"A group of St. Paul teens packed city council chambers Wednesday night to make sure no one got in the way of a proposed citywide ban on the sale of candy cigarettes," reports the Pioneer Press from Minnesota's capital. We were surprised to learn they still make candy cigarettes; we don't remember having seen them since childhood. According to the Pioneer Press, national chain stores like Wal-Mart "voluntarily ban candy cigarettes," but they "can still be found in a number of independent stores in St. Paul."
The teenagers pushing for this ban say they're tired of being targeted by tobacco companies. Of course, no one's holding a gun to their heads, forcing them to buy the product -- fake or real. But if we must ban products to protect kids from smoking...
One councilman, Dan Bostrom, "stunned everyone with a suggestion that could have garnered national headlines":
"I salute you for doing a great job," he began. "The only thing I wonder is . . . why don't we amend this to say that no person shall sell tobacco?"
Because it's easier to take candy from children.
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