The majority of this country does not support a ban on smoking. Regardless, this country does not make decisions that make. Helmets and seatbelts are mandatory because of the same nanny legislators who believe that they can change behavior by force.
If the majority of the population elects our president, why can't the majority decide if smoking is lawful? Why is wearing a helmet when riding a cycle mandatory? Why are seatbelts mandatory?
Originally posted by: Gaard
If the majority doesn't support a ban, why is a ban even being considered? That doesn't make any sense. If this is true, then the legalities of a ban shouldn't even be being discussed at this point because a ban itself shouldn't be being considered.
Originally posted by: shinerburke
People do take Tylenol every day and it does destroy their liver. As for the sodas...not only will they ruin your liver they can also be directly linked to the obesity problem in this country. What are we going to go after when cigarettes are banned? Is it time to shut down the evil Coca-Cola company? I mean after all they have contributed to millions of fatass Americans and helped cause countless cases of diabetes, heart disease, etc, etc, etc....which both kills people and causes healthcare costs to skyrocket. Why stop with cigarettes if we are going to go about legislating if people can use legal substances which will most likely cause them harm? They know when they pick up a cigarette that it is bad for them but it's not going to stop them. It's their choice to smoke the damn cancer sticks....they know the risk so let em puff the damn things all they want.
With all that being said I think you should know that I am very opposed to smoking. My Mom has done it all my life and it drives me nuts. I can't stand to go to my parent's house because of the smoke. Still, it's her choice and I don't have the right to force her to stop.
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: Gaard
If the majority doesn't support a ban, why is a ban even being considered? That doesn't make any sense. If this is true, then the legalities of a ban shouldn't even be being discussed at this point because a ban itself shouldn't be being considered.
At one time the majority in this country did not favor outlawing slavery. What's right is not always what popular.
Govt. not only has the right, it has the duty to protect the citizens who elected them, instead they sold out our interests and looked the other way. You are such an easygoing guy, the thought of my mom being so carelessly used and abused by such colloboration would piss me off something fierce.
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Why are cigarettes still legal?
Because they are not governed by the FDA. How do they escape the jurisdiction of he FDA/ By claiming to produce a "natural" product, yet it has been proven time and time again there are sometimes hundreds of other chemicals used in the production, and nicotine levels are strictly controled to gurantee addiction levels, just like mother nature intended.
Who kept the cigs out of reach of the FDA? Our own Govt. Why? Campaign money. Who finally is getting the money cigarette manufactures have rightfully been charged in damages? The people they targeted and profitied from, the ones who are suffering, nope, the Govt.
At one time the majority in this country did not favor outlawing slavery. What's right is not always what popular.
Originally posted by: Lucky
Govt. not only has the right, it has the duty to protect the citizens who elected them, instead they sold out our interests and looked the other way. You are such an easygoing guy, the thought of my mom being so carelessly used and abused by such colloboration would piss me off something fierce.
The government has DONE their duty, and plenty more. They have forced warning on cigarette packs, sued the crap out of manufacturers, taxed the hell out of tobacco under the guise of education and health even though the money doesnt go to that, restricts advertising enough as it is, and increasingly they are outlawing it in public places, including BARS. :|
It's her choice if she wants to smoke, I'm sure she knows the hazards unless she lives in a bubble.
Write your senators! Hell, write your president!
List of senator emails: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
president@whitehouse.gov
My letter:
Recently the United States became a signatory to a sweeping and unprecedented anti-smoking treaty that is a major step backwards in personal liberties. The The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) would not only restrict tobacco advtertising to the fullest extent allowed by law, but it would force governments to raise tax, participate in lawsuits, increase taxes, and ban smoking in all public areas. Even areas which are completely ventilated, or areas where smokers have every right to NOT go into. This treaty is a first step to the admitted long term goal-a complete ban on smoking. We are increasingly becoming a nanny-state, and I for one am completely sick of it. It is NOT the job of the government to nanny me. Forcing draconion "solutions" on smokers is exactly what we DONT need to do. You want to reduce smoking? Education. Awareness. Not force. Smokers do not respond to force. You think black market created by the war on drugs is bad now? See what happens when you do the same thing to cigarettes.
This is terrible public policy and I urge you to NOT ratify the FCTC. It is time start having personal responsibility, and time to stop having our government act like our mother and tell us what's good and what's bad for us.
xxxxx
xxxxx
Originally posted by: Alistar7
The Govt. not only has the right, it has the duty to protect the citizens who elected them, instead they sold out our interests and looked the other way. You are such an easygoing guy, the thought of my mom being so carelessly used and abused by such colloboration would piss me off something fierce.
Originally posted by: Gaard
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: Gaard
If the majority doesn't support a ban, why is a ban even being considered? That doesn't make any sense. If this is true, then the legalities of a ban shouldn't even be being discussed at this point because a ban itself shouldn't be being considered.
At one time the majority in this country did not favor outlawing slavery. What's right is not always what popular.
Good point. I'm trying to think of a counter-arguement, but can't think of one.
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Tobacco doesn't affect the health of others?
Where is anyone given the right to do as they please even if it affects the health of others?
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Alistar7
The Govt. not only has the right, it has the duty to protect the citizens who elected them, instead they sold out our interests and looked the other way. You are such an easygoing guy, the thought of my mom being so carelessly used and abused by such colloboration would piss me off something fierce.
Oh good GAWD! Where in the constitution is the government given the power to protect individual citizens from themselves???
And that's what it boils down to. Put the tobacco companies outof business and illegal dealers or home growers will step in. It will NOT go away.
There is NO abuse here. It was his mom's CHOICE to smoke, and it is her CHOICE to continue. NO ONE is forcing her.
You need to grow up and realize that you cannot be everyone's mother, nor can the government.
Originally posted by: Gaard
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: Gaard
If the majority doesn't support a ban, why is a ban even being considered? That doesn't make any sense. If this is true, then the legalities of a ban shouldn't even be being discussed at this point because a ban itself shouldn't be being considered.
At one time the majority in this country did not favor outlawing slavery. What's right is not always what popular.
Good point. I'm trying to think of a counter-arguement, but can't think of one.
Originally posted by: Gaard
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: Gaard
If the majority doesn't support a ban, why is a ban even being considered? That doesn't make any sense. If this is true, then the legalities of a ban shouldn't even be being discussed at this point because a ban itself shouldn't be being considered.
At one time the majority in this country did not favor outlawing slavery. What's right is not always what popular.
Good point. I'm trying to think of a counter-arguement, but can't think of one.
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Alistar7
The Govt. not only has the right, it has the duty to protect the citizens who elected them, instead they sold out our interests and looked the other way. You are such an easygoing guy, the thought of my mom being so carelessly used and abused by such colloboration would piss me off something fierce.
Oh good GAWD! Where in the constitution is the government given the power to protect individual citizens from themselves???
And that's what it boils down to. Put the tobacco companies outof business and illegal dealers or home growers will step in. It will NOT go away.
There is NO abuse here. It was his mom's CHOICE to smoke, and it is her CHOICE to continue. NO ONE is forcing her.
You need to grow up and realize that you cannot be everyone's mother, nor can the government.
I agree, that's why we don't need the FDA, why bother testing drugs to make sure they are safe, we don't need the govt. telling us what we can and can't do or take.
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Gaard
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: Gaard
If the majority doesn't support a ban, why is a ban even being considered? That doesn't make any sense. If this is true, then the legalities of a ban shouldn't even be being discussed at this point because a ban itself shouldn't be being considered.
At one time the majority in this country did not favor outlawing slavery. What's right is not always what popular.
Good point. I'm trying to think of a counter-arguement, but can't think of one.
That's pretty sad.
Originally posted by: Alistar7
put the product under the jurisdiction of the body it belongs under and let it pass the same standards all other products governed by the FDA must do so to be placed on the market. I trust the FDA to make a better informed decision tha you or I.
Originally posted by: Gaard
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Gaard
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: Gaard
If the majority doesn't support a ban, why is a ban even being considered? That doesn't make any sense. If this is true, then the legalities of a ban shouldn't even be being discussed at this point because a ban itself shouldn't be being considered.
At one time the majority in this country did not favor outlawing slavery. What's right is not always what popular.
Good point. I'm trying to think of a counter-arguement, but can't think of one.
That's pretty sad.
Oh, c'mon. I'm only on my second cup. And our milk went bad so I have to drink it black. And we're out of TP so I had to use paper towels this morning. It's been an imperfect morning.
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Gaard touched upon the salvation of American fair taxation. Toilet paper. Eliminate all taxes and impose whatever is needed to compensate as a tax on TP. We are not going to stop buying it, and everyone is going to use it fairly equally regardless of disposable income.
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Alistar7
put the product under the jurisdiction of the body it belongs under and let it pass the same standards all other products governed by the FDA must do so to be placed on the market. I trust the FDA to make a better informed decision tha you or I.
You trust too much. It was the same government that banned hemp.
At any rate, banning it or putting it under the FDA will do nothing. Banning drugs did nothing to stem the tide of abuse. Banning alcohol did nothing to stem the tise of drinking. Banning the most adictive drug of all, tobacco, will do nothing.
But, these laws DO have an effect. They create huge and extremely dangerous underground black markets that hurt and kill tens of thousands of innocent people. And in the fight against these gangs, we see our civil rights slowly erode away.
Just stop it. You, and the government you so naively trust, are not our mothers. You are not our saviors, and the people do not need you to save them from themselves.