-The nanny-state progressives like former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg or Barack Obama and his minions have always been about
control under the guise of the public good since they know what is best for the
masses. Socialism, in it's many reincarnations, is the enemy of individual freedom and the Republic. Read the rationales from the supporters of the ban closely.
From the news wire:
The New York ban — along with the
measure in Chicago, one that previously went into effect in Los Angeles
and federal regulations proposed last week — are keeping debate
smoldering among public health officials, the e-cigarette industry and
users.
Proponents of the bans,
which began Tuesday, say they are aimed at preventing the re-acceptance
of smoking as a societal norm, particularly among teenagers who could
see the tobacco-free electronic cigarettes, with their candy-like
flavorings and celebrity endorsers, as a gateway to cancer-causing
tobacco products.
Dr. Thomas
Farley, the New York City health commissioner under former Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, says allowing electronic cigarettes in bars and restaurants
would undermine existing bans on tobacco-based products
"Imagine for a moment you're at a
bar and there are 20 people who are puffing on something that looks
like a cigarette and then somebody smells something that smells like
tobacco smoke," Farley says. "How's the bartender going to know who to
tap on the shoulder and say, 'Put that out'?"
Makers
of the devices say marketing them as e-cigarettes has confused
lawmakers into thinking they are the same as tobacco-based cigarettes.
They say the bans ostracize people who want an alternative to tobacco
products and will be especially hard on ex-smokers who are being lumped
into the same smoking areas as tobacco users.
Their defenders also say they're a good way to quit tobacco, even though science is murky on the claim.
Peter
Denholtz, the chief executive and co-founder of the Henley Vaporium in
Manhattan, says electronic cigarettes "could be the greatest invention
of our lifetime in terms of saving lives" by moving smokers away from
traditional cigarettes.
"This law just discourages that," he says.
Chris Jehly, a 31-year-old Brooklyn resident, also defends the devices as a vehicle for quitting.
"The
tougher they're going to make it on vapers, the tougher it is people
are going to find an actual vehicle for quitting or as a supplement to
cigarettes," Jehly says from his perch at the counter at Henley.
"There's no need for it. This is working so much better than patches or
gum or prescription drugs."
Robin
Koval, chief executive of the anti-smoking Legacy Foundation, says that
while ingredients in electronic cigarettes are not as harmful as those
in tobacco products, they are still a concern because they contain
highly addictive nicotine. The National Institutes of Health says users
could expose themselves to toxic levels of nicotine while refilling the
devices or even use them to smoke other substances.
Since
little evidence exists on the effect of the devices on smoking —
whether as an aid in quitting, a gateway for non-smokers or a bridge to
keep smokers hooked longer — she says she favors a legislative approach
that balances public health with the development of safer alternatives.
"The
right way
forward will be a way that promotes innovation that helps us
do everything we possibly can to get combustible tobacco to be history,"
Koval says. "We want a generation of Americans where, for them,
cigarettes are a thing of the past — an artifact like a roll of film or a
rotary telephone."
-Now that marijuana is being 'legalized' in my states, just wait until you see what the progressives do with this new found 'freedom' by way of regulations, restrictions and taxes.
