Belgium to become first EU country to ban disposable vape sales. Really!

The usual government paternalism! Teenagers try a lot of things! That does not mean they will become addicted etc.!

Smokers in England to be offered vaping kits to help them quit cigarettes

The witch hunt on smokers continues! As if vaping was so much healthier! What are e.g. actually the effects of secondary vaping?

What are the ulterior motives here? More vaping business? 

There is no scarcity of human follies!

"Ministers are to urge 1 million smokers to swap cigarettes for vapes, despite increasing alarm about the rise in young people vaping.

Under the new “swap to stop” scheme, vape starter kits will be offered to almost one in five of all smokers in England as part of the government’s “smoke free” drive.

Pregnant women will also be offered up to £400 to stop smoking and a consultation will be launched on introducing mandatory advice on quitting smoking to be placed in cigarette packs. ..."

Smokers in England to be offered vaping kits to help them quit cigarettes | Smoking | The Guardian ‘Swap to stop’ scheme comes despite increasing alarm about rise in young people vaping

Smoking Bans In The U.S. Are Unconstitutional

Posted: 4/26/2015

Trigger

Just read this “http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/us/new-orleans-smoking-ban.html”. New Orleans or the Big Easy just became the latest of the major tourist cities in the U.S. to ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

From this article, I learnt there is such a lobby as the National Nonsmokers Rights Foundation.

As I have written elsewhere on my blog, the majority of nonsmokers persecution of the minority of smokers is a modern witch hunt by big government (see here and here).

Is Las Vegas Next?

It appears that city wide smoking bans in bars started in a town in California in 1990 (source).

“In 2002, Delaware became the first state to adopt what the CDC [Centers for Disease Control And Prevention] considers a comprehensive anti-smoking law—one that bans smoking in private workplaces, restaurants, and bars.” (source)

“As of January 2014, 28 states have enacted statewide bans on smoking in all enclosed public places, including all bars and restaurants” (source)

Blatantly Unconstitutional

For a government entity to prohibit smoking in private businesses is a grave violation of private property rights. Same goes if the majority of voters of a state, county, or municipal endorse such a ban.

Such smoking bans are grave violation of individual liberty imposed by an overzealous majority of nonsmokers.

Further, this assault on the minority of smokers could also be seen as a form of illegitimate discrimination based on the very contestable notion of promoting public health. Second hand smoke exposure is an overblown health scare. Or is it the odor?

What could possibly be considered constitutional is for government entities to completely ban smoking in government office buildings, but even that might go too far.

Moreover:

1. Any business can voluntarily ban smoking entirely or partially in their establishment to attract nonsmokers etc.
2. Businesses can install adequate air filtering systems etc. to minimize exposure
3. Nonsmokers are free to open and/or operate their own bars and restaurants. Nonsmokers are also free to buy any hospitality business and convert it to a nonsmoking environment
4. No employee is forced to work in a smoking environment or they can reduce their exposure by working there only for a period of time if no other alternative is available etc.

Thank The Native Americans

The citizens of the U.S. (smokers and nonsmokers)  should thank their native people for running casinos in many places of the country where smoking indoors is still allowed.

Oh, by the way, I have never smoked in my life! :-)

Unconstitutional Smoking Bans In The U.S.

Prologue

I am a lifelong non smoker, but to vapor e-cigarettes could be something I would consider. I have high school friends who smoke, but they are very considerate.

This topic of government mandated smoking bans as well as advertisement bans for tobacco have been dear to me for some time.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoking_bans_in_the_United_States#States_with_no_statewide_smoking_ban

Outrageously Unconstitutional!

Interference with freedom of contract and private property to the extent that government smoking bans adversely affect private businesses.

It is up to restaurant owners to cater to either both smokers or nonsmokers or both. Customers/patrons are free to choose where they want to spend their money.

Even at the workplace it should be up to the employer/owner to decide about smoke free etc. working environments. Again, employees are free to choose where to work.

Few States Have No Statewide Smoking Bans

Did you know that according to Wikipedia as of early 2014 only 10 states have no such bans applying to the private sector.

Oklahoma appears to be the only state respecting individual freedom and free markets in this respect. “In Oklahoma, state law prohibits local governments from regulating smoking more strictly than the state, making it the only state without any kind of legislated smoking bans.” I congratulate!

Tyranny Of The Majority

In my estimation, government mandated smoking bans are nothing but pandering to the majority of nonsmokers. It seems to be a classical case of the tyranny of majority at the expense of individual liberty, private property, and free markets!

Ban On Smoking Is A Modern Witch Hunt And Another Road To Serfdom

History Does Repeat

They say history does not repeat itself! But it does sometimes! Those repeats in different disguises and many contemporaries fail to see the similarities to previous events.

I am not a smoker and I really do not like tobacco smoke in any kind or form (exception perhaps pipe). However, one of my best friends is a long-time and very considerate cigarette smoker.

Why A Witch Hunt!

First, like witches, smokers appear to be an easily identifiable minority in our society.

Second, smokers are being singled out and discriminated against.

Third, health arguments (prominently danger from second hand smoke) have been tremendously exaggerated. It is irrational. It is like superstition in the modern age. Cost to society arguments are not much better, because why not charge individual smokers.

The Road Of Small Steps Towards Serfdom

I just read that the German parliament is working on a comprehensive law to ban smoking from public spaces including restaurants etc. In Germany, after almost sixty years of democracy and freedom, there is still a strong tendency for the authoritarian state (Obrigkeitsstaat) to manifest itself. In Berlin, they elite knows what is good for the people and what is not.

How far have we come that we try to ban something that for most of the 20th century was considered hip to do? Just look at old movies. Smoking has been accepted for centuries by many nations with temporary or spatial exceptions. For the past two decades or so, Western governments have become more intrusive to order adults when and where they can smoke.

The massive litigation in the USA against tobacco industry is another example of how state governments in this case in collusion with trial lawyers tried to line their pockets with billions of dollars.

The ban on smoking in New York bars by mayor Bloomberg is another example of government meddling going overboard. The high taxes on cigarettes imposed by mayor Bloomberg are an insult to anyone’s intellect.

Trust The Individual!

One way how you identify an authoritarian, interventionist government, be it democratic or not, is by how much they trust the individual.

In principle, it should be left largely to private businesses and individuals to deal with the issue of smoking. For instance, restaurants and bars: if I do not like to be in a smoke filled environment I will not patronize such an establishment. Leave it to bar or restaurant owners how they want to attract paying guests.

Smoking adults should be convinced or persuaded to give up smoking not be forced or harassed by government!

Is This Only The Beginning?

You bet! If the citizens do not stop this kind of encroachment by government, others will follow! Is junk food next? Or motorcycle riding? Or paragliding? Why not restrict alcohol consumption more?

As they say in German “Wehret den Anfaengen!” (roughly, resist the outset). However, famous German lethargy “Traegheit” does not bode well. Or do the German citizens not trust their fellow citizens that is why they are wishing government to take care?