English, baby!

Smoking Ban

Date: Oct 19 2007

Intro

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It’s been proven that secondhand smoke is almost as likely to cause health problems as lighting up yourself. People started to notice that waitresses and bartenders who work in a smoky environment for a long period of time were developing lung cancer, even if they didn’t smoke.

In order to protect the employees of businesses where you’re allowed to smoke, each state in the United States is slowly passing a ban on smoking in public places. In Washington it’s already illegal to smoke in a bar or restaurant and by 2009 it will be illegal to do so in Portland as well.

While nobody wants to give their bartender lung cancer, a lot of people are opposed to the smoking ban. They think it’s crazy. “No smoking in bars?” they say. “What’s next, no drinking?”

Watch Devan and Beren argue about the smoking ban.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Beren

Devan

Mason

Beren: So…what do you think about the smoking ban?

Devan: I think it’s awesome.

Beren: That’s what everybody says. I think it’s okay. I’m not a heavy, heavy smoker. I usually only smoke if I’m out already and that’s good though because then if you’re trying to quit smoking, you know, you’ll be less inclined to go outside.

Devan: I know the smokers are complaining, saying the bar scene is their scene, it’s their place to smoke inside, but when you don’t smoke and everyone you know hangs out at bars…And my health is constantly being jeopardized so that you guys can smoke, I don’t think that’s right. Plus, it sucks, I always reek of cigarettes. My clothes smell. My hair smells, and I don’t even smoke and that’s supposed to be the perk of not smoking. That and not having your health be in jeopardy, and both of those things are at risk when people can smoke inside. So I think it’s great.

Beren: Eh, it’s alright. I don’t know. It could go either way. Even if I was not a smoker, smelling like smoke for a little bit is a small price to pay for a good evening. It’s rock ‘n’ roll.

Devan: Why don’t you go stand outside.

Beren: Cigarettes and liquor go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.

Devan: You can drink and then you can go outside.

Beren: Like 30 feet away from any entrance. I don’t know.

Mason: You guys should fight.

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Discussion

Devan thinks the smoking ban is great. Beren says she thinks it’s okay. She smokes a little but not a lot and knows it will help people quit smoking, and that’s good.

Devan says she knows that a lot of people are against the ban because they think that bars are for smoking. But like the staff of those bars who don’t smoke, Devan doesn’t appreciate smelling like smoke and having to breathe unhealthy air in order to go out.

Beren thinks Devan shouldn’t complain since it only affects her when she goes out. Smoking makes a place seem more rock ‘n’ roll, and Beren thinks it’s worth it.

Devan and Beren continue to argue for a minute before Mason yells from off camera telling them to fight.

Do you smoke? Where are people allowed to smoke in your city?

Comments

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peyman1athlete

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i candt stand smokers!!

Old Yeller

United Arab Emirates

i dont smoke and iwont forever

umitcan

Turkey

ı hate cigarettes …. and I never kiss a girl who smokes.

kokoboko

Ukraine

I`ve never smoked in my life. Besides disgusting smell, bad appearance and spoiled health you can gain nothing.

Ukraine has one of the highest numbers of smokers in Europe, with most people starting by the age of 12. Doctors say smoking-related diseases kill around 100,000 people each year.

But according to the Ministry of Health, the number of smokers in Ukraine has decreased by 5% in the last year, compared with the previous year.

The main reasons may be the increase in excise taxes and the prices of tobacco products, the restriction on public smoking and the prohibition of direct advertising.

My hope for Ukraune is achieving a total ban on cigarette advertising, particularly on the Internet, points of sale, and in places of public catering like restaurants and bars.

In my city of Kyiv, smoking is banned in playgrounds, parks, bus stops and other public places. Anyone caught smoking in public places can be fined up to 340 hryvnia or around $43.

However not many follow the rules.

Recently Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers approved a list of images for cigarette packs, warning of the dangers of smoking.

agansaglik

Turkey

Sory for mr , it is correct form “miss Beren “

agansaglik

Turkey

Sory for mr , it is correct form “miss Beren “

agansaglik

Turkey

In this dialog , I will take a position at side of Deren. I should advice to quit smoking to Beren. Mr Beren ; The world without smoking is more beautiful . Otherwise, your health necessary for us. We love you.

Gingy

Turkey

i hate smoke and smokers in the public

bebo_11

Spain

i am a heavy smoker. right now is not allowed to smoke in bars in Spain, and i agree with the low. I think that my right to smoke finish when other people is forced to smell my smoke.

sabynette22

Algeria

i don't smoke and i hate cigarettes in my country it's banned to smoke in public areas but in some restaurants there are two parts one for smokers and the other for non-smoker i think it's cool

Soulmate27

Poland

I don’t like smoking. Recently when my mum was in hospital and we gone ouside to the garden – there was so many smokers ! paranoia…

Ahshan

China

personally i hate smoke cus my father is a heavy heavy smoker,he can smoke a pack of cigarettes each day !and it makes my mother smoke secondhand cigarettes ,smoking is quite unhealthy for both of them !

so i have determined not to smoke for all my life. additonally,i would not like to drink ,this is my principle in main !

Esraa.s

Saudi Arabia

I am with the decision to ban smoking in bars
Step by step and will be eliminated on the phenomenon of smoking

•●merciful●•

Ukraine

hello there. i'm from ukraine. unfortunately in my country there is no ban of smoking. it's very sad – but the number of smoking people grow rapidly espacially among youth.

matteo-italy-85

Italy

IN MY COUNTRY THE SMOCKING BAN IS VERY GOOD!! I AM A SMOKER AND THE BAN IS REALLY OKAY FOR ANYBODY THAT DON'T SMOCKING!!

ivy won

China

i don't think is a bad thing if you like smoking and then you are in public place which allows to smoking ,that's free.

humilisnf

Brazil

I have already smoked but I stopped. It was in the college. I think that the ban in interesting, it can help many people to stop smoking and don't have diseases…

aamish

Afghanistan

It is very good habit to not smoke in public places, because it only not damage the health of smokers but other public too.

i myself not smoke cigarettes but use to smoke Hashish once in a day, but i also trying to leave it.

Don't smoke my friends Please ..plz…plz…plz…

liyuyi2006

China

yeah, i also do not like smoking .

it is unhealthy and very dirty to me.

giving us a healthy life is important.

David

China

I like the smoking ban.Smoking shoud be forbidden in all public places The government shoud creat smoking area for smoker and punish the somker smoking in all public places no smoking so as to protect all the people who don't smoke.