Smoking Bans: Unconstitutional or Unhealthy?

Arguments concerning the smoking bans in restaurants, from proponent and opponent perspectives, reveal uses of the concepts of appeal to fear and appeal to authority. Some argue that a ban will promote a healthier atmosphere for customers. Yet others believe businesses will lose substantial sums of money due to smoking customers taking their business to other towns and establishments within those towns that still allow smoking, these arguments will be investigated at length also. Finally, the idea of other techniques which could be used instead of banning smoking in establishments such as restaurants or other hospitality establishments will be discussed as well.

Town after town have discussed and voted on laws that would make smoking in restaurants or other hospitality establishments illegal. To date, the state has imposed a smoking ban for hospitals and the property, and other medical facilities. Argument after argument have taken place concerning human rights and the constitution where the freedom to smoke in public is concerned. Many citizens are concerned that the law makers are over stepping their bounds into their private lives. In other words, a dictatorship could be occurring in a land where her citizen's are supposed to have freedom.

Are bans the best answer for all?

For the past several years cities across the United States have introduced bans on smoking in public places, or imposed strict guidelines for those places that allowed smoking. Here in Southwest Missouri, referred to as 'The Ozarks', many communities have began to start banning smoking in restaurants. Town after town has discussed and voted on laws that would make smoking in restaurants illegal and the state has made smoking illegal on hospital property state-wide. Arguments concerning the smoking bans in restaurants, from proponent and opponent perspectives, reveal uses of the concepts of appeal to fear and appeal to authority.