Let Them Smoke

Tonight my wife and I went for a walk. It didn't quite capture my full attention at first, but then I couldn't help than notice that something was out of place. Why were all these people just standing out on the sides of buildings? Then it hit me. They were not allowed to smoke anymore in restaurants.

During the walk, I would have classified most of the establishments as bars, but they must have served food and fallen under the "restaurant" status.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I despise smoking. Living in an apartment, I can deal with just about anything, but once the slightest hint of smoke is sensed, I am calling the landlord like a school kid tattle-tell.

I can probably count on one hand the number of business in which I have been in the last few years that allow smoking. I figured if they chose to allow smoking, I would choose not to give them my money.

That's how it works in a "free" society. They choose. I choose. While cigarette smoking is disgusting, the government has no right to tell a private entity (i.e., a restaurant) whether or not it is allowed. Let free-market forces work. The more people who choose not to frequent smoking establishments, the more owners there will be that choose to disallow it. On the other hand, if smokers outnumber the non-smokers, the rest of us "clean" people will just stay home, have our own restaurants.

Dear government, "state" in this case. Please leave your constituents alone. You are not our parent, and we are not your children.