The Cigarette Nazi's are Coming

The Bangor, Maine City Council approved a measure Monday that prohibits people from smoking in vehicles when children are present.

When the law goes into effect next week, Bangor will become the first municipality in Maine to have such a law. Similar statewide measures have been adopted in Arkansas and Louisiana and are under consideration in several other states.

People who smoke with children present in the confined space of a car or truck might as well be deliberately trying to kill those children, said City Councilor Patricia Blanchette, who is a smoker.

"Let's step up to the plate and lead; our children are worth the fight," she said.

The ordinance, which was approved by a 6-3 vote, applies to any motor vehicles on any public roads within the city. Violators face fines of up to $50.

An amendment that was added Monday to the original proposal makes the violation a primary offense, rather than a secondary offense. That means police can pull over vehicles if they see somebody smoking with anybody under 18 in the vehicle; if it were a secondary offense, police would have to stop the vehicle for some other reason, such as speeding.
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This sort of totalitarian government control over our personal lives is spreading like a disease across the country. I have a problem with this because (if it were in Alabama)

1. I bought the damn car
2. I pay for the damn roads to drive it on
3. I birthed the children in question

Therefore, I will do what I want in my car (as long as it isn't drinking and driving), I'll do it on public roads within the city limits and outside the city limits and I'll decide whether or not my kids need to be present when I do it.

With the window down the children do not suffer...and I don't know of anyone that smokes in a car without letting the window down a bit.

This is nothing more that police state tactics. Do the police really have time to waste their already limited reources on ticketing cigarette smokers who are smoking cigarettes in thier own car?

This will lead to the eventual re-outlawing of tobacco, a crop that has historic significance in American history and the criminalization of tobacco users. Mark my words.