I don’t smoke, but I find the ever increasing restrictions on smoking absurd.
Sure, I understand that smoking indoors should be curtailed because it effects non-smokers, but outdoor bans are ridiculous?
What next? Corporal punishment for smoking?
Outdoor bans in public places are not ridiculous. As a non-smoker I am prohibited from combusting any material I want in public places ... therefore smokers are given ‘special rights’ that I do not have.
I do not agree with smoking bans in private places or private businesses. That is of no concern to government.
The only moral (and presumably, legal) reasoning for such prohibition outdoors is preventing real (and physical) harm to others; NOT THE RESULT OF NEUROTIC PANIC. This has NEVER been scientifically proven.
In fact, The largest, most detailed true scientific study of second hand smoke was buried by the anti-smokers, both in and out of government, and was prepared by the World Health Organization under the auspices of the UN. It lasted many years, and involved tens of thousands of people, but failed to arrive at the "politically correct" answer.
The neurotic, rabid anti-smokers can be tolerated; the careless government rulemakers cannot. The Constitution still applies to everyone, and most obviously and evidently, the Federal Rules of Evidence have been blatantly ignored.
The latest version is 2012. Remember, these apply by order of the Supreme Court!
Specifically see Historical Note.