The dilema of the smoking ban
Sorry for the gap in posts. What can I say? It was the holidays.
The smoking ban proposals have been the talk of the town for well over two months now. There are a variety of opinions and feelings on the subject from both smokers and nonsmokers. In general they tend to fall into four categories.
There are other ways that officials could have attacked this issue and receive a lot less outcry of emotion. Rather than a straight ban they could have implemented a tax incentive program to deter businesses from offering a smoking section to their patrons.
I'll admit I am in the undecided portion of the public on this issue. My stumbling block on this subject surrounds the potential slippery slope for civil rights abuses through precident of policy.
Someone phrased this to me as the second coming of the Prohibition Act.
The smoking ban proposals have been the talk of the town for well over two months now. There are a variety of opinions and feelings on the subject from both smokers and nonsmokers. In general they tend to fall into four categories.
- Non-smokers for the ban. Their position is pretty clear. They want to be free from second hand smoke.
- Smokers against the ban. They want the right to continue smoking.
- Non-smokers against the ban. This group's opinions vary. Some want to be free of second hand smoke but don't think the ordinance is the right way to do it. Others tend to side with the smokers.
- Undecided. These people most resemble the first type of non-smokers against the ban.
There are other ways that officials could have attacked this issue and receive a lot less outcry of emotion. Rather than a straight ban they could have implemented a tax incentive program to deter businesses from offering a smoking section to their patrons.
I'll admit I am in the undecided portion of the public on this issue. My stumbling block on this subject surrounds the potential slippery slope for civil rights abuses through precident of policy.
Someone phrased this to me as the second coming of the Prohibition Act.
posted by Indiana Pundit at 11:50 PM
1 Comments:
They phrased it to you properly, with one exception. It's a prohibition placed on a perfectly legal product. The proponents of the smoking ban are trying to outlaw the use of said product on PRIVATE property.
As long as there is a choice on whether or not people wish to patronize your business, it's a property rights issue, not a public health issue.
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