Ban of plastic bags could easily backfire

I write to oppose a ban on disposable plastic shopping bags.

Bags themselves are not the problem; they only become a problem when they become litter. There are already laws against littering; just enforce them.

A ban against local merchants’ use of the bags amounts to an intrusion into the business practices of these merchants, something that governments rarely do well.

A ban on local merchants would have no effect on people bringing merchandise in plastic bags from other jurisdictions, unless you expect the Sheriff’s Office to set up roadblocks and search all arriving traffic.

Finally, although it is often overlooked, an ordinance that prohibits an activity may, in the minds of its authors, be seen as a directive that will meet with peaceful compliance. Experience has proven this assumption to be overly optimistic (think Prohibition or the war on drugs). There is always a possibility that individuals who disregard the regulation will be faced with loss of livelihood, liberty, or even their lives.

There is a simpler way: enforce anti-littering laws.

This story was originally published September 21, 2017 at 8:58 AM with the headline "Ban of plastic bags could easily backfire."