Thursday, March 17, 2005
Philadelphia Vote on Smoking Ban
Philadelphia votes on the smoking ban today and passage is uncertain.
I got to ask the main backer of the bill last night on a talk show. Here were his initial arguments:
1) It's bad for you.
2) Workers get sick, and since they aren't upper-income workers, we have to pay for them.
3) We already regulate health concerns like temperature of meat storage.
I argued the following to those points:
1) People know the situation going in.
3) I, as a customer, have no idea what's going on in the kitchen. I know there will be smoking.
I didn't address the second point, but I would have said: So government restricts our freedom by forcing us into supporting other people. That creates a bad situation which requires further restrictions of my freedom?
How did the councilman respond? Well, he pretty much said that government restricts our freedom already, so it's OK to restrict our freedom further. How wonderful. Two or 10,000 wrongs apparently make a right. He accidently used the word "unwittingly" in reference to situations workers find themselves in and had to correct himself. That was amusing.
Philadelphia votes on the smoking ban today and passage is uncertain.
I got to ask the main backer of the bill last night on a talk show. Here were his initial arguments:
1) It's bad for you.
2) Workers get sick, and since they aren't upper-income workers, we have to pay for them.
3) We already regulate health concerns like temperature of meat storage.
I argued the following to those points:
1) People know the situation going in.
3) I, as a customer, have no idea what's going on in the kitchen. I know there will be smoking.
I didn't address the second point, but I would have said: So government restricts our freedom by forcing us into supporting other people. That creates a bad situation which requires further restrictions of my freedom?
How did the councilman respond? Well, he pretty much said that government restricts our freedom already, so it's OK to restrict our freedom further. How wonderful. Two or 10,000 wrongs apparently make a right. He accidently used the word "unwittingly" in reference to situations workers find themselves in and had to correct himself. That was amusing.
Comments:
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I agree with the ban. I think the economic issues are exaggerated. If it can work in NYC, why not here, if in Ireland for goodness sakes, why not here. It'll be so refreshing to be able to breath at bars now. Let's remember, 20 minutes exposure to 2nd hand smoke results in cardiovascular side effects. The people I feel most for are the employees are really really putting themselves in danger. I would never work at a bar because of the smoke. Now I would definitely consider it. Chris J.
# posted by 
: 9:54 PM
: 9:54 PM
My reasoning isn't based on economic impact. I don't think the rights of the owner's are trumped by any health concern in this instance, since all parties involved know what they are getting into. The employees are wittingly putting themselves in danger. I know it's bad. I hate smoking. But if people aren't being forced into the situation, I hate the legislation more.
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