More evidence for why banning smoking is a good thing

[Fittisize]

Did you read the article? It's about how cities that ban smoking see dramatic drops in heart attack rates versus ones that do not, and those drops happen immediately. That's because of the removal of second-hand smoke, mostly. If cigarettes did not emit toxic fumes you'd have a point, defending people's right to do bad things to themselves is reasonable... but because that isn't true and cigarettes DO hurt everyone else around them, in a scientifically measurable way as this study shows, you don't.

Yes, I read the article. I also read this part:

Opponents have argued that smoking bans drive away customers. Study results have been mixed, with most indicating that the impact on bars and restaurants is neutral or may actually improve business, says Schroeder. However, some businesses, particularly casinos, are still concerned that smoking bans may cause their customers to choose locations that will allow them to light up freely.

Very ambigious about smoking bans. "Mixed" studies with "most" saying the impact is neutral - that doesn't do much for me. For casinos particularly, of which I am a frequent customer, I can tell you that in my personal experiences casinos that allow smoking (ones run by First Nations and are thus not under provincial jurisdictions regarding cigarette smoking in public establishments) receive far more business, and saw a massive increase when cigarette smoking was banned provincially in public establishments a few years ago. And on campus every day I see hundreds, nay THOUSANDS of smokers. Big cash money can be made on tobacco. And I hate to bring my own province into this once again but at the start of 2009 it was made illegal to even have tobacco products out in the open in stores - they have to be kept behind a curtain or something of that nature. You can't even advertise the prices of tobacco products. This, combined with surgeon generals warnings, banning advertising, massive taxing, and endless studies on how bad tobacco is still hasn't stopped people from lighting up. People like it.