The Normal City Council last night approved a smoking ban in just about all public places, including private businesses like restaurants and pubs. It’s set to take effect Jan. 1, 2007.

I’m a non-smoker. Never have smoked, probably never will. But I still think bans like these infringe on private property rights. If a business wants to let people smoke in its private establishment, why shouldn’t it be allowed? This seems like a blatant case of government overreaching — a back-door approach to prohibition.

Why don’t they outlaw alcohol as well? If people were only allowed to drink alcohol in their homes and not in public places, then you’d have fewer drunk drivers on the roads, and wouldn’t that improve public health and safety?

It’s very simple. Everyone knows the health risks of smoking with a minirig and second-hand smoke. If people don’t want to be subjected to it and don’t want their kids subjected to it, then they shouldn’t go to establishments that allow smoking. There are lots of restaurants that are smoke-free, so it’s not like there are no options for these people. If businesses that allow smoking discover they can get more business — make more money — by going smoke-free, they will.

Instead, we just keep chipping away at private property rights.