“There weren’t any laws about smoking before it became an industry. Isn’t that right?”
“Morris, where have you been for the past five centuries? Of course there have been laws about smoking. Remember Mongolia?”
“Can’t say I do, Phil.”
“The emperor of Mongolia banned smoking and promised the death penalty for punishment. That was back in 1617.”
“That’s awful. How can an emperor pass laws like that?”
“Because he’s the emperor.”
“We don’t have emperors in the U.S.A.”
“We don’t need them. Here. Let’s look it up.” Phil opened a thick reference book and paged through it. “Here it is,” he said. “Massachusetts—1632. First ban on smoking in public places.”
Morris looked over Phil’s shoulder. “New York City,” he said, pointing to another reference. Only it was called New Amsterdam back then. They banned cigarettes from the area that was soon called New York City.”
“We’re beginning to sound like a couple of textbooks. What do you really want to know?”
“I have a thesis.”
“A what?”
“A thesis. You know. An idea that I’d like to prove.”
“Ideas are dangerous. Especially in your head. Okay. What’s your thesis?”
“My thesis is that the rise of communication drives the urge to deceive.”
“What? That makes absolutely no sense. Explain yourself.”
“I want to prove that the ability of tobacco companies to communicate corresponds with their plans to deceive the public on the dangers of smoking.”
“That makes even less sense. That’s like saying that words cause lying.”
“Well, they do. If we didn’t have so many words, we wouldn’t have as many ways to befuddle the public. Smoking depends on communication. That’s my thesis. I’d call it the first law of smoking.”
“Morris, have you taken leave of your senses?”
“Not at all. I’m making sense of the senseless.”
“I’d feel better if I thought you knew the difference.”
Source: Summary of smoking laws in the U.S. by sadireland.com/smoking1.htm
