Bans, Nanny States Repeat History’s Failures

Throughout history there have been those who would use the law to force others to modify behavior that they do not approve of. Never has it been repeated as many times as it has for the simple pleasure of smoking.

Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.”
– Mark Twain’s Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review

Mark Twin’s quote is appropriate as even in his day they used the inexact art of statistics to attempt to impose their will on the masses as he points out in his literary work “The Moral Statistician” Originally published in Sketches, Old and New, 1893

(Correction Professor Richards contributed to article does not work for Heartland)

As Jeremy Richards of the Heartland Institute points out.

Many smoking bans have been adopted in the past, often for reasons that appear ridiculous in hindsight, and they were repealed when cooler heads prevailed.

Well it appears that the would be Nannies as always are losing ground.

Failing smoking bans:

Failed York County, SC ban (ban partially scaled back)
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/10/05/1739822/across-the-region-the-latest-from.html

Failed Galveston, TX ban (Galveston partially backtracks)
http://galvestondailynews.com/story/178330

Failed Dutch ban (Partial scaleback):
http://reason.com/blog/2010/11/08/the-new-law-will-allow-consume

Failed Illinois casino ban (Casinos will be exempt under this bill, state needs $$$$)
http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2039403&spid=

Failed Greek ban to be partially scaled back (also ignored anyway):

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100008_19/11/2010_121278

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/307671,greeces-smoking-ban-not-working-say-officials.html

Failing French ban:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1949817,00.html

Failing Indian ban:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/Defying-law-smoking-continues-unchecked-at-public-places/articleshow/5518223.cms

Failing Maltese ban (even cops break it):

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100207/local/smoking-laws-widely-ignored-even-by-police

Failing Bahrain ban:

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=266697

Failing Isreali ban:

http://www.jpost.com/LocalIsrael/TelAvivAndCenter/Article.aspx?id=166424

Failing Big Apple (NY, NY) ban:

http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=96765&catid=101

Failing American bans:

Bars and clubs all over the country pretty much:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-06-bars-ignore-smoking-bans_N.htm#LogIn

Failing Nanny Bloomberg NYC ban again:

NYTimes, late to the game as it frequently is these days. Better late than never:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/fashion/03smoking.html?pagewanted=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Even around hospitals bans are ignored

http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2010/04/28/2885190.htm

List of 600 Ohio smokeasie businesses that ignore the Ohio ban

http://www.smokechoke.com/

Failing North Carolina ban (merely five months later)

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/23636558/detail.html

Veritas, I appreciate you posting my list of failed/failing smoking bans. Bans are indeed failing throughout the world, as they should. I now have a few more for you to add to the list:
Failing Spanish ban:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2041389,00.html?xid=rss-world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Fworld+%28TIME%3A+Top+World+Stories%29
Failing Bulgarian ban:
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=123459
Failing Chinese ban:
http://www.topix.com/cn/wuhan/2011/01/not-one-smoker-fined-despite-ban
Failing Indonesian ban:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/smoking-ban-in-jakarta-fizzles-in-2-months/415744

One minor correction–I contributed an article to the Heartland Institute but do not specifically work for Heartland.