Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1884 — The Blue Laws on Smoking. [ARTICLE]

The Blue Laws on Smoking.

From the Colony Records the following extracts are taken, showing the orde s and sentences of the Massachusetts Court of Assistants and General Court before the establishment of the “B6dy of Liberties” in the year 1040: “Oct., 1632.—1 tis ordered, thatnoe person shall take any tobacco publiquely, under paine of punishment; also that every one shall pay Id. for every time bee is convicted for takeing tobacco in any place, and that any Assistant shall have power to rcceave evidence and give order for the leveying of it, as also to give order for the JeveyiDg of the officer's charge. This order to begin the lUth day of November next. “Sept., 1634. —It is ordered,That noe person shall take toha co publiquely, under penalty of 2s. (id., nor privately in his own bowse, or in the bowse of another, before strangers, and that two or more shall not take it togeather, anywhere, under the aforesaid penalty for every offence. ” Then followed several laws relative to the same sub ect, and in November, 1637, it was decreed that “all former laws against tobacco are repealed, and tobacco is sett at liberty. ” And in the following year the suojoined was announced : “Sept., 1638.—The [General] Court, finding that since the repealing of the former laws agakist tobacco, the same is more ab sed than before, it hath, therefore, ordered, that no man shall take any tobacco into the fields, except in his journey, or at meale times, under paine of 12d. for every offence; nor shall take any tobacco in (or so near) any dwelling house, barne, corne, or hay rick, as may likely endanger the burning thereof, upon paine of 10s. for every offence; nor shall take anv tobacco in any inne or oommon victualing house, except in a p/ivate room there, so as neither the master of the same house, nor any other guests there, shall take offence thereat; whioh, if they do, then such person is forthwith to forbeare, upon paine of 2s. 6d. for each offence.”