Via Instapundit, did you know it is illegal to smoke tobacco if you are a public safety officer in Massatwoshits? This story comes from my mother-in-law’s home town (she hasn’t lived there since she was 19, with good reason):
A 1988 state law states that police officers and firefighters are subject to immediate termination if they are found to be using tobacco products either on- or off-duty.
Here’s the justification:
The Legislature passed the law to accompany legislation that enables public safety officials to receive special disability benefits easier than the average worker. Without the law, proponents argue, doctors are unable to determine if a heart or lung illness is work related.
Oh, my. Where do we start?
If you read the article, you’ll see that the officer was fired based on an investigation triggered by an anonymous letter. So his due process rights were completely stomped on; he never faced his accuser.
Why should public safety officers necessarily have an easier path to receipt of disability benefits? What makes them better than Joe Average Citizen in this respect?
How does this law even pass Constitutional muster? (For that matter, how do any anti-smoking laws pass Constitutional muster?)
Finally: At what point are we going to force people to take personal responsibility for their actions? Writing laws to force us all into an ever-narrowing funnel of (legally) acceptable behavior is not what this country was supposed to be all about. And frankly, I’ll be amazed if restaurants and bars don’t start turning into soi-disant “private clubs” that charge a nominal “membership fee” for entry in order to get around the anti-smoking laws aimed at “public accomodations”.
It’s time to rise up and tell our public hogs at the public trough that we’ve had enough of their puritanical bullshit.
If you don’t want to work in a place where people smoke, DON’T WORK THERE.
If you don’t want to eat in a place where people smoke, DON’T EAT THERE.
If you don’t want to be in a place where people smoke, STAY THE FUCK OUT.
Fuck all assholes who clutter up the law. It’s time to throw them out on their ears.