The Pros of Smoking Bans in the USA

While there are arguments that smoking bans are an unacceptable breach of civil liberties, it cannot be denied that there are a number of positive effects. These fall under three major categories: health, finances and comfort. Smoking bans have net positive effects in all three categories.

Health

• Secondhand smoke has been linked to both heart disease and lung cancer. This means that even if you don't smoke, you can ultimately suffer from one or both of these after prolonged exposure. This is particularly relevant to those who work in bars and restaurants---if everyone else is smoking, employees cannot avoid secondhand smoke. By banning smoking in places like bars and restaurants the United States can reduce the health problems associated with secondhand smoke, which is a definite benefit.

Financial

• The health-related benefits roll into financial benefits for almost everyone. Lung cancer and heart disease treatment is expensive. If hospitals don't have to treat as much of these, then insurance companies don't have to pay out as much, which means they don't have to charge as much. This means that smoking bans can lower insurance costs for everyone. They can also reduce burdens on government spending as some lung cancer treatment is covered by programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Bar and restaurant owners can also make more money as they get more patrons because of the more comfortable atmosphere.

Comfort

• Surveys generally show that people prefer to be in a bar or restaurant with a smoking ban. This is because it is uncomfortable for a nonsmoker to be in a room filled with smoke. Clouds of smoke act as a major deterrent for bar and restaurant patrons; smoking bans remove this deterrent and increase everyone's comfort.