To Prevent Kids From Smoking Cigarettes, New York Bars Adults From Buying Flavored Cigars

A federal judge recently upheld New York City's senseless ban on flavored tobacco products, which bars adults from buying rum-flavored cigars or cherry-flavored pipe tobacco in order to stop kids from smoking cigarettes. Or something like that. Unfortunately, the issue was not whether there is any rhyme or reason to this arbitrary edict but whether it is pre-empted by the the federal Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The judge concluded that it isn't, because the federal law allows state and local governments to impose restrictions "in addition to, or more stringent than," the ones enacted by Congress. The stupider, the better.

I noted the ordinance when the New York City Council passed it in 2009. The vote was 47 to 1.

[Thanks to Bill Godshall for the tip.]