| Sound off about... Smoking |
Fanning the flames of an already heated debate
October 27, 2000
Few issues in this country polarize as many Americans as smoking. Non-smokers get frustrated by having to breathe in air they feel has been polluted by others' cigarrette smoke. Smokers get frustrated by having to go to special areas of public places just to engage in a habit that is otherwise legal.
So what do you think – who should have more rights, the smokers or the non-smokers? Which group has more rights now? Do we live in more of a “smoker’s world” or a “non-smoker’s world”?
Here are some additional issues to consider before posting your opinions on this controversial issue that affects all of us:
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- According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 48 million American adults smoke cigarettes. Why? What factors make it so appealing to so many people?
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- Cigarette advertisements have been banned from radio and television. What role, if any, do the media still play in perpetuating the habit?
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- A study released this month by the National Center for Policy Analysis showed that smoking among America’s youth rose steadily beginning in 1992, after declining for the previous 15 years. What do you attribute this to?
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- Big tobacco companies have been accused in the past of unfairly targeting children with their advertising. Do you agree, or are these claims unfounded?
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- A 1996 study by the CDC showed that 9 out of 10 Americans are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (or “secondhand smoke”). Do you consider secondhand smoke to be a big problem?
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- In your opinion, how much of a role do tobacco lobbyists play in Congress? What role, if any, will they play in November’s election?
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| WHAT iWON USERS ARE CURRENTLY SAYING... |
"I want to begin by saying that I am a non-smoker. I just can't believe the way smokers are treated. Smoking and being fat are now the acceptable discriminatory groups in this country. Listen to any stand-up comedian, Leno or Letterman and you will agree. What will happen when there are no smokers left? The loud minority (as opposed to the silent majority) will find something else to discriminate against - and careful, it may be something you do - like breathe."
shooo3 |
"You can still enjoy your ciggie, provided you do so in areas designated for that purpose and nowhere else. The fact is that non-participating bystanders also have the right not to be exposed to second-hand smoke (and this really does matter, take it from an asthmatic). So exactly how is your freedom to smoke being brought into question here? And, considering people who MADE THAT CHOICE are now able to bring class action suits against the cigarette manufacturers, I would say that the freedom to smoke is not in danger at the hands of the federal government, but in danger at the hands of this double-standard and the people who won't take responsibility for their own actions now that those actions have made them seriously or even terminally ill, and are allowed to sue other people over THEIR OWN MISTAKE."
aprguu |
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See what iWon users had to say about Smoking?