There is an ongoing debate on whether smoking in public buildings should be banned or not. Some people argue that the policy is nonsense because they also have a freedom to do what they want. In opposition to this point, I strongly believe that smoking have to be prohibited in public offices. The rationale behind this is that the policy would improve public health, save money, and enhance productivity.
More than anything else, smokers should quit smoking in offices in order to protect physical health of others. As we all know, second-hand smoking is very harmful to non-smokers because the unfiltered chemicals from smoke can directly go into nearby people. For example, a national study, conducted by Korea Health Organization, shows that second-hand smoking causes lung cancer two times more than direct smoking. Actually, there are many patients who have lung cancer, even though they are not smokers. They frequently claim that their husbands, co-workers, and friends who usually smoke near them are responsible for their disease. This example clearly demonstrates that smoking in public places should not be allowed for the health of general public.
Next, this new policy would save substantial money. Scientists revealed that many chemicals in smoke are usually trapped in their surroundings, such as wallpaper and curtains. What is more, these compounded materials are often released later, threatening the pleasant atmosphere of a building. To illustrate, last year, my company decided to replace all of the curtains and wallpaper. This was because many workers complained that they could feel unpleasant smells in the office, which was attributed to cigarette. The boss of my company had to spend more than ten thousand dollars replacing them, and finally banned on smoking in the office building. In this respect, it is logical that lighting ups have negative aspect economically.
Finally, introducing new policy of keeping smokers from lighting up in office building would bring more productivity. There are chain smokers who always smoke every minute, taking as many break times as possible in an attempt to fulfill their desire for smoke. This often causes a company to lose a great amount of efficiency. For instance, after banning on smoking in my office, the whole productivity has increased about ten percent. This was totally because many smokers, including heavy ones, did not stop working their tasks frequently. Judging from my personal experience, it is beneficial for a company to forbid smoking in their own buildings for better profits.
To sum up, I argue that people should not be allowed to smoke in public buildings on the grounds that enhancing public health, reducing unnecessary fund, and improving working efficiency. All in all, it is undeniable that there are more advantages in banning tobacco in public places, including public good.
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