The Minnesota Legislature passed a bill that will ban indoor smoking, including all bars and restaurants, effective October 1, 2007. It’s about time. I think this is a simple public health issue. I just don’t get these kind of complaints:
“I don’t smoke, but I’m a small-business owner and this is a huge violation of personal choice. It is a simple violation of people’s rights,” said Sue Minehart, owner of the Main Street Grill in Alden, Minn.
Personal rights end when they infringe on the rights of others. My right to healthy lungs trumps your right to destroy your lungs. And frankly, I don’t see why we shouldn’t ban smoking entirely. We ban other harmful substances regardless of personal choice, why not cigarettes? It’s not like they offer a shred of benefit or even illusory medicinal value. They just kill people.
You said, “Frankly, I don’t see why we shouldn’t ban smoking entirely.”
It might be because “personal rights end when they infringe on the rights of others.”
Josh, you’re not answering my next question. We ban other harmful drugs regardless of personal rights or how it’s infringing on someone else. It’s bad stuff, so your rights take a backseat.
It’s good enough for marijuana, why not cigarettes?