[SheLion]

[SheLion]

It's easy for lawmakers to make decisions for others, especially when they aren't held responsible for the consequences.

[Niteranger68]

How long will it be before some state (like Kalifornia) decides to ban meat in restaurants to keep from offending vegetarians?

[Pessimist]

"..lawmakers also relied on studies indicating that smoking bans are actually good for the restaurant and bar business."

You find a study to show whatever you want these days.

[newgeezer]

If restaurant employees are concerned about smoke in their workplace, for once they're fortunate to be in a transient and fluid industry where there are other places to work for qualified staff.

But, the same could be said of mine workers. If they don't like the conditions, they're free to find other work. The government has no business telling mine owners how to run their mines. Right?

(Don't get me wrong. I think the second-hand smoke argument is questionable at best. Since worker safety is the ONLY possible justification for such government intrusion, opponents should focus on debunking the second-hand smoke claims.)

[OldFriend]

The smoking ban like the Highlands Act will be the beacons of corruption that mark this state for a long time.

Of course the Mt. Laurel decision is part of a long line of suspect laws passed in this state.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

If they were really interested in reducing public health hazards and expenses they would pass strict anti-sodomy laws and enforce them vigorously. The so-called gay lifestyle is infinitely more destructive and expensive than burning leaves in little paper tubes. But that's politically incorrect and laying punitive taxes on the backs of smokers is moronically easy tax farming. Of course, as smokers stop paying taxes by rolling their own or buying on the black market, the generalized tobacco tax revenues will drop, creating a void in the budget. The result, higher sales, income and property taxes for everyone to make up the new "deficit." Beware, putting tax money in the hands of politicians is like handing whiskey an carkeys to teenage boys. The taxes you favor increasing will turn into your own.

[Madame Dufarge]

could include installing ventilation systems to give non-smoking diners a true alternative to eating in a smoke-filled room.

Many restaurants went to a great deal of expense to do just this before the smoking Nazis' Great Putsch.

It wasn't enough for the Enemies of Private Property.