禁煙的高考常識

從張五常教授的blog，看到了今年高考一條關於禁煙的問題。推行禁煙的官員，可否幫手答一答﹖

7、The Hong Kong government has imposed a strict and severe no-smoking law, prohibiting smoking in most public areas. Milton Friedman said that each and every individual should have the freedom to harm himself, including committing suicide; however, in doing so he may inflict damage on others and create a social cost problem. One who smokes cigarettes enjoys smoking, but may inflict damage on the health of others nearby.

(a) How would you assess the social gains and costs of our new no-smoking law? Can anyone be certain that the social gains are greater than the social costs?

(b) What is the relevance of the Coase Theorem here? In what sense is this theorem not operative in the no-smoking case?

(c) Emissions from automobile engines are said to inflict far more damage on health than smoke from cigarettes. Why does the Hong Kong government not impose a no-driving rule?

轉載自張五常教授blog