Not many huge newspapers in Bismarck, ND so here's what we have on Michael Grosz' bill from 2003 to ban tobacco sales in ND:
here's the AP story:
http://www.data-yard.net/10y/nd-ban.htm
From Reason:
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/100657.html
News from our group:
http://www.forces.org/fparch/011703.htm
an editorial:
The interesting thing are the circumstances of the bill¡¯s failure:
[Rep. Wes] Belter [R-Leonard, chairman of the Finance and Taxation Committee] told the House that committee members were frustrated last week with the testimony from anti-tobacco groups that testified against the tobacco ban, including the North Dakota Medical Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, North Dakota Public Health Association and North Dakota Nurses Association.
What?! That's like the WCTU endorsing Johnnie Walker. These groups are always in favor of raising taxes on tobacco and of banning smoking in public places. But here we have the American Lung Association lobbying against a bill to ban the use of tobacco? Why?
There's no evidence banning tobacco would prevent and reduce tobacco use because no such approach has been implemented, the groups argued.
Ahhhh. Now we see. These groups are skeptical that banning tobacco would reduce its use. Some of these same groups are vocally opposed to lifting the ban on things like marijuana, on the basis that such action would increase use of those drugs. Apparently there's no reason to believe that the same thing would work in reverse, though, and nobody, especially anti-tobacco groups, would want the government to take action based on incomplete or faulty information. But there's more:
The ban also could take away certain funding for these groups for tobacco control programs.
Ah. Well. So the position of the American Lung Association et al. is roughly this: we should not ban tobacco because that would reduce funding for tobacco control programs. It seems to me, though, that banning the sale and use of tobacco is a tobacco-control program. It's just not a tobacco-control program that involves various public health groups receiving funding from the government.
It would be worth remembering this the next time you see any of these groups arguing for higher taxes on tobacco in order to discourage tobacco use and produce positive health results.
THE POINT IS: YOUR OUTRAGE SHOULD BE AIMED AT THE HYPOCRITICAL GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH GROUPS.
I see y'all don't have too much to say on this one.
NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURE: Groups question tobacco ban
Measure would make it a misdemeanor crime to sell or use product
Associated Press
"BISMARCK - Health groups that discourage smoking lined up Tuesday to fight legislation what would make North Dakota the first state to outlaw tobacco, a stand that left some lawmakers perplexed."
Yup, Eric, good one.
Ain't that rich. Worthless hypocrites.
Can't let the gravy train de-rail, you know.
I want to eliminate 501(c) tax-exempt corporations...