[TKDietz]

What's so wrong with local smoking ordinances? If people in a given community want to pass laws governing their community, let them. That's a whole lot different than when you have people way off in Washington, D.C., trying shove laws down your throat that your community doesn't want. Communities should be able to govern themselves, decide whether they'll allow smoking or drinking in public places and so on. And if people don't like the laws, they can just move on down the road to another community.

I live in the south. In my town, alcohol is sold in stores and at restaurants and bars. Right across the bridge though in the neighboring county where I work, it is against the law for anyone to sell alcohol. The majority of the people here in the dry county want their town to stay dry. I don't have a problem with that. Actually, I'm pretty sure that most counties in my state are dry. I think it's kind of stupid because people just end up driving miles and miles drunk when they run out of booze, but if that's what people in these counties want, so be it.

Why shouldn't the majority of people in your town be able to decide if smoking will be allowed in public places? What's so un-American or undemocratic about that? It seems to me that our forefathers believed in having local rule that reflected local values.

[jmc813]

Why shouldn't the majority of people in your town be able to decide if smoking will be allowed in public places?

I personally feel that property rights take precedence over public opinion. For instance, would you be cool with a particular city declaring itself a "gun free" city, and banning guns in peoples homes?

[MrLeRoy]

What's so wrong with local smoking ordinances?

They're stupid---but, as you say, less bad than federal anti-tobacco edicts.

[Gabz]

Why shouldn't the majority of people in your town be able to decide if smoking will be allowed in public places?

I've got no problem with this......as long as you recognize that bars and restaurants and pool halls and bingo halls and bowling alleys are PRIVATE PROPERTY, not public places.

Public places are those paid for by the public, ie. courthouses, state buildings, municipal buildings, etc.