NYC May Ban Vaping Because It Looks Like Smoking
Stupid never seems to go out of style for New York City Council members.
Jacob Sullum writes at reason:
The New York City Council is considering a ban on the use of electronic cigarettes in bars, restaurant, and other "public places"--not because there is any evidence that the devices pose a hazard but because they look too much like regular cigarettes. Councilman James Gennaro, a sponsor of the proposed ban, tells The New York Times, "We see these cigarettes are really starting to proliferate, and it's unacceptable." Why is it unacceptable? According to the Times, "Mr. Gennaro said children who could not differentiate between regular and electronic smoking were getting the message that smoking is socially acceptable."So it is not the product that bothers Gennaro as much as the message it supposedly sends. Presumably he would have the same complaint if people started wearing T-shirts proclaiming that "Smoking Is Cool," although banning those might be constitutionally problematic.
Well I saw one last night on Inside Edition about the Exploding E-cigarette batteries. Somehow the less than fifty reported incidents is a major epidemic enough to make the gossip news.
Making them against the "rules" is just stupid.
Jim P. at November 28, 2013 10:48 AM
First they came for the candy cigarettes, and...
Ban them in BARS because kids might see them?
John A at November 28, 2013 12:00 PM
By that logic, we should ban dirty dancing by law, because it's the equivalent of fucking in public. Or drinking water, because children would not be able to tell the difference between H2O and vodka.
Kevin at November 28, 2013 12:39 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/11/28/nyc_may_ban_vap.html#comment-4083330">comment from KevinMy rule as a kid was to never drink anything that tasted like drain cleaner.
Amy Alkon
at November 28, 2013 12:47 PM
Sure, why not? There are plenty that want to bans guns based on looks, why not these since they look like smoking?
Feelings over substance/reality... The basis for a swath of political ideology.
Miguelitosd at November 28, 2013 1:25 PM
I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- banning smoking in public is only partly about public health, at least for some people. There's still more than a whiff of banning "uncool" people from the public square. This ban is evidence of that.
Old RPM Daddy (OldRPMDaddy at GMail dot com) at November 28, 2013 1:38 PM
So now we must live our lives based on what a child might think???!!!?
Jay at November 28, 2013 1:47 PM
"So it is not the product that bothers Gennaro as much as the message it supposedly sends."
OK, better ban drinking alcohol on TV. Also ban kissing on TV or in the movies, and while we're at it, make sure that all those slutty-ass movie and music stars cover those tits up, it sends the wrong message.
wtf at November 28, 2013 2:07 PM
And we also need to ban all violent portrayals. That will stop all the kids from going around playing Army and Cowboys and Indians and using their fingers to shoot each other.
Jim P. at November 28, 2013 6:55 PM
Coincidentally, we just received an Army memo last week subjecting e-cigaretts to the same restrictions as regular cigarettes. And that was my first thought too: "What's the point?"
Cousin Dave at November 29, 2013 6:52 AM
Oh, and ban Breaking Bad!
wtf at November 29, 2013 8:33 AM
I've called such people the New Puritans: someone somewhere is having fun of a sort with which we do not approve of and they must be punished.
I've reconsidered that. I think I'm going to refer to them as the American Taliban.
I R A Darth Aggie at November 29, 2013 12:53 PM
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