards to others and an infringement on their rights as a human being. Smokers should not have the right to smoke anywhere they please. If a person makes the choice to smoke, that is up to them. However, they will soon find out the price of smoking isn't always paid for in cash, but often in breathing rights.