St. Paul, like many Minnesota cities this year, is facinga substantial budget deficit, amongst other problems. In light of these grimeconomic circumstances, I was surprised to read that the St. Paul City Councilhas set aside their serious business and established April 1 as the date for apublic hearing to discuss a citywide ban on the sale of candy cigarettes. Really.

According to news reports, a group of teenage "lobbyists",led by the Ramsey County Tobacco Coalition (a community organizing group that,two years ago, brought Minnesota a statewide indoor smoking ban), has proposedthis candy-banning ordinance after examining a select number of St. Paulconvenience stores where they found the offending candy. Apparently these teens swayed St.Paul's elected officials to propose this candy ban because of the candy's allegedsimilarities to a pack of real cigarettes.

St. Paul has some serious problems but the sale of candycigarettes, at least as far as I can see, seems to be pretty far down on thatlist. Furthermore, it appears thatas a state, we've done a pretty good job of discouraging kids from smoking.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, "the rateof underage tobacco use continues to decline". In the department's December report, it showed that in thepast three years, there were "12,000 fewer high school and middle schoolstudents" using tobacco. (More alarming than the current numberof underage smokers, however, was the curious fact that apparently many of themiddle and high school smokers must have enjoyed smoking their cigs at publicestablishments. I say this becausethe Minnesota Department of Health tobacco use researcher cited both thestate's higher tobacco tax as well as the state's smoking ban as reasons forthe decline in teen smoking rates. Honestly, prior to the smoking ban, I believe I would have noticed a12-year old bellying up to the bar to enjoy a smoke. But I digress.)

Let's get serious: no one wants to encourage any kid to smoke cigarettes. But elected officials have got to stopresponding to every alleged public health crisis (or epidemic, as reads theusual attention-grabbing headline) as well as every act of stupidity committedby a fellow citizen as a reason to pass a law or make an activity illegal.

So, here's my suggestions as to how a city council shouldrespond the next time a community organizer appears before them proposing a banon the use or sale of something:

1.We have plenty of laws that ban the sale of tobacco tochildren. Enforce those laws.

2. Small businesses around the state are working as hard asthey can to keep their heads above water during these difficult economictimes. If you don't like the factthat they sell candy, or trans fat-laden foods, or cigarettes or whateversomeone decides to demonize next, don't patronize them. But it shouldn't be the business ofcity, county or state government to run a private business out of business.

3. And if your kid wants you to buy them apack of candy cigarettes and you believe this might encourage them to smoke thereal thing, be the parent who says no.

And one note tothe St. Paul City Council: I'mglad you're holding the hearing on April 1st -- I desperately want to believe thatthis ban is your idea of a pathetic April Fool's joke.