Media
How far will smoking bans go?
California became the first state to ban smoking in bars a decade ago. Since then, smoking bans in bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, universities, you name it, have flourished.
But there was a time when Americans would have been outraged at the idea of politicians telling business owners how to run their own bars. Today, most gladly allow nanny state cops to snuff out smoking in bars, cars, beaches, stage plays—almost anywhere. Years ago comedian Dennis Leary quipped, “What’s the law now, you can only smoke in your apartment, under a blanket with all the lights out?”
It seems like plenty of politicians would love to ban that too, but they could never ban smoking in private homes…or could they?
Recently, the Bay Area city of Belmont passed a law that targets people who smoke in their own homes.