Some places just ache for the haze and scent of tobacco smoke. Bars, for example, depend on it for their dark, nightlifey atmosphere — at least until legislators step in with “public” smoking bans (”public” is Orwellian for “privately-owned business”).

In the U.S. House, the Speaker’s Lobby had such a reputation for smoker-friendliness, reports the Washington Post:

“For generations, the Speaker’s Lobby has been the most visible space where smokers gather inside the Capitol. It is an ornate space dotted with fireplaces, leather armchairs and chandeliers. Lawmakers relax there between votes and debates, often meeting with staff members, reporters or the public and huddling in informal groups. Cigarette smokers tended to dominate the daytime hours there; at night, the cigar smokers took over.”

Not anymore. Thanks to tobacco-, freedom- and tradition-hating Nancy Pelosi, smokers can now retire to “lawmakers’ offices…two designated smoking rooms in the House office buildings and…a small, concrete room in the Capitol’s basement.” As speaker, Pelosi has control over the lobby’s policies.

I could respect this a little more if Pelosi were honest about her motives. She hates smoking, it’s her lobby, and therefore there will be no smoking in the lobby.

But:

“Pelosi said she was banning smoking from the area to protect the health of the staff, reporters and public who spend time in the lobby. ‘Medical science has unquestionably established the dangerous effects of secondhand smoke, including an increased risk of cancer and respiratory diseases. I am a firm believer that Congress should lead by example,’ Pelosi said in a statement. ‘The days of smoke-filled rooms in the United States Capitol are over.’”

Yeah, right. The place was well known as a smoker’s haven, and anyone who didn’t like that didn’t have to go. The “staff, reporters and public” who went there went to smoke, or to be around smokers. And as I’ve previously pointed out, secondhand smoke is primarily a danger to those who live or work around it constantly, not reporters who once in awhile might talk to lawmakers on cigarette breaks.

Hat tip: Wonkette.

Robert VerBruggen blogs at http://www.therationale.com.