Let the Market Decide Where You Can Smoke, Not the Government

Posted on December 23, 2006 — The Monkey
Filed Under Politics, Freedom, Smoking |

Many countries are passing more and more laws prohibiting smoking in various areas. They are disallowing business owners to make their own decisions on how their business is run. I propose letting the marketing decide where people can and cannot smoke, and leave the government out of it.

I don’t want to get into the health aspects of second hand smoke because the studies are very conflicting, but the general consensus is that mild exposure to second hand smoke will have little to no effect on you, but extreme expose can pose a risk. The people that claim that passive smokers are harmed more than the smokers themselves must not be thinking clearly because a first hand smoker, is also inhaling the passive smoke.

Instead of making it illegal to smoke in areas such as bars and pubs, allow the business owners to make that decision. If public smoking is really as unpopular as they say, then businesses will disallow smoking or set up non-smoking areas based on the demand of their customers.

The businesses should have the following options available to them:

  1. Allow smoking in all areas
  2. Have designated smoking areas and designated smoke-free areas
  3. Completely disallow smoking on the premises

If their business is suffering because people do not want to be around smokers, then they have the option to create smoke free areas or prohibit it entirely. But if businesses find they are suffering because smokers no longer want to attend the venue then they can do the opposite. The complaints and compliments of the customers should shape the way the place is run, and if the owner chooses to ignore the customers requests, then they will loose business as a result.

The same also applies to the employees who work at these places, who some say are at the greatest risk. If they are not happy working in an environment where smoking is allowed, then they have the right to complain to their manager and quit if they are not happy with the results. If the employer does not listen to its employees then they will end up having no one to work for them.

Businesses could clearly display a simple sign upon entering that notifies the patrons about the smoking conditions at that venue. If they do not like it, they do not have to enter and could find another place where they would enjoy themselves more. People would soon get to know what places do and do not allow smoking and decide on their own what sort of environment they want to spend time in.

If it turns out that nearly all pubs and bars do not allow smoking because their customers demanded it, then great. At least the general population would have been the ones to make that choice, and not the government. Which ever way it swings, there will always be a place for the customer to enjoy themselves.






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