Police instinctually ignore teen smoking laws

Teen smokers are getting a break in Indianapolis, Indiana. Despite numerous laws that forbid teen smoking, few police officers enforce the statute. Conceivably, many people may believe that the police are busy pursuing real criminals, but the police may simply be instinctually ignoring the teen smoking laws because they are unjust.

According to Col. Scott Minier of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, “Our top brass at least is telling me it’s not a statute they make use of.” Beverly Phillips, Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman’s spokeswoman, added that, “It’s up to each individual law enforcement officer whether they want to cite a teen for that,” she said.

A crime occurs when one person is harming the property or body of another person. When a police officer sees a bank robbery or a rape in progress, he tries to stop the act because he instinctually realizes that a crime is taking place. The officer do not first try to figure out if a politician has outlawed rape or robbery before taking action.

An officer’s instinct, rather than a law, also guides his actions when he witnesses teen smoking. Unlike a rape, which usually involves at least two people, a victim and an assailant, teenage smoking only involves one person. If the officer were to arrest the teenager, the officer would be arresting both the victim and the assailant, which is like arresting the rapist and his victim.

Therefore, many officers ignore teen smoking because they instinctually realize that teen smoking laws are not stopping a crime. The laws simply make it legal for one group to control the victimless actions of another group.

Libertarians fundamentally believe that the only moral purpose of the law is protect you and your property from OTHER PEOPLE. Libertarians will repeal all smoking laws, drinking laws and narcotics laws. You will have the right to treat your body and your property as you see fit.