Along with such significant social problems as alcoholism, STDs, and racism, smoking cigarettes remains in the number of the most significant ones. Public attention to the problem of smoking cigarettes remains significant; in addition, smoking has undergone radical controlling measures, such as bans from numerous healthcare and governmental organizations; however, despite the seeming rationality standing behind these measures, smoking bans are in fact much less fair than it is usually considered.
To start with, a smoking ban is a manifestation of social injustice in its pure form. Even though smoking has become less popular in the recent decade, there still lives a large amount of smokers of all ages, whose rights are infringed upon by such measures. In fact, we are talking about segregation based on lifestyle criteria. Smoking is harmful and unpleasant for those who do not smoke, but aggressively denying people the rights to their habits is unacceptable, due to several reasons.
Smoking remains a legal activity, and tobacco is a legal substance. Unlike alcohol, smoking tobacco does not make people behave inadequately, and does not pose immediate danger to the health of a smoker or people around them, unlike a drunk person who can act aggressively or insulting towards others; However, smokers often have to leave an establishment they spend time in to smoke a cigarette (regardless of the weather conditions, by the way), whereas drunk people are allowed to stay inside. Besides, rather often establishments today have no separate rooms for smokers and non-smokers, so smokers often have to either accept the rules, or leave. It is strange democratic societies do not compromise in these circumstances.
Moreover, smokers today have no right to smoke in a number of other public places, such as beaches, public transport stops, or parks. In fact, smokers have to deal with zero