I support this ban. A parent should NOT hit their child as a method of punishment. Spanking is tantamount to child abuse.

My mother struck me ONCE in my entire life...she slapped my hand when I was about to stick my fingers in an electrical outlet. That was justified. She wanted to teach me that doing something like that would be painful, without risking me acutally doing it and potentially killing myself.

But if a parent strikes a child for just being "bad' (not eating their dinner, not going to bed on time, etc.) then that is cruel, and that is child abuse. Physical discipline is not necessary in teaching a child to behave. My parents never spanked me and I grew up to be a very well-behaved child. Spanking a child only teaches them that violence is an acceptable method of punishment and instruction.