As if Government was not busy enough telling people how to live their lives, The Washington Times reports that anti-smoking forces are trying to stop people from smoking in their homes for the good of the children -- of course.

[Anti-smoking] efforts so far have contributed to regulations in three states -- Maine, Oklahoma and Vermont -- forbidding foster parents from smoking around children. Parental smoking also has become a critical point in some child-custody cases, including ones in Virginia and Maryland.

In a highly publicized Virginia case, a judge barred Caroline County resident Tamara Silvius from smoking around her children as a condition for child visitation.

Obvious question: where does this end? The article quotes John F. Banzhaf III, Executive Director of Action on Smoking and Health: "Children are the most vulnerable and the most defenseless victims of tobacco smoke. They should be entitled to the same protection as adults." Children are also the defenseless victims of parents who speed, play loud music, refuse to serve vegetables, and dress them in goofy-looking clothes. How long until the Government issues you an approved handbook in the delivery room and informs you that friendly Government employees will be around to check-up on you and your child to make sure that you are raising the child properly?

Perhaps what we really need are live-in, Government-provided nannies who will make sure that your child is raised according to the Government's exacting standards.