Rand's favorable depiction of smoking was written long before the Surgeon General's report on its harmful effects and there is no evidence that she ever wrote tobacco commercials.

The proposed legislation is providing us a welcome opportunity of educating more people about this problem, while many smoker DON'T smoke in cars with kids, too many do. Four other states have already passed similar laws.

Bob Moffitt
Communications Director
American Lung Association of Minnesota

Ayn Rand was a smoker and developed lung cancer, so was my father but he died 22 years younger than she did. I am a smoker and I may be in the minority in that I'm in favour of price increases on cigerettes. I'm glad there going up, for more than one reason. As far as banning smoking in vehicles with children, it's not an easy issue. A violation of civil rights ? But who's civil rights ? The child for be exposed to smoke in a small quarters environment, or the adults for being told how to live their life ? Personally I believe that the health issues of the children override personal "freedoms" and am in favour of the proposed ban.

Update: The Senate version of the bill was killed in a committee hearing yesterday, which mean it will likely not be passed this session.

However, a similar bill is moving through the North Dakota legislature now.

I see that you are supposedly protecting rights, but you need to read Ayn Rand's article, Man's Rights, in the Virtue of Selfishness to learn what a right is. Many "rights" that enable some to rob others for benefits are not rights at all.

Wow, it seems like every town is banning smoking! I smoke a pack a day, but this smoking ban doesn't affect me because I smoke electronic cigarettes!

If you're like me, and love smoking (but hate cancer), Don't quit smoking, quit cigarettes! Use an electronic cigarette (or e-cig). You can smoke them virtually anywhere regular cigarettes are banned. What's more, there's absolutely ZERO risk of lung cancer, because you get your nicotine fix without the thousands of harmful chemicals and cancer-causing carcinogens found in regular cigarettes (and save money, too! The equivalent of one pack costs $1.50 US!). You can finally have your cake and eat it, too! :)

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