No Vices: Ill. Eyes Bans on Powdered Alcohol and Caffeine, E-cigs

Newsmax ^ | April 1, 2015 | Benjamin Yount, Watchdog.org

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Illinois lawmakers are close to banning — or partially banning — new versions of some of the most popular products on any convenience store shelf.

The Illinois state Senate is poised to vote on two proposed laws outlawing powdered alcohol, often called Palcohol, and powdered caffeine.

Chicago Democrat Ira Silverstein is pushing the powdered alcohol ban, and the proposal cleared a legislative committee last week.

Illinois Watchdog reached out to Silverstein, but he did not immediately return our calls.

Silverstein has said, however, that he's afraid for young people.

"It's the type of item that can be sprinkled on food or put in drinks," Silverstein told the State Journal Register.

But Sherzod Abdukadirov, a research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, said the fear about what could possibly, maybe, perhaps, occur is a dangerous one.

"The problem with banning [these things] proactively is that you're actually focusing on hypothetical risks," Abdukadirov said. "And there are some many hypothetical risks, that if we keep chasing every potential or possible harm our job will never be done."

Abdukadirov said the proposed bans are real-life examples of the ‘precautionary principal.'

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Nanny State PING!

[a fool in paradise]

Is powdered alcohol regulated by the state alcohol bureau and if not why not?

Is this available at convenience stores that are not permitted to sell liquor?

I’m okay with it, just asking about availability.

And corporate bars (like House of Blues with beer priced between $9-12 a serving and wells that start at $10) would be one of the chief businesses against consumers bringing this product into their establishment to circumvent the high price model.

[Mastador1]

But Sherzod Abdukadirov, a research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, said the fear about what could possibly, maybe, perhaps, occur is a dangerous one.

Well heck yeah, we've all seen that opinion borne out in the examples of Obama's election, the gay agenda and Boehner's leadership.

[Maudeen]

Silverstein has said, however, that he’s afraid for young people.

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If he’s so afraid for young people, why doesn’t he also address the state’s educational system and data mining setup while he is at it. . .dangerous to more students than powdered caffeine. The senator needs to follow these kids home that he is talking about and look behind the door. Therein lies the problem.

[JRandomFreeper]

So, because he may crap his pants, he wants everyone to wear diapers.

I see the irrationality of the left.

/johnny

[jjsheridan5]

Neither caffeine nor e-cigs are vices. Not in any meaningful sense of the word.

[grundle]

After Ralph Nader said that plutonium was the most dangerous substance in the world, a nuclear physicist offered the following challenge to Nader: the physicist would eat as much plutonium as Nader wanted him to eat, on the condition that Nader would eat caffeine of the same amount. Nader rejected the challenge:

http://www.phyast.pitt.edu/~blc/book/chapter13.html

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!