Allegheny County Smoking Ban

This paper will examine the many issues associated with banning public smoking. For many years American citizens have been permitted to smoke in public places. As a result, smoking has been accepted as part of the 'normal' behavior. However, recent development of major issues concerning the many effects of smoking in public places has been in the forefront. These issues include many health risks for the citizens, effects on the economic system and the effects public smoking has on the occupants in the workplace and in restaurants. The scholars presented within this essay closely examine such issues. In addition each scholar supports his or her views with thoroughly researched information.
One of the major and most debated effects of secondhand smoking is the negative health effects associated with it. Cigarettes contain many harmful ingredients, which cause many negative health problems when they are released in the form of smoke. For example, "tobacco smoke contains many known carcinogens, there is plainly a rise that passive exposure to such agents could give rise to lung cancer in non-smokers" (Shephard 95). Along with lung cancer, secondhand smoke (SHS) has many other negative effects such as respiratory problems such as asthma, and many different types of cancer on everyone who comes in contact with it.
In the article "Secondhand Smoke Exposure among Middle and High School Students," the various ages that secondhand smoke affects is discussed, as well as the many health issues that were highlighted in Shepard's article. However, in addition to Shepard's article, this article clarifies that adults are not the only victims of secondhand smoke, but that teenagers and infants are also victims. In fact, due to their young age and undeveloped bodies, teenagers and infants are more likely susceptible to suffering more serious consequences from secondhand smoke than adults. As discussed in Shephard's article, second hand smoke often leads to lung cancer.... [continues]

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