Terrell Brown wrote: > Things that _can_ be used safely, without causing harm to the user or > others (partial list): > Handguns > Assault rifles > Automobiles > Alcohol > Trampolines > Swimming Pools > Motorcycles
All of these have potential risks to the user and others. > Things that can't be used without causing harm to the user > and/or those > around him/her (partial list): > Cigarettes > Crack cocaine > Crystal meth All of these have potential risks to the user and others. Chris Johnson wrote: > But making any kind of argument against a smoking ban by > comparing it to automobiles would be a complete red herring > and totally irrelevant to the issues. Motor vehicles provides > numerous benefits to society. If all motor vehicles ceased > functioning at noon tomorrow, the majority of the U.S. population > would starve to death in a few months, for example. Smoking > tobacco provides no such widespread or public benefits. I don't think that this is a red herring at all. I think that it's a completely valid analogy. For the vast majority of Americans automobiles provide only convenience or pleasure, and they do significant harm: * There is a death caused by a motor vehicle crash every 12 minutes; there is a disabling injury every 14 seconds. * Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 33. * There were an estimated 5,800 pedestrian deaths and 90,000 injuries. * Bicycling resulted in about 800 deaths in collisions with motor vehicles. Not to mention the negative effects due to air, water, and soil pollution. It maybe true that it would take sometime to reduce our dependence on automobiles, but there would also drastic economic consequences of an immediate ban on tobacco products. As to whether tobacco has no societal benefits, I believe that that's an individual decision. I think there are many things that Americans do that have few societal benefits, but I don't feel that the government has any moral justification for intruding on the choices of individuals when those choices don't directly impact others. Just who is going to choose for us? The majority? Democracies are only just when the rights of minorities are protected. Michael Atherton Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
