The Case Against Smoking Bans

Lambert, Thomas A.

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The Case Against Smoking Bans

Missouri Environmental Law and Policy Review, Vol. 13, 2006

U of Missouri-Columbia School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2006-11

21 Pages Posted: 24 Apr 2006

See all articles by Thomas A. Lambert

Thomas A. Lambert

University of Missouri - School of Law

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Abstract

In recent months, numerous localities and states have banned smoking in public places (i.e., privately owned places to which members of the public are invited). Such sweeping bans are typically justified on grounds that they alleviate externalities, shape individuals' preferences in a desirable manner, and reduce risks. This essay rebuts the externality, preference-shaping, and risk-reduction arguments for smoking bans and contends that such bans are unnecessary and, on the whole, utility-reducing.

Keywords: smoking, smoking bans, externalities, risk regulation, health and safety regulation, endogenous preferences, preference-shaping

JEL Classification: D62, D61, I12, I18, K32

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Lambert, Thomas Andrew, The Case Against Smoking Bans. Missouri Environmental Law and Policy Review, Vol. 13, 2006, U of Missouri-Columbia School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2006-11, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=897511