Again, if the owner of the establishment posts a warning and people aren't forced into working there, what it the problem?

In some states it's illegal to smoke around children if you are a foster parent. 

but not if you are a biological parent?

How about drinking while pregnant?

Those things are no less child abuse then beating your child. well, actually there is a difference, you might be doing it out of ignorance and stupidty. While a beating is deliberate.

Are you kidding?  It's part of a woman's body until it's born.  Legally she can do whatever she wants while pregnant (smoke, drink, dance at the Grammys).

Nope.

Quite simple really. If you choose to smoke, and it's only harming your health, then fine - you've made that decision, it's your body, your right.

If you choose to smoke and it harms everyone around you, then it's no longer fine - it's now your decision to harm them.

Hence, there is a strong case for smoking being banned in public places. Otherwise you are effectively legalising someone who harms the health of others with or without their consent. It's not so much about businesses rights vs the governments, but rather about smoker's rights vs non-smokers. Who should be given priority, those that harm others health, or the victims of their actions? It'd be a bit like looking at the problem of pollution and saying that people have to pay for clean air from the polluters, rather than the polluters paying the people for the right to pollute their clean air. Why should the rights be with the destructive person? You want to poison yourself, go ahead, just don't poison me at the same time.

No, No, NO, they can't shut down the gravy train yet!

After today, I've decided that the only sure way to provide for my grandchildren's future is to start smoking & have my wife sue the bastards when I die.  Damn site better payoff than a lifetime of hard work, dedication & sacrifice.

Shit, if I'd only known, I'd have been sittin' home smokin' 3 packs a day & throwin' back Buds all day watchin' effin Oprah & the Cartoon channel.  I know my wife would have been grateful for that deep expression of love, knowing how it would provide so well for her & my dependents after I was gone.

Sounds like the High School Guidance Counselors better get up to speed quick & drop all that worthless crap about loser careers in technology, health care, banking, manufacturing, & whatnot.  Full-time smoking is the career of choice, folks.

Then have a kid who pays for its idiotic mother's choices for the rest of its life.  Funny how people aren't drawing up laws for this and yet everyone's riled up over abortion. 

~Zoo

he or she, not an it. And once born he or she will potentially have brain defects, cancer, and other issues. Issues that will cause suffering for the rest of her/his natural life as well as cost the taxpayer money to releive them.

Does the mother have the right to intentionally introduce birth defects to an unborn child as long as it is unborn? A simple operation could snip off a developing hand for example.

This reminds me a story about a deaf couple that had treatments to ensure their healthy child is ALSO born deaf.

You failed to mention that the employees choose to work there. It's a choice to be exposed not a mandate. Sure, jobs are not a dime a dozen these days but I don't see myself applying at jobs I deem bad for me unless I have no choice and I seriously doubt it will come to that. Don't forget them employees are there for profit as weel, it's called a paycheck.

Have you stood behind the muffler of a car lately or watched the smoke that comes out of factory chimney's or inhaled the smoke created by the charcoal used in grills? There may be laws, but thatdoesn't make them safe. There are laws for cigarettes as well, why can't children smoke (not that I want it just making a point)?

I agree but then the same could be said about the smoke from a cars muffler, or the smoke from a BBQ grill, or drinking in excess (driving or not), or the garbage we throw on the ground everyday that make it to our water sources. The truth is cigarettes are one of many forms of indirectly harming other people with or without their consent. That's why I say either ban them completely (honestly I don't get the pointof smoking at all, even alcohol can be good for your health in some cases) or leave it the way it is. Govt interventionshould be kept toa minimal.

Great debate article  jilluser, this is the kind argument I enjoy.

I've been smoking for my entire life and yet I've never had a cigarette in my mouth.

Having two parents that smoke is fun...all the carcinogens, none of the supposed pleasure.

Luckily I seem to have dodged the cancer and respiratory issue bullets so far.

~Zoo

Let me say it more plainly      $$$$$$$$$$$$

Oh, I agree.  I don't agree with late term or partial birth abortion either.  But we're talking about the wisdom of our laws here.

I agree.

Thanks, this is what I was hoping for.  I'm thoroughly enjoying it too!