EDMONTON – Decent and well-meaning Edmonton city councillors believe they will be doing what is right and good when they vote on Wednesday to beef up our smoking bylaw. The change will prohibit smoking next to playgrounds, soccer fields and skateboard and spray parks.
But councillors need to reconsider their enthusiasm for this unnecessary, overly intrusive regulation of private individuals.
Edmonton’s most effective and tireless anti-smoking activist, Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, didn’t lead with the negative health implications of outdoor smoking. Instead, Hagen’s main argument was that this kind of smoking sets a bad example for kids.
Even ASH can’t justify this outdoor smoking ban. Kids are going to see people smoking because someone in their family smokes. Give it a rest and stop overreacting to hysteria created by Big Pharma and ASH.
0 Comments