Smoking bans have come and gone
The popularity of smoking bans has waxed and waned. In 1624, Pope Urban VIII issued a worldwide smoking ban and threatened to excommunicate anyone caught in the church with tobacco products. The ban was repealed by Pope Benedict XIII, a tobacco user.
Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
After an eight-hour debate, the Minnesota House passed the "Freedom to Breathe" bill on Thursday.
This move by Minnesota lawmakers is simply the latest in a worldwide wave of new smoking legislation. Politicians from India to Iceland are re-evaluating just where their citizens should be allowed to light up.
While it might seem like a modern-day debate, the fight for the right to smoke -- or avoid smoke -- has been going on for centuries.
Reporter Nikki Tundel takes a look at the curious history of smoking bans.
Gallery
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.