DAVID GREGORY: You -- you could do ads for education. As the executive of New York City, you're telling people what they can and cannot do. Why is that government's job--
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: No, we're not--
DAVID GREGORY: --to do that?
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: We're not telling them at all. We're telling them what science says is in their interest or isn't in their interest. We allow you to smoke. We just don't let you smoke where other people have to breathe the smoke that you -- that you're exhaling or comes from your cigarette. The same thing with obesity. Which incidentally, is a public interest because we're going to spend $5 billion on treating people with obesity in our hospitals in New York City alone this year. But regardless--
DAVID GREGORY: But where is the line? Where -- where is it too far--
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: I have--
DAVID GREGORY: --for government to go?
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: I do not think we should ban most things. I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom. And that is, for example, if you're drinking, we shouldn't let you drive because you'll kill somebody else. If you are carrying a gun, we shouldn't let you on an airplane. There's a lot of things that we do -- if there's asbestos in a classroom, we should remove the kids from the classroom til you clean the air. But in terms of smoking, if you want to smoke, I think you have a right to do so and I would protect that. If you want to own a gun, I certainly think that’s constitutionally protected. You certainly have a right to have a gun if you want. If you want to eat a lot and get fat, you have a right to do it. But our job as government is to inform the public.
