The new pornography?

That seems to be what smoking has become.

Here's a thumbnail sketch of the new tobacco laws taking effect in British Columbia on March 31st. A couple of them are surprisingly stiff.

—There will now be an enforceable three-metre smoke-free zone around most public doors and windows;
—Bus shelters will be smoke-free; and
—Shops cannot display or promote tobacco if minors are allowed inside.

Oh, and passers-by better not see anything, either – tobacco promotions must not be visible from the street.

Two questions:
1. You walk through a wisp of cigarette smoke in a public square. Do you: a) make a citizen's arrest on the perp, b) speed-dial the Ministry of Health enforcement team, or c) defend yourself?

2. If the provincial government has decided that Draconian laws are the way to go, would you like to see it address a more serious problem than secondhand smoking? Climate change, perhaps?

• Spring 2008,
• the new pornography,
• smoking,
• john bucher,
• environment,
• Talk,