Land of the (Smoke) Free

A new Gallup poll finds 59% of Americans support a public smoking ban and 19% support a smoking ban altogether. I am a skeptic when it comes to polls. A skilled pollster can convince respondents to say they support all sorts of weird things if the questions are worded just right. If people were presented with arguments on both sides of the issue, the support for banning smoking would drop dramatically. Nevertheless, we are supposed to be the land of the free, so why so fascist?

As far as I am concerned, if you want to smoke four packs a day, drink vodka until your eyeballs float, and eat a Big Mac for every meal, more power to you. As long as you do not hurt anyone else and are prepared to face the consequences of your actions, it suits me fine. We will save a bundle on social Security and healthcare costs when you keel over dead at fifty. At least you did it your way, though.

Allahpundit at Hot Air speculates the turn in public opinion against smoking is motivated by anti-smoking lobbyists' effort on behalf of children's health. Laws motivated by concern for the children are hard to resist emotionally--who does not want their children to be healthy and safe?--but they usually begat bad law. Frankly, I am more concerned by he abandonment of the individual liberty principle than I am whether a kid might catch a whiff of smoke from the other side of the Shoney’s while he is chowing down on his grease burger.