Should Smoking be banned completely?!

It should not be banned 100%, but, education against it should be strong and constant.

No. Ban cell phones. They are more annoying.

or crying babies..
THOSE are annoying.

--or ban the president from making stupid speeches

what about public farting?
that should be illegal..

If we ere to ban everything that is potentially harmful to us, we would have to ban all McDonald's outlets, most drinking water and all alcoholic beverages. That latter was tried once in the USA. It was one of the major disasters of the 20th Century -- Prohibition. I agree with Edgar that the dangers of smoking should be taught more emphatically than has been the case so far. But I am against banning anything. It onlymakes the substance seem more enticing. I am in favor of legalizing marijuana and most other "recreational" drugs. Their sale and use should be carefully controlled, but it makes no sense to ban them outright.

Ban smoking? Over my lifeless body.

Okay, MA. I'm back on planet earth. Keep the damn cell phones.

I'd be fine if they stopped selling cigarettes here in Canada!

Those buggers need to pick and side and go with it.

If for nothing more than a last stand against fascism, I say "no".

It is human behavior that is the detrimental factor not cigarettes, alcohol, or high fat content food. This is America. Any behavior that does not inflict harm on others should be allowed. However, any individual that chooses such behavior should not then be able to then enter into a court of law and whine about the end effects of their chosen acts with the express intent of profiting from them.

JM

even living in a hurricane, earthquake, tornado, or volcano zone

oops - I forgot it's more subjective to the risk you are willing to take for someone else making it safe for you in advance

No, smoking should not be banned, but smokers should be required to wear a plastic bubble with exhaust filtration while smoking in any public building or upwind of any child or non-smoker. I hated it when someone would sit down and blow smoke right into my baby's face.

A better solution might be to require manufacturers to reduce the nicotine content of cigarettes by 10% per year, which should make quitting easier. Or would people just smoke more to get the same effect?

I would guess they'll smoke tobacco or cigars if that happened.

..yeah they should from all bars and clubs and restaurants, we are smoke free, so is Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Italy and a few other countries...how nice to be able to eat out without looking down at carpet with cigarette burn holes all through it, also burnholes on upholstery etc, let alone the smell...and yes, I am a smoker and it doesnt bother me going outside for a ciggy!

Kiwi: it really sucks having cigs sold BUT not being allowed to smoke in certain areas. It quickly gets out of hand, and ridiculous. Just check out what has happened where I'm at: Manitoba, Canada.

This is a real beef of mine. The gov't/ state/ 'authorities' gets to cash in on selling tobacco, while simultaneously sucking-up to those opposed to smoking. I say: one way or the other. No little rules. If tobacco is legal - do not persecute/hassle those who choose to smoke.

Thats how I used to think as well, but hey smokers are dwindling by the numbers as it is lol...however I think in Public 'enclosed' places, they should not allow it...outside in the garden bars is ok or outside dining, I cant see the problem with any of that, before the law came into effect here, I had already found it disgusting, while eating out to find that the neighboring table and all its occupants smoking away, and all their smoke wafting over me...so I cant see the big deal at all.

What I find very agravating is yes, the Governments make a lot of money from us smokers and you would think that they would subsidise the Nicorette or at least half of it and all those other so called 'quit smoking' help products! Paying over $100 is a ridiculous amount!...but what can we do huh?

I can tell you never sat in a 20'x45' room for three hours in a government meeting with forty people who were all chainsmoking.

I can tell you from experience that you being the only person in the room who doesn't smoke is a limited asset in that sort of situation. It would often take two hours for my eyes to start working again afterwards. I'll take my chances being around cell-phone freaks.

How can anyone BAN smoking?
People will still smoke tobacco, like they still smoke cannabis.
Educate and wait.
That's all we can do.

Might as well ban cars while your at it. I don't drive a car but I have to put up with their smoke every day.