Next lets take a look at the arugments against the smoking ban and the organizations backing their cause. For starters the biggest part of this side of the issue is that this is not so much a customer issue as it is a buisnessowners issue. they feel that this ban is cutting into there rights as buisnessowners to run there resteraunt, bar, club ect., the way they want to. one bar owner had this to say about the issue. "Smoking helps my customers relax. I think the whole thing's pretty ignorant. I've got the required materials posted but I'm sitting here smoking a cigarette right now. It's
my business and when they begin to pay even part of my rent they can start telling me what I can do in here. It's cold outside. I'm not going to stand outside a place that I pay rent in, to smoke." this seems to be the consensus of all buisness owners around the area. there are a few organizations though, who are around to aid the voice of barowners like the one above, such as the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association and the Coalition for Consumer Choice, Who argue that the free market should decide the issue. in other words,they feel that people will spend their money in smoke-free environments if they choose and if enough people do so, more restaurants, bars, and other places of buisness will become smoke-free. Buying cigarettes is legal, so smoking them should be legal too.
First lets take a look at the arguments for the smoking ban and how they forced the issue into a vote.a group called the SmokeFree Columbus Coalition has been lobbying for this ban for some time, and through the years with the help of many backers, had already passed similar bans in other cities including toledo and have many other cities, such as cincinnatti, considering one. Using the momentum that had come from over 1,700 cities around the united states implementing some sort of smoking ban, the SmokeFree columbus Coalition was able to get the issue to a vote in columbus. So what kind of grounds do they have for wanting a smoke free columbus? well for starters theres the no-brainer explanation, Smoking is bad. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and emphysema, not to mention a number of other diseases and many cases of death. They feel that it is in the best interest of public health to stop people from smoking and breathing second-hand smoke, in an effort to cut back on innocent people falling victim to such terrible diseases. They feel that if people ( smokers ) cant make the respectful, and responsible decision to not subject inncoent bystanders to there horrible habbits, then they'll go ahead and force them to by passing legislative, after all it's there right , as a citizen, to sit in a smoke free enviroment whereever that may be.
There are many civil issues that come and go through each voting season, but maybe none as big and as controversial as the columbus anti-smoking bill which took effect febuary of 2005. this issue was as large as it was because it was fueled by two sides that felt very strongly for their own opinion on the issue. with key points and valid arugments for and against the banning, it all added up to a huge battle that smokers, non-smokers, buisness owners, corporations, and special interest groups where left to fight out. Smoking in a whole is far from a new issue. for years now smokers have been forced into dim bars and small smokers sections to get there fix, and non-smokers have been objected to their second hand smoke feeling over-looked and violated. so when voters went into the polls on that cold winter day they had a tough desicion to make and a few hard hitting questions to ask themselves; Is it the right for non-smokers to breath clean air when in a restaurant relaxing, or is it the right of the smokers to relax and smoke a cigerette while in a place of buisness thats more important? Is it really the place of the government, no matter how many people are for or against it to force buisness owners to allow or not allow smokers to smoke in there place of buisness, or make any other major decision that could effect sales for that matter? And Do you see this issue leading to more and possibly bigger personal freedoms becoming extinct? depending on how you answer these questions your eaither for or against the smoking ban, and throughout this paper we'll look at both sides of the issue and the effects that they each would have on our community.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years then you probably already know that the columbus smoking ban passed and is now in full effect. Under the new law all smoking in enclosed public places or places of employment within the city limits of Columbus, with few exceptions, including private owned homes and tobacco shops, are prohibited. Outdoor smoking areas must now be at least 20 feet from the inside of the establishment and infront of the entrances and exits must be cleared of all smokers. Also under the bill any violators will be fined a $150 penalty and face civil charges. Even though the bill was passsed almost two years ago that hasn't kept organizations such as the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association and the Coalition for Consumer Choice from trying to change or at least constrict the widespreading ban, and buisness owners all over columbus are keeping hope that the bill that has hurt so many of their customers and their profits will someday soon be reversed. so now after reading this paper i hope that you can look back and answer the questions that were asked in the begining of this essay with a clearer and a much more informed view of the issue.
| My Profile
rockingleper's blogs, last updated : January 8, 2008
