Should we BAN smoking in public places?

Posted On July 18, 2011

Most Americans seem to think so. 59 percent, in fact, want to ban all smoking in public places.

This is a big change!
Only ten years ago, 39 percent were in favor, a percentage that was about the same when Gallup did a similar poll on the subject in 2007.

“A majority of Americans now support the concept of a full smoking ban in all public places, marking a significant change from four years ago, when Gallup last measured this attitude,” the pollster said.

What about an outright ban?
Well, only 19% thought that this addictive carcinogen should be illegal — up from 14% at the last survey. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps because selling lethal chemicals that addict you, then kill you and your family (by breathing your 2nd hand smoke) has been a part of our culture for so long that it will take a while to change sentiment.

Or maybe there is a Tobacco lobby that pays congressmen to protect their deadly industry. Either way …

“Relatively few Americans support the idea of making all smoking illegal across the country, perhaps partly in recognition of the practical difficulties involved in enforcing such a ban.”

Right. Well, at least the movement is going in the right direction. Who knows, maybe in the next 10 years, we’ll be able to push public sentiment far enough to even override a lobbyist veto.

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The results of the poll are based on a random sample of 1,016 people aged 18 and older living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Gallup said the maximum margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Most in U.S. want ban on smoking in public: poll | Reuters