Banning Smoking in Public Places and Workplaces is Good

STUDENT NAME
INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION(S)
ASSESSMENT ITEM 3 -
STRUCTURED REPORT

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Public smoking: A red alert to the public as well as yourself
Introduction
Smoking is regarded as drug addiction and remains widespread throughout the globe.
According to the World Health Organization, not less than 4 million death are recorded
worldwide which are directly related to smoking. The habit of smoking can be associated
with numerous diseases along with disorders in human. Historical evidence shows that
commercial manufacturing and marketing of cigarettes causes a public smoking epidemic
that first destroyed industrialised society and subsequently, spread worldwide. Tobacco not
only threatens human health but also the earth's unique resources. Its negative impacts can be
felt beyond the effects of smoke released in air through cigarettes when consumed through
waste released by tobacco manufacturers. This implies researchers and policymakers develop
tobacco control policies such as increased taxes on tobacco products including restriction on
tobacco advertisements, sponsorship, and creating awareness on smoke-free environment,
health education and cessation of smoking in public places. Since smoking has many
detrimental effects on human and environment, this report aims at analysing how smoking
impacts humans and environment as well as recommend few steps that can considerably
create awareness among people and policymakers concerning the cessation of smoking in
public area.
Critical analysis
Health causes of smoking
Clinical evidence establishes that any contact made to tobacco can cause death,
disability and long-term diseases. Tobacco is most commonly used by men and is reported to
be present in many countries particularly in rural regions than in urban areas. A habit which
is acquired in early ages proves more intoxicating in the future. Among all, adolescents are
more prone to smoking which leads them to long term mental and physical issues. Children
who are exposed to smoke released by tobacco shows poor cardiovascular health profile
(Sharma, Ganapathy, & Sengottaiyan, 2019). Arguably, West (2017) claims that many

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smokers feel that smoking helps them cope with stress and increases their concentration
capabilities. But then, long-term smokers who reported to have stopped smoking showed
lower stress levels as compared to when they used to smoke, without any reduction in
concentration abilities. Despite the reduction seen in the past few years in smoking in public
area, tobacco remains one of the preventable causes of premature and ill-health deaths
globally.
Air pollution
The toxic air which is breathed by people globally consists of air pollution occurring
due to vehicles, industries and to a great extent, smoking. Gao, Sanna, Hefler, & Wen (2019)
documents that air pollution is known as ‘new smoking’ in news articles having titles such as
“The Air Is So Bad in These Cities, You May as Well Be Smoking” (p. 1). The authors posit
that the world has become a cornerstone of tobacco and the reference to air pollution have
raised many severe concerns. Smoke and fire caused due to tobacco can cost health and
environment effects. Around 1% of fire incidents occurring globally resulting in 300,000
deaths every year out of which smoking materials like tobacco and cigarettes are leading
causes ( Leistikow, Martin, & Milano, 2000). The air pollutants and fine particles released
during smoking like cigarette butts further litter the environment and seep into the water and
soil thereby creating water and soil pollution also.
The effects caused to non-smokers by this act
Non-smokers who are in close contact with smoky atmosphere have an amplified risk
of respiratory, heart and cancer-related diseases. According to Chonviharnpan & Lewis
(2015), tobacco consumption has increased a behavioural risk issue which causes premature
and preventable deaths globally. It is estimated that besides the increasing number of deaths
seen in smokers, around 0.6 million non-smokers who are exposed to smoke die each year.
According to Shona (2017), if the same pattern is followed, smoking will kill 8 million
people globally every year by 2020 with a massive increase of 80% of premature deaths in
lower and middle-income countries. Hence the activities of smoking must be banned and
adolescents must be closely monitored to prevent them from using such additive and
hazardous products.

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Environmental hazards
Cigarettes based on cellulose acetate are non-bridgeable in most of the cases as when
compressed, they break into small particles rather than mixing with soil. With intense
moisture and sunlight, they may break into smaller pieces and mix with environmental
particles, making surroundings toxic and hazardous. A study prepared by WHO finds that
harmful chemicals present in cigarettes like arsenic, nicotine, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons along with heavy metals leach are released in cigarette wastes which can
impact aquatic and wildlife animals. In the years 2015, around 11.5 million kilograms of
waste due to tobacco was reported by Imperial Tobacco while Altria Tobacco reports around
10.3 million in 2014 (World Health Organization, 2017). Therefore, an anti-smoking policy
needs to be developed to change the behaviour of smokers and cigarette manufacturers to
prefer healthier alternative products and contribute to a smoke-free environment.
The influence caused on the underage
Parents are considered as one of the most impactful environmental factors for
underaged or children and as they see their parents smoking, they tend to mimic their
behaviors like smoking attitude. This further develops to practical smoking in few years and
they became used to smoking at a very tender age of their life. Smoking during pregnancy
results in underdevelopment of fetus along with the increased risk of miscarriage, offspring’s
respiratory diseases and neonatal deaths (West, 2017). However, Kim & Kim (2018) argues
that although smoking impacts people health, individuals tend to smoke only if they feel
positive towards it like believe in constructive mental stability through smoking. Moreover,
social factors like stress, friendship and economic status make people smoke more often to
escape from a competitive environment. However, developing a habit of smoking at any an
early age can prove severally dangerous and life-threatening for people.
Recommendation
Exposure to smoke due to smoking in public areas can impact the health of both
children and adults which requires a well-built policy and creation of public awareness.
Public smoking is the result of human behaviour which is notorious enough to be changed
promptly, however, by creating awareness about powerful "nudges" like environmental and
health hazards can considerably influence the behaviour of smokers. Nudges can include
pictorial warnings in cigarette packs, financial incentives, warning at public places, increased
taxation etc. and guide people towards more healthier options while they choose their

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lifestyle. Policies related to anti-smoking in pubic places can be implemented with the help of
public support. This will not only increase the effectiveness behind policy implementation
but also make the topic widely spread promptly. While taking decision-related to new
policies, policymakers can take into account public acceptability towards the policy along
with other factors like reach, costs, effectiveness and support ( Hall, et al., 2019). Public
support for the policy will make smokers influenced as well as help them in taking initiatives
to adopt effective measures through which smoking can be eliminated from their life
completely.
Some major countries like Canada and Australia have comprehensively banned
smoking at public places and the guilty are not allowed with any kind of exemptions. Others
have regarded the same by disallowing smoking at major public places such as hospitals and
schools to provide a smoke-free environment. Many countries have adopted regulations
which prohibits smoking at indoor workplaces, including restaurants and bars. In short, laws
related to smoke-free environment can prove a cost-effective way that can reduce public
smoking and diseases due to smoke released in the environment (Shona, 2017). The increased
financial burden and tax imposition besides rigid control in export and import of tobacco
substances can reduce overall supply and consumption of cigarettes with typical price
elasticity created globally. Other than this, social media campaigning and television
advertising made on smoking prevention can increase awareness among smokers who then
probably will try to quit smoking and improve chances of finding ways to fight against its
addiction (West, 2017). All the recommendations made can effectively lead to a reduction in
public smoking and improved environment thereafter.
Conclusion
Even though public smoking impacts the life of smokers and people who are exposed
to smoke, it has been a prevalent issue globally which needs people and policymakers take
severe actions against it. The above report analysed how smoking endangers the life of
people around smokers in the form of passive smoking which makes them prone to critical
diseases like cancer, heart, mental and physical disorders. By looking at others, many
children and adolescent start smoking at an early age due to which the substances accumulate
in their body with time and makes smoking cessation more difficult for them. Smoking
causes water and soil pollution respectively and when animals and plants come in contact
with them, they remain affected as well. The most affected ones who are the smokers

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themselves who develops several diseases that are life-threatening as well as face devastating
consequences of cigarette consumption. Therefore, the government must develop policies like
increased taxation, social media campaigning, strict import and export of tobacco substances,
and pictorial warnings in cigarette packing through which public awareness is created to quit
smoking besides enabling cessation of public smoking effectively.

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References
Chonviharnpan, B., & Lewis, P. (2015). The Effects of Tax Changes on Tobacco
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Gao, W., Sanna, M., Hefler, M., & Wen, C. P. (2019). Air pollution is not ‘the new smoking’:
comparing the disease burden of air pollution and smoking across the globe, 1990–
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Hall, M. G., Marteau, T. M., Sunstein, C. R., Ribisl, K. M., Noar, S. M., Orlan, E. N., &
Brewer, N. T. (2019). Public support for pictorial warnings on cigarette packs: An
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Shona, E. (2017). Banning Smoking in Public Places under Ethiopian Legal Framework:
Some Evidences from Hawassa City. Beijing Law Review, 8, 526-550.
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World Health Organization. (2017). Tobacco and its environmental impact: an overview.
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