Should smoking be banned in public places?

Yes. In fact, I think it should be banned completely. Just think of those who suffer from passive or second-hand smoking. Besides, smoking doesn't have any advantage, right? So why not stop it completely?

having a smoking section in a restaraunt is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool. it spreads out. a ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces has just come in in the UK, and I love it. I went out to a pub, and I didn't have to leave early with a headache and nausea. my hair and clothes didn't stink. I used to end up leaving most of the gigs I went to early, feeling sick and headachey, wasting the cost of my ticket, and the trip out. because people were so selfish that they were smoking in NON SMOKING music venues. but I was the one that suffered for it. no one bothered to enforce it. the rail networks, thankfully, have decided as a result to make covered and uncovered platforms non smoking. which means I no longer need to go and stand out in the rain when someone decides to light up in the shelter. a while ago, a really rude woman came and sat in the shelter it was raining. she started smoking, at which point I immediately went outside. she didn't even apologise. I hate walking down the street and getting a massive cloud of smoke billowing into my face. it makes my chest tight. unfortunately this is still allowed here. you can't always get past someone on the pavement. and what if someone goes out for an evening with smoking friends, and they insist on being in the smoking section. one way or the other, one groups choice is taken away. I think a non smoker choosing not to smoke needs to be put above a smoker choosing to smoke. now the smokers can pop outside for a few minutes when they want to smoke. which isn't such a great hardship. and much fairer than a non smoker having to pop outside whenever they don't want to be smoking.

smoking should be ban everywhere except the closet.

for your health and the health of smokers and nonsmokers should it be banned yes not only in public places ----all places

So much is unfair in life it is pitiful really. Most of these injustices I have noticed are brought on by bitter angry little trolls of people that will never be satisfied anyways. Trust me, I don't understand it either, but I spent quite a long time as a waitress, and I have seen people that sit in the smoking section, or even just end up close to there in and effort to be seated quickly, then whine and moan about the smoke and get moved across teh restaurant. Personally, I think it was a ploy to cut in line and avoid the wait by these jerks, but the point here being that they usually are less then friendly humans anyways. There is no point to this, just keeping the masses that whine and complain happy for a little while - until they find something else to cry about.

It may be your right to do what you want with your body, but do it as long as it does not adversely affect others. Most restaurants have smoking sections marked out - not non-smoking sections. The rest is deemed non-smoking. If you want to smoke go to the smoking section. You sit in a park for fresh air - not to breathe someone else's second hand smoke ... I think its great that smoking is banned in public places in some areas. You want to smoke, do it in your own space not someone (the public) else's. There are a lot of other forms of air pollution too ... but why add to it if you can help it?

In my opinion I think smoking should be banned in restaurants. My husband smokes but he wont smoke when Im eating he must go outside to that. I dont want to breathe that dirty smelly air. I cant stand the smell of cigerates. YUK And people that smoke should be considerate of us.

Here in the UK the smoking in public places ban took effect as from 1 July. As you said smoking is not illegal and we have the right to do whatever we want with our bodies and stuff. But the thing is there are other people who don't smoke that may be affected by some one else's smoke. There could be children and/or babies around who may get harmed as well. So I think they are trying to protect other members of the public.

Hi Beth, this is mojo07 in Melbourne, Australia we have had gradual no smoking laws increasing here as well i tend to agree with you it is a personal choice and so what is the point of democracy please let commonsense prevail people tend to be going overboard in the way they think and want to create unwanted opinions on others. Just let things be and people in peace.