Lungs across Maryland breathe a sigh of relief

The Maryland Clean Indoor Air Act went into effect Friday banning smoking in all indoor public places, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Over lunch I got into a debate over the merits of this ban with an occasional outdoor cigar (but otherwise non-) smoker.

My Argument: I don’t like smoke. I should be able to go to a restaurant or bar without ending up with a dry throat, coughing, and smelling like smoke. Other people’s filthy habits should not affect me, and the government would and does protect me when other people’s activities interfere with my comfort. For example, you are not allowed to scream profanity on the street because it might offend others. In that case, nobody really gets hurt, but people may be made uncomfortable, so it’s prohibited. Why shouldn’t smoking be the same?

His Argument: This is a question for business owners and local governments. In large cities, smoke free restaurants and bars do very well without the need for governmental regulations. Even if regulations are necessary, it’s the job of local governments who understand the local business owners’ point of view that should create them. This isn’t the state’s business.

My Rebuttal: I don’t live in a big city. I live here. I don’t have choices, and the local government is so far behind the rest of the world that they may never get around to considering the merits of a smoking ban. The state government is there to protect me when the local one can’t or won’t. This is very much their business.

His Rebuttal: You’re a communist.

Maybe he’s right. Maybe I only like the state’s invasion into local matters because in this case it happens to benefit me. Maybe I am a communist. But as of Friday, I’m a good smelling, non-smoky communist, and that’s just fine with me.