Josh K. asks how I feel about individual rights, including
most recently the public structure smoking ban? Is it not the right of the business owner to establish whether or not their customers are allowed to smoke?
Well, I do feel strongly about individual rights, and I think that we don’t always spend enough energy protecting them. But in this case, I feel strongly that the benefit of this ban is greater than the cost. The benefits include increased public health, its ensuing financial advantages, and workplace safety.
I’d also like to make clear that whatever you might think about such a smoking ban, it’s surely within government’s rights to establish such a ban. Tobacco is a controlled substance, and it’s very clearly the responsibility of federal, state and local government to set out the precise guidelines that make up that control. In other words, whether or not you think such a ban is wise (and I do), I hope you’ll agree that it’s Constitutional.
Tags: constitution, individual rights, question, smoking ban
