... on matters of governmental regulation, Pete, but you have turned this one on its head:

>> And these other patrons can't be responsible for deciding on their
>> own not to go to a restaurant that permits smoking ...

Until the smoking bans went into effect, there was no such thing as a restaurant that did not permit smoking. Seems to me that old saw about "your right to swing your arm ends at my nose" could apply to smoking as well.

>> ... so the government relieves them of individual
>> responsibility for choosing where they dine.

Actually, in this case, it gives them the freedom to choose where they dine without having to suffer the adverse effects on unwanted second-hand cigarette smoke.

----- jim o\-S