Incandescent light bulbs

The ODT reports on how the Government is banning incandescent light bulbs:

Once new standards were introduced, no new stocks of the incandescent bulbs could be imported for sale.

I can not see the rationale for a ban, just because they are energy inefficient. On that basis we should ban certain cars, fridges, TVs, computers and heaters. I should stop there before I give the Greens too many wet dreams ideas.

I only buy energy efficient light bulbs now. I do so because I have calculated that the higher purchase cost will save money in the long term as they last longer, and also use less energy. More and more people are doing so.

But if someone wants to use an incandescent bulb, why should it be illegal to do so?

Someone will claim we need to do so because of carbon emissions. But this is why I support a cap and trade ETS. Because by doing so the price of electricity will reflect those carbon emissions, and send a market signal out to buy more efficient light bulbs.

I see no reason for a ban. Only things which are clearly hazardous should  be banned. Why should the state decide on behalf of every household what type of light bulb they can buy?

Sure some will argue that people will make bad choices and ignore the savings from more efficient light bulbs. Well yes they will, but you know people make bad choices all the time.

Now they will claim the environmental impact of inefficient light bulbs costs everyone money, so we should be allowed to ban them. But again an ETS will cover those costs so that argument falls away.

If we allow the state to choose for us what sort of light bulb we can use, then where do we stop?