Editorial: Your Freedom Ends Where My Nose Begins by David

Second-hand smoke has a major effect on individuals who never smoked in their lives. Second-hand smoke is one of the leading causes of birth defects and serious medical conditions.There are many ways to reduce one of the most dangerous airborne diseases. But in order to decrease the risks of contracting anything related to smoking hazards, there must be regulations for this serious problem. We can live in a better environment if we start acting on cigarette smokers.

Inhaling smoke from another individual can have major impacts on birth defects. It causes 430 sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) annually each year. This can devastate parents who have never smoked but had the experience of losing a child from second-hand smoke. Babies who who breathe second-hand smoke have a higher chance of developing weaker lungs. They can develop a cough or wheeze more and have a harder time getting over colds. It makes it easier for infants to contract infections.

Research shows that people who are around tobacco smokers/smoke causes 42,000 deaths from heart disease and about 3,400 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. If we had a better approach to this type of situation, one of the leading causes of lung cancer would not affect a many.

One would say that as time goes on, lung cancer deaths from second-hand smoking will increase. But I believe that we can stop the deaths of second-hand smoking if we place sanctions on smokers. Parents despise the thought of their children being influenced into smoking. If we are able to have designated locations such as smoke rooms, casinos and bars for tobacco smokers, we can reduce the dangers of second-hand smoking. Nonetheless, second-hand smoking has a major effect on individuals who have never smoked and should be regulated for a safer environment.