In the Bahamas, many argue that if smoking was banned in public places, it will affect the tourism industry. Furthermore, they claim that The Bahamas would become less economical because some tourists like the idea of smoking in the casinos and restaurants (Ban Smoking in Public Places, 2011). Banning smoking in public places can save lives. It can also aid in the decrease of health care cost on individuals requiring treatment for lung and heart disease. In 1998, there were a total of 330 individuals admitted to the Princess Margaret Hospital for cancer. Today it is much higher than that. Twenty five individuals were admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital with lung cancer related to smoking (Consumers fight back over inhaling 'passive smoke' before exhaling, 2003). The former Minister of Health, Dr. Marcus Bethel received a petition consisting of more than 258 persons who requested that smoking be banned in the work place. Dr. Bethel informed them that the issue had to be presented before the government. In that same year, it was reported that eighteen percent of men and three percent of women were smokers (Consumers fight back over inhaling 'passive smoke' before exhaling , 2003). To house both smokers and non smokers, casino and restaurants can construct a room for the smokers and another for non smokers which can be beneficial for the employer, the employee and the guests.
Secondly, smoking in public places persuades the minds of teens. Firstly, teen smoking is illegal. If a child is caught smoking at school, he/she would be suspended or expelled. Also. If they are caught purchasing cigarettes, this can lead to problems with the law. There has been a greater concern by health promoters about smoking amongst the youth. Teens, who smoke, do not think about the health problems they may encounter in the long run. Instead, they focus more on their social status and what others may think of them in the future. Most children who smoke at an early age, becomes smokers when they grow up (Schneider). Approximately 90% of adult smokers, according to the campaign for Tobacco-free Kids started smoking at eighteen years of age (Miller, 2010). Given that teens are at an age where they are more vulnerable, they are pressured more to try it which can eventually lead to puffing in the future. Furthermore, diseases such as asthma and ear infections are further seen in children who reside with smokers. By banning smoking in public places and providing teens with the pros and cons of smoking, can deter them and also save lives by reducing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases such as asthma, hypertension, emphysema, lung cancer, and even death. Teen smoking forfeits any career sport that a child may want to pursue; the tar that is found in the cigarettes covers up the alveoli (found in the lungs) which assist in breathing. The tar prevents a large surface area to be formed in the lungs which would lower the child’s endurance, making them tired faster and have difficulty breathing. Smoking also affects the teen’s body image: it darkens their lips, gives them dirty, beige teeth, it gives them a bad breath or smoker’s breath, and also it makes an individual to spend more money. If an individual smokes a pack of cigarette cost daily; this cost about five dollars; at the end of the week that’s thirty five dollars and at the end of the year that’s about twelve hundred dollars which could’ve been spent on something better (Reasons not to smoke).
Teens who smoke argue that, they are only smoking for right now because their friends are doing it and it helps to calm their nerves and relieve stress. They claim as they get older eventually, it will stop. That is not the case. Cigarette contains nicotine, which is an awfully addictive substance. Because the individual has a buildup of this substance in their body, it would make their possibilities of quitting smoking to a minimal (Reasons not to smoke). In the Bahamas, there are hardly many teens who smoke cigarettes. But there is a great number of adolescents who smoke marijuana which is just as bad as cigarettes (Rutherford, 2005). Smoking marijuana causes the same problems in cigarettes. It is also hard to quit marijuana as well. Teens in the Bahamas smoke this cannabis because of peer pressure, to get that euphoric feeling and to get a boost in their self esteem. In the Bahamas, more education can be done to encourage teens about the dangers of smoking. By doing this, it can reduce the teens way of thinking when they encounter that problem.
Thirdly, the government can tremendously benefit if they place serious taxes on cigarettes. If the price of cigarettes is raised, it would be harder for persons to purchase cigarettes, especially teens. One pack of cigarette cost five dollars and that is almost their lunch money for the entire day. As a result of increasing the cost, it would discourage most of them because they may no longer be able to purchase it. Increasing the taxes of cigarettes will be beneficial in reducing smoking amongst adults as well. Studies in California shown a decline in the amount of cigarettes purchased by twelve percent (Schneider). Also, studies in journals have recorded that the increase in cigarette taxes or prices reduced both adult and teen smoking. The general consensus shows for every 10 percent increase in the actual price of cigarettes reduces overall cigarette consumption by almost three to five percent; it reduces the number of teen smokers by 3.5 percent, and reduces the number of kids who smoke by six or seven percent (Raising cigarette taxing reduces smoking especially amongst kids). In 2002, statistics have shown that The Bahamas has imported 872,000 cases of cigarettes which have a street value of over six million dollars for that year (Consumers fight back over inhaling 'passive smoke' before exhaling , 2003). The Bahamas only consists of 300,000 plus residents; is all that tobacco really needed? That is more than twice the population!
Those who disagree with increasing the taxes of cigarettes declare that this is a Democratic country and smokers have rights too. They further claim that everyone is entitled to do whatever they please as long as they do not go against the law. Moreover, they state that they are not disobeying the law; non smokers can leave whenever they please. It is no more than fair for the smoker to leave because they are putting others at risk for a number of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. By banning smoking in public places, smokers argue that it is a rigorous violation of their human rights. Smokers need to realize that non smokers has rights too; a right to breathe in fresh air, a right to live without being endangered, etc.
In conclusion, smoking in public places is an issue that clearly needs to be addressed. Some Bahamians especially proprietors of bars, restaurants and casinos may fear that businesses will decline because the some tourists would not be able to smoke while they are in the bar, or eating or even playing in the casinos. Some Bahamians argue that it would not be fair to them either. They claim that this is a democratic country and by banning smoking in public places would defy their rights. Smoking is unclean and unhealthy; it would not affect only the smoker but also the person who inhales those fumes. On the other hand, smoking in public places should be banned because it sends a negative image to teens in The Bahamas. Because some teenagers see adults doing it, they may feel the need to do it too. Is that the message the government wants to send out to our teens? All of these points need to be taken into consideration. Banning smoking would not only reduce the chances of non smokers getting ill but it would also save lives amongst the smokers themselves.
Reference
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