Quote:
Originally Posted by Gozer
I am a non-smoker that thinks smoking is over-legislated.
A lot of comments in this thread translate to "I want a nanny state!"
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Yep. And I'm not just agreeing because I like the odd cigar. If the public and governments want to stop smoking badly enough, they should just make it illegal. Classify it as a banned substance and throw people in jail for smoking it, just like pot. The current approach sets precedents for legislating lifestyle choices that could lead in unintended directions. So if the intent is to stop people from smoking, don't mess around with these indirect methods that result in the erosion of individual rights. Instead, take the direct approach and make the stuff illegal. That would also prove that the government is sincere and not just beating around the bush because they're addicted to tobacco taxes just as badly as smokers are addicted to nicotine. In the meantime, the approach they're taking makes me wonder if that isn't the case and that the whole issue is just a convenient way to erode individual rights.