Ah Hell, Just Ban Everything

This morning, Farkonomist Craig Newmark wrote:

At the behest of a 19-year-old who said "second-hand smoke gives her a headache and she was tired of having to move in public parks to avoid it", Calabasas CA has banned smoking from many outdoor areas.

Economist John Chilton (blog here) excellently points out one possible effect: the poor smokers in Calabasas, banned from smoking indoors and now outdoors, smoke in their cars, and then reek all day of cigarette smoke, causing even more distress to sensitive 19-year-olds.

Using a line often found over at Fark:  "Having solved all other problems in the world, lawmakers in Australia turn to prohibiting what you can do in your car."

Authorities in Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, are to consider banning smoking in cars. 

A parliamentary inquiry will look at the effects of passive smoking on passengers, particularly children.   

Supporters of the proposal have admitted, however, that enforcing such a ban would be difficult. 

Smokers in Australia have already been squeezed out of bars and restaurants, as well as some beaches and most other public places.

One of these days, if it hasn't already, a lucrative underground economy is going to come of all this.  Just like the drinking that went on in secret backroom parlors throughout the states during prohibition, we might see secret smoking parlors crop up.  But how would the smell of smoke get cleared from the air and the patrons' clothes?  Perhaps we'll see an increase in the demand for smokeless ashtrays and smoke-dstroying airfilters.

Or maybe we'll see more nudist smoking parlors.

HT to Fellow Farkonomist, John Chilton.

farkonomics

Comments

[kb]

Your fellow farkonomist Doc Palmer says his evidence shows no relationship. See his comments on my post.

http://www.scsuscholars.com/2006/03/evaluation-inflation.html

[kb]

Oh shoot, put it on the wrong post. D'oh!

[Marty Andrade]

So, when are they going to get around to banning public flatulence?

[Wango]

What has always surprised me about the smoking issue is how the market has been ignored. If smoking was such a big issue why are smoke-free bars and restraunts not opening doors everywhere and stealing all the business away from all the smoking allowed establishments. I beleive Mankato had a smoke-free bar that opened then closed due to a lack of business. Now in mankato all bars are smoke-free. I guess its just political leaders that have highly elevated levels of intelligence doing what is best for me.....boy are they smart. Thanks for looking out for me big brother!!!
P.S. Is America not turning into what we originally ran from england about? America needs to learn how to let freedom ring.

[Artemis Sohrt]

Just who do those people with respiratory illnesses think they are? After all, breathing is only a privilege, not a right.