Omaha, Nebraska, along with a host of other U.S. cities has recently adopted a smoking ban. The ban prohibits smoking (tobacco) in businesses. The smoking bans nationwide have been predominantly accepted. Advocates of the ban claim they are helping in keeping customers and employees healthy. Opponents, however, feel their rights have been infringed upon. Storeowners, especially restaurant and bar owners, were displeased to see the ban passed, complaining the law would put them out of business, and in some cases it has.
So should smoking be illegal in businesses? Are you and I healthier now that we can enter a smoke free atmosphere to enjoy our favorite beer or entry at the nearby pub? Or has some of the nostalgia been stricken from your favorite bar, by a ban prohibiting smoke, or worse yet, if you smoke do you not even enjoy going out? Personally I am not a smoker, but this ban does effect me. Some of my friends hate the idea of not being able to smoke inside the warmth of the bar while enjoying their favorite local band and sipping on a chilled Blue Moon with an orange slice.
The smoking ban, here in Omaha, has become even more draconian, however. In reports this week Police asked citizens of the city to report patrons breaking the new smoking law, and to report the incident by calling 911. It is a preposterous idea to narc on your fellow bar friend for lighting up, let alone calling 911 to report the "crime." It would be awful to hear a story in which someone died because they couldn't get through to 911 because the phone lines were full taking reports of people smoking.
The smoking bans may keep you and I a bit healthier, but at what cost, our freedoms, our rights, our ability to reach a 911 operator? Some states, such as Colorado, have adopted the smoking ban, then to only to permit Casinos to allow smoking in their establishments. When will people wake up and inhale the smoke?
This is asinine. This really outrages me. not because i am a smoker, but because i am under the wild opinion that 911 is for emergencies. Smoking that is not related to arson or a forest fire is not an emergency.
I think banning smoking has been such an issue in many places especially here in Las Vegas NV. All the casinos and hotels here have smoking allowed practically everywhere including the bathrooms. I originally came from california where smoking is prohibited in resturants that do not have bars. So when I came to Las vegas where smoking is allowed almost everywhere I was in a bit of a culture shock. For example I went to a resturant to eat where there had a smoking section and a non-smoking section. I wanted to sit in a non-smoking section but when someone in the smoking section lite a cig. I was completely bothered by the smoke. It didn't make a difference to have the two sections because the smoke still reached me. I personally dont want to be around the smoke because when I breathe it in I feel like I can't breath kind of like my air has been poluted by a smoker. I dont think that it should be banned from bars or areas where children will not be.
theres a lot of worse things in the air than smoke