The Mayor of New York proposes a ban on smoking in the city parks, beaches and public plazas. Many states across the US, including New York City already banned smoking in bars and restaurants. Non-smokers are happy about the ban, but the smokers feel the ban is an invasion of their rights. The recent proposal is thought to help cut down the amount of second hand smoke residents are exposed to while in public. Although the Center for Disease Control has stated that second hand smoke is dangerous. Detractors of the new proposal claim there is no definitive evidence on how harmful second hand smoke is to people in outdoor spaces. The Mayor states that previous bans have reduced the number of people who die from smoking related diseases like cancer and other respiratory diseases.
Lung cancer kills many people around the country every year. There are numerous environmental factors which causes lung cancer and other cancers. Breathing in environmental toxins such as air pollution, pesticides along with cigarette smoke can damage the lungs and lead to pulmonary diseases and different types of lung cancer including mesothelioma.
One type of lung cancer called mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer which affects people exposed to asbestos, a commonly used building material. Asbestos was prevalently used in buildings until its use was prohibited because it is the direct caused of mesothelioma. Workers who have been directly exposed to asbestos can contract the fatal cancer, even though smoking doesn’t cause mesothelioma, people who smoke increase their risks of developing mesothelioma.
