The World’s Biggest Tobacco Consumer To Ban Smoking In Public Places
May
17
China is currently the world’s biggest tobacco consumer and hopefully visitors and residents of China will be able to breathe a little easier soon because China plans to ban smoking in public building and transportation by 2011.
Utah has the lowest smoking rate in the US so when we travel some where else, cigarette fumes can be very over whelming. While I believe that restaurants who have no smoking policies would attract more business without any regulation than restaurants who do not. I still think smoking bans are beneficial to the health of restaurant workers and visitors who do not the area well enough to know which restaurants are smoke free. I wish smoking would be banned at public parks during large holiday celebrations and festivals. I guess we don’t need to go to those celebrations but it is nice to enjoy community events with the family. Going to a park to watch fireworks and having the people next to you start smoking is not fun and especially not polite to do in front of children and pregnant women. They could at least smoke an electronic cigarette.
I find it interesting that while cigarette taxes are increasing, less of that money is going towards anti-smoking programs. I also find it interesting that the states (like California and New York) who are doing the most to reduce their smoking rates also have the most support for legalizing marijuana which is worse than cigarettes as it impairs the smokers cognitive abilities which could lead to a higher crime rate.