Reflections

It Is Time To Stop The Sale Of Tobacco Products

Posted by on Jun 12, 2009 | 12 Comments

I read with interest that the FDA will now take responsibility for the regulation of tobacco products. This new legislation is designed to hopefully stem the tide of new tobacco users and control how the tobacco industry operates here in the United States. But we all know that this is going to add more regulations and a new bureaucracy to the Federal Government.

It is time that we should take the bull by the horns and just ban the sale of tobacco products for good. There is overwhelming evidence that tobacco products cause serious health issues that no one can deny. The cost of providing health care to smokers cost all of us in higher medical premiums and also places undue burdens on our health care professionals. All in the name of tobacco and the addictive plant that produces nicotine. So how can we stop the production of more tobacco products?

According to one article it makes the following point about the new legislation:

Since 1998, the industry has spent nearly $308 million in lobbying to block the bill. Cigarette makers have seen sales shrink in the past decade. They have been operating under some advertising restrictions that were part of their 1999 settlement with 46 states, led by Mississippi, which sued the companies for costs from tobacco-related deaths and illnesses.

To continue to sue tobacco companies and make them pay for the cost of treating smokers does not seem to be working. The tobacco companies make billions of dollars on the sale of tobacco that the punishment does not deter them. Increasing the sales tax on tobacco products that the consumer must pay would seem to help to stem the tide of tobacco. But will that be enough to make people stop smoking or using smokeless tobacco products?

I doubt that this is the answer. A total ban on tobacco would be the only way to stop people from killing themselves.

Maybe the tobacco companies should hire a new Marlboro man and have him ride through a cemetery stating ‘this is Marlboro country’.

What do you think?

WSJ article.


  • leftystrat

    I firmly believe in the right of the individual to do whatever sorts of damage he or she likes, so long as it hurts no one else.

    Warnings on cigarette packs tell you it’s deadly, yet the addicts continue to smoke. Nanny State doesn’t work.

    I’m really tired of the gov’t `protecting’ me. Let’s all do something smart and insist that the gov’t do LESS, not more.

    Ymmv.

  • http://97sec.com James Jelinek

    It’s definitely up to the individual to put the gun to his/her head.

    As harsh as this sounds, it’s a process of natural selection.

    Smoke em if you got em!

  • Kevin Bailey

    I feel that one way we can work on both sides of this issue is to not cover now or ever the medical treatment of tobacco caused illnesses to those people that use tobacco products under government provided programs. If you smoke then hypertension meds and treatment for emphysema, lung cancer etc. should not be covered by medicare, medicaid or any other government funded coverage. This would keep to the “if it doesn’t hurt anybody else they should be able to do it. Under current processes they smoke because it affects their personal health but I pay taxes that help pay for care to their failing health because of the choices in lifestyle they choose. If you can document your discontinued use of tobacco then you can begin to get prorated coverage as long as you do not have a know preexisting condition. Part of documenting your quitting would involve having a medical screen performed on a regular basis.

  • Deena Malone

    “There is overwhelming evidence that tobacco products cause serious health issues that no one can deny” – I can deny it. The so-called studies that were done were all done via JUNK Science. The CDC figures came from studying numerous deaths and diseases, and if more people that died or succumed to the disease were smokers, then it was determined to be a “tobacco-related” death or disease. The people were never asked if they worked with napthalene, or asbestos, or carbon tetrachloride, or other known carcinogens. Many “studies” came from Stanton Glantz (an infamous neurotic anti-smoker – who is not a scientist, but a mechanical engineer), or from the funding of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Robert Wood another neurotic anti-smoker) – affiliated with Johnson & Johnson pharma. (any conflict of interest with selling nicotine products?). Also, death certificates are now lising deaths as “related to tobacco use” if the deceased smoked at all – regardless of the cause of the death – my husband was one of these. A friend of mine was accidently poisoned by napthalene fumes and got asmatic bronchitis. The paper work listed her condition from smoking – because she smoked. She had to insist they correct the paperwork. There is big money involved in making people think that tobacco is the big enemy. Wake up people!

  • AnnoyingGal

    Hi.

  • JimKirk

    Prohibition for the loss.

  • donswife

    My husband died of lung cancer 2 months ago….but ya know what?? He also worked in the asphalt/construction business since he was 13 yrs. old. There wasn’t ONE doctor at Sloan Kettering who would tell him he was sick from smoking considering his circumstances…no cancer INSIDE his lungs. It was outside of his lungs and inoperable.
    Everyone should wake up – I can’t tell you how many people have died from lung cancer and never smoked a day in their life…..in their 20,’s, 30′s, 40′s..Stop with the tobacco crap already. People get sick from many things…alcohol, obesity, sunbathing !!! Let’s deny all their health benefits too if ever needed. Really people – everyone needs to wake up – could be you some day getting denied those benefits !!!!

  • Roxanne Tackoor

    seriously more than one bottom line this is a more than one assault of rights.. – tobacco : a given right / choice of man’s for ritual or relaxation, ancient, and always to be ..period. – the line : between government, the tobacco business and we the smokers.. only one matters is the one between us and them..why..they both could give unless they profit, one funds and the other reaps pharmaceutical/insurance/testing because..the chemicals .. period.. we all know they are in there and that they are modified and distributed in many variances for various planned locations..not a myth make a small attempt to test different places of sale. ..THREE – insult : to consider all the fads comming out of this issue are we really…blahblahblah that dumb. SAFER CIGARETTES that stop burning to prevent fires…ruthless..more chemicals..what the heck is making “the stop” dare we ask .. well I do…know what ..say hello to more health issues..guess what I will smoke and that is that, fine it is what it is and I am as small in the picture as I am..but wrong is wrong and the war will still be between the government and the companies and they can fool each other and themselves as much as it remains titalating to their senses…so what tobacco is a part of my life as it has been for eons for many.,,it is they who need a gdamned life..SAFER CIGARETTES are gross and I think I would be happy to stop smoking if all the tobacco in this land suddenly crapped out and both the government and the companies took a giant SH**T and sorrytothefarmer..ps, why would a product which helped fund our severence frm Britain now be handling us as pretty much the same.isbull

  • Roxanne Tackoor

    2day, smoking; considering my circumstances and holding onto gov beneifits..

  • Anonymous

    Ummmm, this is certainly NOT a full list of OS5′s features. According to Scott Forstall there are 200 new features. This might more accurately be called, “A quick glance at a small subset of OS5′s features.

    I liked some of the GUI changes, like the split keyboard function to make thumb entry easier.

    I also liked the promised ‘Airdrop’ peer-to-peer WIFi file sharing.

    I like how the SHARING link takes you to the UFX Bank site, I don’t think buying gold is part of the new OS.

    Maybe a little editing and research?

  • Anonymous

    does that mean we can text messenge u?… LOL

  • http://www.tabletaholic.com Tabletaholic

    Looks good so far. It is comical that in 2011 someone would actually play up the fact that you no longer need a desktop computer to use an iOS device. You can set up the device on the device itself, and updates can now be pushed to your phone OTA, without having to ever touch iTunes.

    Isn’t it only logical that the iPad would work this way?