The more than 2,000 cities and towns holding bans on indoor smoking
including Chicago city, New York City, Austin and Columbus, Ohio have unlocked the door of opportunity for all state officials
to voice how they feel about public smoking and what they plan to do about it. Taking action presently is the state of Washington,
on November 8th Washington voters will decide whether or not to ban smoking within 25 feet of buildings that forbid smoking,
such as theaters and government buildings. A fine of possibly $100 will be admitted to those who break this law. It is also
said that the law may make it hard to smoke during the work day or even on a night out on the town. Also this month governments
of Ohio, Alabama, and Indiana are supposed to vote banning smoking 10-25 feet away from buildings and in Indiana 15 feet away
form ATMs and bus stops.
Maggie Hopkins of the American NOn-smokers Rights FOundation has said
that outdoor smoking bans have excelled in th epast two years, stating that there are restrictions in motion in 361 communities.
In California smoking has even banned on several beaches and in September Orange County became the first county to restrict
smoking along the coast. Also in San Francisco bans have been made on smoking in parks. In Iowa it is said that hospitals
zare banning smoking on any part of their property including smoking in ones car in th ehospital parking lots. There 5,300
employees are also banned from smoking on hospital property which drives thos eemployees as far as 44 acres to take a cigerette
break. Sid Ramsey, vice president of Iowa Health System says "we feel an obligation, as health care leaders, to set high standards
for a safe and healthy environment." The system now own three hospitals and plans to ban outdoor smoking in July.
Smokers' rights supporters say outdoor bans go too far. one pipe smoker,
Jacob Sullum, author of For your own Good Health: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health, says,
"Peole should have the choice whether to engage in risky activities. If you ban smoking outside near a door or window, essentially
you have no place to smoke except your own home and maybe not even there." A sarcastic Sullum also stirs up another problem
stating, "What's next? Smoking in a house with children will be considered child abuse. Smoking around pets will be cruel
to animals." That, being another problem, is very much a matter of opinion and another issue to be dealt with in due
time.
