Question

A member of the city council of your community is considering introducing new legislation that would ban smoking in all beaches and parks. The council member has contacted you, the local health director, for your input on whether and how an outdoor smoking ban should be enacted. How should you respond to the councilor?

Answer 1

Bans of Outdoor smoking benefits the public in a number of ways because of environmental pollution due to smoking increases the asthma attacks, lung diseases, and heart diseases. Smoking in public places also stimulates young children for addiction. exposure to smoking increases public harms. But a smoking ban in outdoor places is associated with social norms. It restricts individual independence in public places. Restriction of smoking in common places makes the negative opinion of the public against the government. It only synthesis the protection of the non-smoking public rather than smoking cessation on smokers. This will not encourage smokers to quit smoking. So the ethical considerations should be analyzed before implementing such policies. So it can be implemented based on the society moral norms, public opinion and values.