Taking On The Serious Problem Of Novelty Coffee Mugs
22 state attorneys general have written a letter to Urban Outfitters to get them to stop selling a "Prescription: Coffee" mug. Walter Olson explains on his Cato blog that the "AGs argued that prescription drug abuse is a very serious matter and not something to be joked about."

One of the idiot AGs was from my state, the People's Republic of California. The other 22 are listed on Walter's blog item.

Walter congratulates the 28 AGs who resisted the temptation to go all monkey see/monkey do, and notes:

Aside from a few core functions such as defending their states in litigation and issuing legal opinions to guide state agencies, state attorneys general have far too much discretionary authority to butt into whatever controversial areas may suit their taste for popularity and political advancement, even when, as here, there is no evident basis to think that Urban Outfitters had violated any actual law. It seems highly unlikely that the novelty mugs send any particular message that undermines public respect for prescription drug laws, but if for some reason they did, they would be entitled to more protection against AG bullying, not less, since expressive objects that send a symbolic message of disrespect for government policy will often qualify for First Amendment protection.