Should smoking be banned in bars?

I’d like to know the reasoning for the guidelines in Iqaluit’s upcoming anti-smoking bylaw. Why is it that only bars and places restricted to people over the age of 18 may allow smoking? This is a great step in protecting kids from second-hand smoke diseases but what about the rest of the population?

Anyone over 18 is not immune to cancer, so why has their health been ignored in this new bylaw? Is the city saying that the health of an 18-year-old is more important than a 19-year-old? The right to breathe clean air should not be restricted to an age group.

I’d also like to say that this new bylaw may open doors to possible lawsuits against the City of Iqaluit. Why is one business like the Tulugaq Bar exempt from the bylaw, and another business like the Kamotik Inn covered by it?

Steven Lonsdale
Ottawa