From Ashland comes a hint of the next assault on cigarette smoking.

A restaurant owner there says the new Oregon ban on smoking in bars, in effect since Jan. 1, has pushed more smokers out to the sidewalks and left a carpet of butts on the ground. He wants the city to install ashtrays.

Not likely, is it?

Sooner or later, though, the butt problem may prompt the legislature to expand the indoor smoking ban to public streets and sidewalks as well.

Lawmakers could argue that the litter of cigarette butts threatens the environment and creates an eyesore. And they would have a point. (hh)