As reported in the PI, yesterday a federal judge struck down Washington state’s ban on tobacco giveaways.

The law, approved by the 2006 Legislature, went into effect in June and prohibited companies from giving out free product samples anywhere in the state, including adults-only venues like bars and nightclubs. RJ Reynolds protested and US District Judge Franklin D. Burgess agreed with their complaint that the new state law is unenforceable under existing federal law.

“This important state law was designed to keep free cigarettes, free chewing tobacco, and other free tobacco products from easily winding up in the hands of our children,” said state Attorney General Rob McKenna.

Dear Mr. McKenna: if children are routinely hanging out at bars and nightclubs, you have bigger issues to worry about than Joe Camel.

Yes, I know, smoking is BAD and in an ideal world everyone who smoked would stop and no one new would ever start again, but can we have a little perspective on this issue? I think it’s entirely reasonable to enact measures designed to keep cigarettes from kids as much as possible but I’m having a hard time envisioning a scenario in which a lifelong dedicated non-smoker in a bar where she or he can’t light up anyway due to the smoking ban is going to suddenly lose all control whatsoever and start the habit just because someone gave her or him a free pack.

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2. the ban
3. Pregnant and smoking? There’s help.
4. Hey, that’s my money!
5. Smoke-easies