Minnesota's Smoking Ban Begins - A Victory for Public Respiratory Health

I grew up in a household shrouded by a thick cloud of smoke. Both parents are smokers, and my father especially smokes a lot. My mother would occasionally be in my bedroom using my computer early in the morning while I slept and she'd be smoking there. I couldn't cover my mouth then, nor could I most of the time because it happened everywhere, all the time, every day. That is, until a specialist on asthma officially diagnosed me with exercise-induced asthma and warned my parents against smoking around me. This didn't occur until I was seventeen years old. As there's no real family history of asthma in my background, one can only assume that I am afflicted by this because of my parents' smoking habits.

Gee, thanks Mom and Dad.

Now, I am not incredibly bitter about this, and I love my parents deeply, but this obviously shows that there are people out there like my parents who don't realize the dangers of secondhand smoke. Though we try to educate the public on this serious issue through public service announcements and classes through public schools, the message doesn't always hit home.

Now, Minnesotans are being forced to wake up to this issue. Whether they like it or not, smokers are no longer allowed to smoke inside public places here. The ban has been in effect in Minneapolis for some time, and now it's gone statewide as of today. Though it has some business owners and many smokers angry, it has asthmatics like myself elated. We can now enter any dining establishment we'd like without harming our health.

It is also my hope that this ban will force smokers to pay attention. Yes, the smoke that comes from your cigarette does hurt others. It's a proven fact that cannot be disputed. If you must harm your own health by continuing to smoke, take it outside. Take it away from your children, take it away from the waiters and waitresses who have had to endure smoky environment to make a living despite the harm to their health, and take it away from every other healthy individual who doesn't feel like leaving a bar or restaurant smelling of your smoke.

Some say this ban is the government meddling in the affairs of private establishments, though I feel that in this case the government should intervene. This is a matter of public safety and it is the government's responsibility to protect its people, even if it means protecting them from themselves, much like laws regarding motor vehicles, building codes, and others that deal with private property already do.

I'm proud of my state for passing and upholding this ban. It is my most sincere of hopes that other states will follow suit. We have already proven here in the Twin Cities that smoking bans do not drive business away. Businesses supply areas for smokers outside their establishments to keep their smoking clientèle happy, and keeping the air clean and breathable keeps the rest of us, especially those of us with chronic respiratory illnesses, happy as well.

So, to all of those who are unhappy about this ban, please do realize that there are many of us who desperately needed a ban like this to take effect. The law is not an attempt by the government to bully private establishments, but rather to keep citizens, both patrons and employees alike, healthy and happy for a long time to come. Though it may cause short-term inconvenience for some, the long-term benefits for the majority are far more important on this divisive issue.