President Obama (who began smoking as a teenager) signed sweeping new anti-smoking legislation into law, regulating certain ingredients and designating changes in the marketing of tobacco products with respect to minors. The civil libertarian in me gets nervous when government begins to exert its influence on personal choices. However, smoking is a habit that also negatively impacts the collective, through higher insurance costs and second-hand toxins.
One of the provisions states that tobacco products may not be advertised within a certain distance from schools. So, the same ordinances that apply to pedophiles now apply to cigarettes, which is fitting- neither one should be in a kid's mouth.
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