More on Smoking

Thanks for posting the comments. My Mom smoked her entire adult life. I remember stealing cigarettes from her. Not too many, 'cuz I hated menthol! My Dad quit smoking many years ago, but my Mom quit a few weeks before she died. I have to wonder if the smoking was not a part of her dying so young...well, I think 74 is pretty young, now that I am 54. Anyway, I think we all can agree that it's not a good thing.
Someone in our local paper wrote a comment to a story, and mentioned that bars and taverns are privately owned. Does that equate to private property? Does the owner of the private property have the right to do as he/she pleases when serving the public? What about licensing? Serving certain foods? Smoking or not? How much "government" do we really want? Where do we draw the line on what we can and cannot do in the privacy of our homes and businesses?
Something interesting about the changing society in which we live...In 1972 I worked at 3M in the St. Paul campus. Employees were allowed to smoke at our desks. Can you imagine that? I mean, really....think about this...walk into your local bank and see the receptionist sitting at the main greeting area with a cigarette burning in her ashtray on her desk. Huh? In 30+ years we have made so many changes. Now 3M probably not only banned smoking anywhere on their property, but they most likely have a wellness program in place for employees and pay them to not/stop smoke.
Change is inevitable.