Ban Smoking at Farmers' Markets by Mareena

            

           Farmers markets are one of the ways families can get affected by second hand smoke. According to the CDC, secondhand smoke can cause cancer and heart disease. Imagine how many people are affected each year, especially in farmers’ markets where smokers are allowed to legally smoke around kids. The American Lung Association states that “Children exposed to second hand smoke are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, asthma attacks, eye irritation, coughing, ear infections, pneumonia, and colds.” That is a lot of health effects and a reason on why we need to ban smoking in farmers markets. Banning smoking at farmers’ markets may lower profit and business from smokers for farmers, but it’s not worth arguing when family and kids are being affected each year by secondhand smoke. Second hand smoke exposure causes an estimation of 3,400 lung cancer deaths annually and 4,600 for a heart disease. That is a high number that is caused just from exposure, not from smoking the actual cigarette.        

            Most people know that second hand smoke is harmful, but think about the effects of when you consume tobacco smoke. Would it be the same as inhaling or worse? When smokers smoke at farmers’ markets, the tobacco smoke can get on the produce. People, who are unaware of this, buy the produce to consume. The produce they purchased may be contaminated with tobacco smoke. Everybody believes that all produce from farmers’ markets are healthy and safe, but sometimes that can be false. Farmers markets usually promote health, but allowing people to smoke at them sends the opposite message. Seeing people smoke at farmers’ market can make other people think that it’s socially acceptable when it’s not. No parent or guardian would want their kids to think it would be okay to smoke. However, some kids may think it is okay because they see people smoking often and portrayed as a normal habit. This could happen at a farmers’ market and gives another reason on why we need to ban smoking at farmers’ market. If we don't take action now, secondhand smoke will continue to affect the lives of innocent people.