The SmokeFree Columbus Coalition wants to make the city smoke-free, which includes a ban on smoking in all bars and restaurants. The spokeswoman for the coalition said smokers and non-smokers alike are realizing that everyone has the right to breathe clean indoor air.
Toledo has a smoking ban that prohibits smoking in indoor places with few exceptions. Anti-smoking advocates in Ohio are hoping to get other cities in the state to follow in Toledo’s footsteps.
The decision on how to regulate smoking in bars, restaurants and other public places should be left up to the owner of the establishment. The government should not be telling restaurant and bar owners how to operate their business. Smoking is legal in all 50 states.
The anti-smoking coalitions in Columbus and other cities across believe smoking ordinances need to be tougher and that this will benefit the whole community.
Advocates for banning public smoking do not look at a ban as anti-smoking; rather they see a ban as being in favor of public health. But protecting the public health of customers is not a legitimate reason for the government to step in and ban smoking in public places. Instead, the government should exhaust other alternatives before it turns to an outright ban on smoking.
An argument could be made that some restaurants should have more separation between their smoking sections and non-smoking sections. In many restaurants the separation between the two sections is small, and people should have the right to eat a meal without the scent of smoke if they so desire. But at the same time people should be able to enjoy a cigarette with their meal if that is their pleasure.
There are certain places where smokers are a large portion of the customers, and customers who do not smoke must realize there will people smoking at certain establishments. Whenever people goes to a bar, bowling alley or pool hall they should realize there will be patrons smoking at these places. If customers can not tolerate the smoking in these places, or thinks it is having an effect on their health, they should choose to go spend their time somewhere else.
