Support public smoking bans

It is not a secret that I believe in a healthy lifestyle for those I care about, from my family and the extended families I have through the hundreds of children I serve in my ministry, and it is not a secret that smoking cigarettes is bad for a person’s health.  I work hard to show teenagers that starting bad habits early can have devastating effects on their lives.  Also is the whole issue of second-hand smoke and how it can be just as bad as smoking for those who are around smokers, including children.

As a result of this information, many public schools, universities, libraries, art galleries, courthouses, bars and restaurants are smoke free areas.  This has been a controversial issue wherever smoking bans have been proposed.   Economic losses of bars and restaurants are cited for the opposition of such bans, and the truth is any loss is usually minimal over time, and some new customer start going to places that were formerly smoking areas.

For those who smoke, consider stopping or at least be considerate of those around you and respect their requests not to smoke. The savings is the cost of cigarettes will be noticeable, too.

Smoke-free legislation reduces emergency hospitalizations for childhood asthma, saving lives and healthcare dollars, according to a recent study from Scotland published in the New England Journal of Medicine. According to the study, before the legislation was implemented, admissions for asthma were increasing at a mean rate of 5.2 percent per year. After implementation of the legislation, there was a mean reduction in the rate of admissions of 18.2 percent per year relative to the rate on March 26, 2006.

This is just one of the many studies available today which prove that public smoking bans will save lives, save money and save healthcare costs.  The most important aspect of a public smoking ban will be the benefit our children will receive, directly and indirectly.

Peace be you with always,

Rev. Paul Abernathy

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” -2 Peter 1:2

Contact Paul Abernathy at paulabernathy@gmail.com.

Want to know more about the members of Lambda Sigma Chi? Click here to meet the members of the unofficial fraternity.