SMOKING CRACK?

But Wait, There's More.

Oh, So Much More.

If you thought the Nov. 2 election would end politics for a while and
allow you to concentrate on how many shopping days we have left until
Christmas, think again. Three groups have been working under the radar
to qualify even more initiative petitions aimed at the 2005 session of
the Legislature.

They're fielded by groups that don't want to let you smoke, want to
let you smoke in certain places, and want to let you smoke marijuana.

Is there still room on that Madrid-bound jet with all the Hollywood
liberals who are leaving the country because Bush got elected?

The first initiative is dubbed -- and this is a direct quote -- "Nevada
Clean Indoor Air Act: Protecting children and families from secondhand
smoke in most public places, excluding stand-alone bars and gaming
areas of casinos." They're going to need to rent two billboards just to
get the title up there.

But Steve's Fourth Law of Politics applies: If a person or group says
they're doing anything "for the children," be skeptical. It's a good
bet that whatever they're proposing is dangerously fascist.

And in this case, the law holds: By their own admission, the Nevada
Clean Indoor Air Act etc. etc. etc. people want to ban smoking in bars
that serve anything beyond peanuts, popcorn, chips, pretzels or
"incidental food items." So, if you're a fan of the hot wings over at
Buffalo Wild Wings, leave your cigarettes at home. Love the burgers
down at P.T.'s Pub? Forget lighting up in there.

Why? Because those bars are considered restaurants under the
initiative, which would prohibit smoking in all restaurants and bars
that are part of restaurants, not to mention grocery stores, malls,
convenience stores, retail stores and all non-gambling areas of casinos.

Rest assured, however, that you can still smoke in your own home and
your own car. For now.

A second initiative, called the Responsibly Protect Nevadans from
Second-hand Smoke Act, invokes Steve's Ninth Law of Politics: If an
initiative or movement has the word "responsibly" or any derivative
thereof in its title, it's sponsored by the very industry it purports
to regulate. Sure enough, this one is backed by the Nevada Resort
Association, liquor distributors, the Petroleum Marketing Association
and the Nevada Tavern Owners Association.

As you might imagine, it's far less severe. You could still smoke in
bars -- even if they serve hot food -- as well as anywhere inside a
casino and the bar area of a restaurant. But this initiative would ban
smoking in the dining areas of restaurants, grocery stores and
convenience stores, except for areas where gambling is allowed.

Let's be honest here: Industry self-regulation is generally a joke,
but in this case the "responsibly protecting" people are far less
radical than the "clean indoor air" people, who clearly want to see
smoking as passe as opium dens. (Ah, the good old days.) But there are
plenty of people who want to smoke in bars. And because nobody forces
anybody to go to a bar, it's drinker beware.

The final measure would legalize up to 1 ounce of marijuana, subject
to severe driving-under-the-influence and selling-pot-to-minors
restrictions. It's essentially the same measure that would have
appeared on November's ballot, but fell short of the required number
of valid signatures.

By the end of this struggle, we all might need drugs a little more
powerful than marijuana.

Steve Sebelius is a Review-Journal political columnist, and author of
the daily political e-mail newsletter the EARLY LINE. His column runs
Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.