Arthur Gordon, wrote in one of his inspirational books that tells about how everything of consequence begins. When I first read his chapter it was an eye-opener nearly 40-years ago. Now, it has been "nailed up in my mind" to paraphrase Gordon, and I see examples of it every day. Law students know that laws are crafted with an
intent behind them. A consequence before hand if you will.
It got me to thinking. Cigarettes had a bad down side long after the health problems were made for debate. The down side I'm talking about are the discarded cigarette butts. Long after the paper wrap around the filter is returned to nature, it is the fiber of the filter that hangs on a years afterwords. Many still stuck in cement cracks and the like long after the smoker has died and was buried. It is a double consequence to smoking cigarettes. As Gordon wrote, "Perhaps, this is the way every thing of consequence begins".
So, Sunday, I drove a few large parking lots looking for the second consequence to the smoking situation. It didn't take long to find examples. It was an unintended consequence to driving people away from,cigarettes. Turns out it is now spent vape canisters--the modern version of a cigarette filter. So in trying to help or cause people to make life decisions legally by banning smoking in specific areas, the unintended consequence is now two-fold. We still have smokers of cigarettes. Even at $5.00 plus a pack. They are still discarded over bridge railings, from balconies of apartments, out car windows along roadsides , riverbanks, parks, and businesses. We all have seen that consequence of smoking (health is a totally different topic here). Now, instead of just filters, we have
filters and canisters. A double whammy. These were discarded after a Friday Night Lights evening in Texas---a football game under the lights.
Click on any image to enlarge all three images.
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| The most popular type found. In reality, cigarette butts were a better consequence as for the environment. |
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| Another type of vape dispenser |
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| The Watch refill |
