PRESS RELEASE
LIBERTARIANZ
SMOKING

Smoking In Bars Is Owner's Choice

On December 3 2003, MP's will vote on the implementation of the Smokefree Environments (Enhanced Protection) Bill. This bill will ban smoking in all workplaces, resturants, casinos, bars and clubs. Libertarianz Deputy Stephen Berry urges MP's to vote against the bill. "They must recognise that the state should never have the authority to ursurp private property rights, no matter how good the intentions behind it."

"Not one of those MP's has any right of control over the properties the ban has been proposed on," Berry says. "It is only right that the owner of a particular property set their own rules about smoking. That is the owner's right, the property belongs to him, and none of the whining smoking-nazis have any right to set foot on that property, let alone force their rules onto it."

The Smokefree Coalition has applauded the content of the Smokefree Environments Bill. Smokefree Coalition chair Jane Patterson anticipates a vote in favour of a ban (i.e. violation of property rights), calling arguments opposing it "at best spurious at worse malicious." Stephen Berry believes this shows exactly what the anti-smoking lobby thinks of freedom and rights. "Clearly they see nothing wrong with using state force to implement their fascist agenda."

Libertarianz has campaigned against this bill, most recently staging a Smokers Day Out in Auckland on 15 November, where adults chose to accept a free cigarette and information about the smoking ban. "It is the owner's decision as to what may or may not occur on their own property. Customers may choose to enter, or not enter, the property. If they do not like the owner's policy, they find an establishment where they do agree with the owner's policies."

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