Of course Smokers' should have rights. They are entitled to the same rights as everybody else. I think this whole question of rights for smokers and others comes down to ethical considerations. Ethics is all about doing what is right. I think it was the Greek philosopher Aristotle who stated something like that. And what is doing what is right? Well this really comes down to doing whatever is going to cause least harm to others. The law, our behavior in society, and accepted ethical considerations often go hand in hand. For example, it is against the law to damage someone else's property. This is also not socially acceptable behavior and it is obviously unethical. However, consider another scenario, such as telling a lie. Now, this may or may not be against the law. It is really a consideration of the context in which the lie was told. And, from the point of view of our behavior in society, telling lies in generally unacceptable. But, if as Aristotle claims, that ethics is doing the least harm to others, there may well be situations where telling a lie may be a preferable situation to being totally honest. Now, what has all this got to do with smokers and their rights? Well, I shall try to explain, taking into consideration the three factors mentioned above. That is: The Law Acceptable Behavior in Society, and Ethics Firstly, the law regarding the use of tobacco products has changed considerably in recent years in most western countries. Why has it changed? There is now overwhelming evidence of the dangers associated with smoking and the use of tobacco products. Those dangers apply not just to the users of the product, but also to all who come into contact with the toxic fumes of burning tobacco. So, exposing others to these risks is no longer socially acceptable. And, smoking in the vicinity of others is certainly not causing least harm, so therefore is also unethical. Laws tend to reflect societies' values. In my part of the world, smoking is no longer allowed in restaurants, pubs, clubs, and in most work places. It is not legal, socially acceptable, or ethical to go and beat up someone. Even if it is legal in some places, it certainly is not socially acceptable or ethical for smokers to breathe their dangerous passive smoke anywhere where others may be adversely afffected by it. I do have empathy for smokers who would prefer not to be smokers. I was in that category myself for many years. It is difficult to stop and stay stopped. There is not one effective method of stopping smoking and staying stopped that works for everybody. If you are a smoker who wishes to quit, you will need to find the strategies that are right for you. There are some excellent resources available for you however. www.stayingstopped.info is one such source, and has link that will take you to many others. But in conclusion I will reiterate what I said at the beginning of this article. Smokers do have rights! They have the same rights as the rest of us! But, none of us have the right to cause harm to others.
Ian McKenzie (www.ianmckenzie.name) is Director of Ian McKenzie's Domains, and Professional Performance Australia. He has a work history background in education, motivation and health promotion. His web site Staying Stopped www.stayingstopped.info has useful strategies for smokers trying to quit and for health professionals working with smokers.
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