Public smoking
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Smoking in public places can affect everyone, even children. Side affects that arise from secondhand smoking will have drastic affects on peoples health. Infections from second-hand smoke are the most common reason for the use of prescription drugs in young children, and cost the health care system billions of dollars every year in the United States. This is too large of a cost for something that can easily be eliminated. Even though smoking is a personal right, it is not only a threat to the smoker but to those surrounding them and therefore it needs to be banned in all public buildings.
The opposition argues that smoking is a personal right and therefore the owner of the public facility should be the one that decides whether or not to allow smoking there; not the government. Lester O'Shea states that, "Grown-ups in a free county, as opposed to children in a nursery, ought to be able to make their own choices in these areas" (Online). In another article the Arizona Republic writes, "Opponents are trying to pass this off as a violation of private property rights" (Online). The opposition presents a valid argument that it's their personal property and they should be able to do as they please.
I feel the opposition fails to provide enough convincing evidence to persuade the view that smoking should be allowed in public buildings...