Is Smoking Bad for Society?

By Irasema Tirado

Nowadays, people are not allowed to smoke in public places or office buildings. The people who smoke disagree with this new law. But the people who don’t smoke are happy about it. Is this fair for people who smoke? Are we being discriminatory? Are we right allowing this law? I personally don’t smoke and I think there are several reasons why people should not smoke in public places: health, pollution, and fire hazards.

Many people know that smoking is the cause of many diseases but even knowing the consequences they still do it. I don’t disrespect the people that smoke, but I don’t agree with them making the decision for us. They don’t have the right to smoke in front of people that don’t want to smoke. They put our health at risk, even when they are the ones smoking; we are the second hand smokers.

People who smoke do not imagine how bad the smoke is for the environment: the smoke that they produce affects the air that everybody breathes, the land by littering the cigarette butts on the ground. The remaining butts left on the ground will take approximately take 25-26 years to decompose. The same butts end up in rivers or lakes and fishes and other water animals eat these butts by mistake, resulting in their death.

During dry seasons, cigarette butts can even cause major fire. A small cigarette butt seems pretty harmless, but it can start a huge fire under the right conditions. The people that throw the butts from the car windows or on the streets should know that by doing this they are not just littering but they may be the cause of many fires affecting environment.

Smoking is harmful not only to smokers but also to those who live or work with them. I think the law about not allowing them to smoke in public places is the best law for them. I wish they accept the law and respect it too. I live in Canada and for me is the cleanest and nicest place I have ever been starting because I can be free of smoke in every public place. I don’t discriminate against smokers but I don’t think is fear for other people to be affected by them. Smoking is not the best after all.