Should Smoking Be Banned - 1825 Words

August 27, 2015, is a day that I will not likely forget anytime soon. On that day my girlfriend, Blythe, and I were going out for our second Sunday brunch in Cape Girardeau. As we were looking for a place to eat, we spotted a Denny’s that did not look too busy, so we decided to eat there. Then the day got memorable. The second I opened the door to go into the restaurant the smell hit me. It was so strong that I could barely stand it. Even though the waiter seated Blythe and me in the non-smoking section, I doubt that it would have smelt any different if he had seated us in the middle of all the smokers in the restaurant. We both are from Illinois, which has a ban on smoking in restaurants throughout the state, so we had not even considered†¦show more content†¦6-7). Despite arguments against change, the state of Missouri should enact a law that bans smoking in restaurants throughout the state because this ban would not hurt, but quite possibly would help, restaurant o wners financially, and it would help protect against the adverse effects secondhand smoke can have on the health of restaurant employees and customers. Concerning the opposition to Missouri making restaurants smoke free, The Heartland Institute, a research institute that attempts to find solutions to economic and social issues, claims that smoking bans are not justified (â€Å"In Defense of Smokers† par. 15). It states that smoke-free laws infringe upon restaurant and bar owners’ private property rights, and the institute contends that the owners of these establishments should be able to choose for themselves whether to make their businesses smoke free or not (â€Å"In Defense of Smokers† par. 18). In addition, The Heartland Institute asserts that the use of ventilation systems and smoking and non-smoking sections is enough to protect people from any health risks of secondhand smoke (â€Å"In Defense of Smokers† par. 16). Lastly, The Heartland Institute states that smoking bans have negative economic effects on bars and restaurants due to smokers going out to these establishments less often (â€Å"In Def ense of Smokers† par. 17). In regards to smoke-free laws violating restaurant owners’ private property rights, this is a fair point that can only be disputed