Hey, you can put me in the group that thinks that smoking is easily one of the stupidest things someone can do. That being said, this law is also one of the stupidest things I have read. It will have no net effect on smoking rates, and yet, as said earlier, it hurts businesses.
You can't make smoking illegal. As has been pointed out earlier, look at how prohibition 'worked'. I believe that the path we are on is a great one - increase the price of smokes to -about- the point they are at now if not a bit higher. That seems to work pretty well ... even if people don't smoke, it benefits the tax system.
While I don't use cigarettes or pot, and think it's silly to use either, I'd also advocate legalizing marijuana and selling/controlling it in much the same way that cigarettes are sold. The benefits, to me, are enormous. Yes, I know I'd be talking out the other side of my face if some stoned driver smoked me with his/her car. I also know that people looking to buy this stuff wouldn't have to turn to a dealer.
You could even sell them under the brand 'Weedies'. Think of the possibilities!
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