Four years ago, North Carolina established laws for making enclosed public spaces smoke free to protect the nonsmokers. However, there were opponents for this kind of legislations. They argue that if the nonsmokers do not want to breathe the smoke, then they should not visit places where smoking is allowed. In addition, they believe that banning smoking would drive those places out of business because the smokers would not go to them. Also, it is a matter of freedom of choice, and smoking is not against the law; therefore, it should not been prohibited. Even though it is right that the smokers have the right to smoke anywhere they wish, they have to think about and respect other people’s lives. Several studies show that smoke free laws have improved nonsmokers’ health. One analysis conducted by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services found that the average weekly emergency room visits by North Carolinians experiencing heart attacks declined by 21 percent during the first year after the Smoke-Free Law was implemented in January 2010 (CDC). This improvement in people’s health will reduce health care costs and death incidence. Furthermore, those laws do not have a negative effect on businesses. “Another study shows that air quality in North Carolina restaurants and bars improved 89 percent” (CDC). Clean air has benefits of decreasing cleaning costs and workers health. So, workers can be more productive. As a result, workplaces in United States are going smoke free to provide clean indoor air and protect employees from the secondhand
Four years ago, North Carolina established laws for making enclosed public spaces smoke free to protect the nonsmokers. However, there were opponents for this kind of legislations. They argue that if the nonsmokers do not want to breathe the smoke, then they should not visit places where smoking is allowed. In addition, they believe that banning smoking would drive those places out of business because the smokers would not go to them. Also, it is a matter of freedom of choice, and smoking is not against the law; therefore, it should not been prohibited. Even though it is right that the smokers have the right to smoke anywhere they wish, they have to think about and respect other people’s lives. Several studies show that smoke free laws have improved nonsmokers’ health. One analysis conducted by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services found that the average weekly emergency room visits by North Carolinians experiencing heart attacks declined by 21 percent during the first year after the Smoke-Free Law was implemented in January 2010 (CDC). This improvement in people’s health will reduce health care costs and death incidence. Furthermore, those laws do not have a negative effect on businesses. “Another study shows that air quality in North Carolina restaurants and bars improved 89 percent” (CDC). Clean air has benefits of decreasing cleaning costs and workers health. So, workers can be more productive. As a result, workplaces in United States are going smoke free to provide clean indoor air and protect employees from the secondhand