Smoking Ban

Washington's new war on smoking: A Smoking Ban.

Washington D.C. is following the footsteps of California, New York and other states by declaring a district-wide smoking ban.

Montgomery county declared a smoking ban in all restaurant that have no bar. Smoking will now only be allowed at the bar, meaning if one doesn't exist, then the entire building will have to be smoke free. However, there have been as many challengers of the smoking ban as there are advocates. Most restaurant owners are complaining that their sales have fallen from anywhere between 30 to 50 percent. One restaurant owner was reported as commenting that politicians have no idea what it's like to run a restaurant and so they shouldn't be telling him how to run his. This man is one of many who oppose the ban and have started a counter movement.

Although there was much opposition, the smoking ban is still in place, but there is no guarantee as to how long it will stay. Even though businesses may take a temporary hit in revenue, they must understand that it is for the greater good of public health. Politicians may not know what it's like to run a restaurant, but doctors and researchers know what second hand smoke can do to a perfectly healthy body. In accordance with that, the smoking ban has been set into place and I personally do not see any problems with that. Do you?