# FILE NAME: 00000529.soc
# TITLE: Should we ban all smoking in public places? [1f70a9c1d2dd37e040e67ba81527a96e]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 5
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - Smoking should be banned in all public places. Second-hand smoke is harmful and unpleasant for non-smokers. Smokers need to be considerate to others and to their own health. We should do all that we can to discourage smoking.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - “Smoking is a dangerous and harmful activity that poses serious health risks to both smokers and non-smokers. This is not only evident from the effects of smoking on smokers themselves, but also from the effects on non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke. With this in mind, it is necessary to take a firm stance against smoking and ban smoking in public places in order to protect people from these health risks. Banning smoking in public places will also serve to deter people from starting to smoke, reduce the number of current smokers, and hopefully one day lead to a smoking-free society. However, such a ban should be accompanied by other initiatives, such as support for smokers to quit or switch to alternative products like nicotine patches or e-cigarettes, that reduce the harms of smoking and can help to stop people from starting to smoke.” The above opinion of the participants on the smoking question demonstrates how an intelligent and rational consensus can be reached by the participants using a structured framework for the debate. This framework includes a proper formulation of the question, using the right questions to guide the debate, and writing down the arguments for and against a given view. These questions can be very simple, but at the
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - Smoking in public places should be banned. It is not healthy for non smokers to inhale other peoples smoke. Also non smokers do not have a choice about inhaling smoke if a smoker is stood next to them. It is selfish of smokers to do this and they should be more considerate to non smokers. They should smoke in private places only away from public areas. This affects peoples of all ages and may have adverse affect on someone with health conditions.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - In general, the group was in favour of banning smoking in public places because of the potential harm to other people. However, they felt that banning smoking in public places would not solve the problem of smoking and should be combined with other initiatives that provide support to smokers to quit smoking and find alternative ways to satisfy their need for nicotine that are not harmful to themselves or others.
1: 4,1,3,2
1: 3,1,2,4
1: 1,3,4,2
1: 4,2,3,1
1: 2,1,3,4