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Jump to full article: The Washington Post, 2006-01-08
Author: Thomas A. Firey
Intro: With Prince George's County's ban on smoking in bars and restaurants in effect and the D.C. Council having voted 11 to 1 last week to enact a ban -- an action that could be vetoed by the mayor [front page, Jan. 5] -- supporters and opponents of smoking prohibitions are shifting their focus to new battlegrounds. . . .
Elected leaders have reason to feel uneasy about wading through this stew of science, economics, philosophy and emotionalism, and they shouldn't have to, because a better policy response is available.
One benefit of a free market is that it can cater to a variety of public desires -- including the desire for smoking-allowed or smoke-free bars and restaurants. Government need only pass an ordinance requiring that all places of public accommodation establish either a no-smoking or smoking-allowed policy, that those businesses post the policy clearly at entrances, and that the government establish an enforcement mechanism to ensure that businesses comply with their espoused policies.
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