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Another Dumb California Law
You may or may not be aware of a new state law that went into effect on January 1, 2008. We were reminded of this a couple days ago, driving west on Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills.
Effective Jan 2008 / No smoking allowed / Inside a vehicle / When a Minor is with you
This is important and effective legislation because -- why?!? It is often laughable how the term "liberal" applies to the California legislature not as a derivative of liberty, but more literally, as the over-zealous tendency to invent superfluous laws of little societal or governmental relevance.Why not just outlaw cigarettes altogether, or impose a steeper tax. Is there really any point in pulling over a suspected smoker and then carding the passenger all for a total possible fine of $100? Allowing California to fall into deepening deficit (at $8 billion and expected to double) is what should be illegal, not whether or not one smokes cigarettes (or crack or tigerlily extract) in your house, your car, or in the presence of minors.
Really, California, our federal government is helpless enough as it is. Can't we at least be purpose-driven in our own state?