New York's city council banned smoking in almost all public spaces on May 23. Colgrove et al raise the interesting point that because the risk from secondhand smoke outdoors is nil, the political move oversteps the mandate of public health, and is instead heavyhanded social engineering that will further stigmatize smokers, a sad and addicted lot who deserve sympathy and smoking cessation counseling, not more abuse. NEJM 2011;364:2375-2377. FREE FULL TEXT