Saltar grupo de enlaces

Speaking - Monologues - Banning Smoking

Banning Smoking

Read about this topic and put together a 4-6 minute presentation. Record it with the free software Audacity (export as mp3) and send it to us! Over here we only have reasons against banning smoking in public places. You can read about them, and listen to them, too, so you can practice pronunciation, and you can also pick some Useful Language to put together a presentation against smoking and smokers!   hahah

Listen to the texts below
Listen! Why Ban Smoking in Public? - 3 mins.
Listen! Some more reasons against the banning of smoking in all public places - 3 mins.

Why Ban Smoking in Public?: Arguments Against
By Charlie Bradley April 04, 2007. Takeaways

In recent years, there has been considerable legal and social debate on the topic of whether or not to ban smoking cigarettes, cigars, and pipes in public places such as offices, restaurants, and libraries. Many people have used the health risks, both for smokers and non-smokers who inhale secondhand cigarette smoke, as one of the strongest arguments against allowing smoking in public places. As a smoker, I will admit that this article may seem to be biased. However, I feel that there are some very substantial reasons that smoking should not be banned in public places.

Reason #1 not to ban smoking in public: Designated Smoking Areas

Many public places such as schools have set aside a portion of the grounds in which smokers may smoke. In many cases, these Designated Smoking Areas are located far enough away from the building so that the cigarette smoke will not affect the nonsmokers. As implied by the sign on the smoking area, these areas are the Designated Smoking Areas, and those that do not smoke should generally avoid these areas. If non-smokers should wish to enter the smoking area, then they should not complain when their clothes smell of cigarette smoke.

Reason #2 not to ban smoking in public: The Lazy Workforce

Employees who smoke often do so because of stressful situations. Situations at work can inevitably lead to stress, thus the need for a quick cigarette to calm nerves. If there is a No Smoking policy, then the employee either will be less productive due to an inability to remain on task, or will "sneak off" to have a cigarette just as young teenagers sometimes do in Junior High and High School. Contrary to popular belief, smoking does not project an unprofessional image; it is the idea of smokers having to sneak off that project the unprofessional image.

Reason #3 not to ban smoking in public: Smokers do have rights

Contrary to increasing popular belief, smokers do have rights. As long as smokers are following company policy regarding smoking, such as smoking in Designated Areas, and properly extinguishing and disposing of smoking materials, they are not harming anyone aside from themselves. Some would argue about secondhand smoke, as I said earlier, oftentimes Designated Smoking Areas are located far enough away from the building so that second hand smoke won't have adverse health effects on nonsmokers.

These are only a few of the reasons that smoking should be allowed in public places.

Here are some more reasons:

It is hypocritical to sell a product and ban its consumption in all shared public spaces.

There is no reason why all buildings where people work should not have a Smoking Room, with a smoke extractor or fan, too, and windows, of course.

It is hypocritical to persecute smokers in the name of Public Health when policies allow the air pollution which comes from vehicles and factories not respecting the laws. The harm that private cars do to the environment and public health (oil wars, damage to the ozone layer, the road death toll, traffic accidents) is uncomparable to the harm that cigarette smoke can do.

Banning things is not the only or best way to solve problems arising from there being different kinds of interests in shared public spaces. Tolerance and diversity should be respected, and there is no reason why there should not be public spaces where people are allowed to smoke. In the same way there are public spaces where people are not allowed to smoke.

People smoke for a number of reasons.
At work, it helps many concentrate, keep calm, at least quieter, keep focused, or relax for a few minutes. Not being allowed to smoke can make them very nervous and miserable (unhappy).
Pleasures and socializing. People smoke for pleasure, too, when socializing. Banning smoking in public places where people socialize is a crime against freedom and our choices in terms of legal drug use. Cigarettes are legal drugs, like alcohol (and many other substances which can kill you if abused, or help you if taken with moderation). Consuming these drugs does not necessarily involve health problems or people becoming violent, as we can actually see in everyday life, where millions of people smoke and drink alcohol and do not become chain smokers or alcoholics who, to make matters worse, beat up their loved ones (mostly men), or get into fights (mostly men). Quite the opposite, they do so to have fun with other people.