Papipeguy, thanks for the post.
Nice commentary. Here's my favorite passage:
"Most important, we are becoming a culture of busybodies who spout the "we're doing this for your own good" mantra as they increasingly crush individual freedoms. People should not be allowed to inflict the unwilling with tobacco fumes of any kind, but otherwise it's time to let consenting adults do what they want as long as it does not harm others."
I've spent an entire career in daily journalism. And while I wouldn't go so far as to say the tide is starting to turn, it does seem there's anecdotal evidence that even some non- and former smokers are starting to consider the more oppressive anti-tobacco measures as an assault on personal freedom.
There term "nanny state" is popping up more often.
When people dislike or disagree with something they frequently lump the messenger and the message together. Human nature I suppose.
But the mass media have no vested interest in advocating smoking restrictions. Because smoking restrictions are now becoming so commonplace their news value has begun to diminish, at least slightly.
In other words, such stories become stale. They tend to sound and read the same. When the first smoking ban in restaurants was enacted several years ago, it was big news. Now it's old hat.
