Clearing The Air

"Level the playing field........."

You hear that argument a lot lately, regarding local smoking bans. And no doubt that is the modus operandi of activists, lobbying for smoking bans......start local in hopes that the state will be forced into implementing a statewide ban to "level the playing field". This phenomenon is what I refer to as the tail wagging the dog. There is a problem with the level the playing field logic in that it is devoid of any logic.

The idea of supporting a statewide ban to level the field is as illogical an idea as you can conceive. Let's explore, .......a smoking ban in location A means a loss of business to business owners in location A.....so the activists argue that widening that smoking ban to locations A, B, and C will magically increase business, right?.....WRONG!

Common sense, logic and experience shows that the smoking ban expansion to B & C will further reduce business in those locations as well.....it merely spreads the misery, unemployment and business loss to all equally......

Consider NY's statewide smoking ban 160+ bars closed or in financial trouble with 2,650 job losses.

Also Ireland's nearly nationwide smoking ban with 300 pubs closed and 7,600 job losses.

......now that's what you call leveling the playing field.

Then again logic, facts, and common sense were always the missing ingredients in a smoking ban, where test results show smoke levels are 150+ times safer than OSHA regulations.

posted by marcus aurelius @ 11:35 AM