Question

Editor: Now that it has been definitely established that nonsmokers have the right to tell smokers not to pollute their air, it follows that people who don’t own cars have the right to tell car owners not to drive. Right?" (Jim Hodge, San Francisco Chronicle)

Answer 1

The editorial question links the rights of non-smokers to avoid secondhand smoke with the rights of non-car owners to avoid pollution from vehicles, emphasizing that both secondhand smoke and vehicle emissions pose serious health risks, and regulations are in place to protect public health.

Step-by-step explanation:

The editorial question suggests a comparison between the rights of non-smokers to avoid secondhand smoke and the potential rights of non-car owners to reduce air pollution from vehicles. The argument stems from the principle that since non-smokers have the established right to breathe air not polluted by tobacco smoke, it stands to reason that those who do not own cars may assert a similar right regarding the air quality impacted by car emissions.

Over time, science has definitively shown that secondhand smoke can cause severe health issues in non-smokers. The only way to completely protect non-smokers from these dangers is to eliminate indoor smoking. Moreover, measures like separate smoking sections and air purification do not fully eliminate secondhand smoke exposure. Similarly, motor vehicle emissions contribute significantly to air pollution and the creation of smog, with serious health consequences. According to a study, vehicle emissions are linked to tens of thousands of early deaths each year in the U.S. alone, highlighting the public's stake in air quality just as much as in the case of smoking regulations.

Answer 2

Yes, it's correct

Step-by-step explanation:

The nonsmokers have the right to tell smokers not to pollute their air, it follows that people who don’t own cars have the right to tell car owners not to drive, because the air from smokers (tobaco, etc.) can create bad impacts on others' health and if the car owners do not know how to drive and still drive their cars carelessly, it will cause the traffic accidents. So, you do not need to own any cars to have the right to tell car owners not to drive.