It's interesting to note the initiatives in many US cities to ban smoking in public places. After all, it's what Cuba would do.

Starting February 7, the island nation of Cuba, known of course for its fine (and, in the US, contraband) cigars, prohibits smoking in certain public places as part of a health initiative. Fidel Castro, once an icon as a cigar chomping leader, gave up smoking in 1986 and now considers cigars a gift best given to one's enemies.

While I don't smoke, and never did except for a BRIEF (less than 6 month) period as a teen to try to "fit in" (being the only nonsmoker in my crowd), I have to question the wisdom of these anti-smoking initiatives. The abolition of smoking in public places in Cuba only serves to show these initiatives for what they are: backdoor routes to suppressing individual liberties.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't LIKE cigarette smoke. In fact, I generally tend to shy away from places that do attract a large number of smokers for that very reason. But I think the decision to allow or ban smoking should be made by the business owner, whose business will either thrive or suffer due to their decisions.

A saner suggestion would be to encourage (NOT FORCE!!!) businesses that DO allow smoking to post that fact clearly on entrances to their building. It would give consumers a conscious choice. And that is FAR more consistent with our values than an outright ban.