U.S. bans flavored cigarettes

[cobra_ky]

i try to keep up on political news, but a friend linked this to me, and i'm amazed no one seems to be talking about it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/health/policy/23fda.html

i'm surprisingly furious at this. i'm not a regular smoker, and i'm completely in favor of taxes on tobacco and public smoking bans, but this makes no sense from a public health standpoint and pointlessly restrains free trade. it also bothers that the federal government is trying to raise our children for us; i'm afraid a ban on violent games is next. Or maybe the FDA will require all liquor to taste terrible, so they won't be as appealing to kids?

 

[sneakypenguin]

Heh, it's what happens with government. They start off with good intentions but only succeed in stamping out someones right to do something.

 

[Clashero]

I understand their reasoning, but disagree with it... somewhat. I'm for for there being fewer cigarettes going around, but just banning flavoured cigs is like saying "ALCOHOL BAN: YOU CAN NO LONGER DRINK ALMOND-FLAVOURED BOLS"

 

[quiet_samurai]

Cigaretts are just one of the bad guys right now in the US. This has already been done in a few states, but you can still go to tobacco stores and smoke shacks for flavored tobacco if you want. You have to be 18 to go into those places anyways, unless you are with a parent or guardian.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I find the vast majority of liquor outside of Schnapps to have an unpleasant taste. But since that is heavily flavored, I don't know. As for tobacco, it really doesn't concern me as I don't smoke.

The government does seem rather over-zealous when it comes to the general health of its citizens.

 

[GyroCaptain]

My word, that NY Times article reeks with bias. Not that I'm a smoker, but forthrightly stating that menthol, cloves, and vanilla lure kids into smoking? Are you mad? The fancy R. J Reynolds berry-type stuff they refer to might KEEP kids smoking, but seriously... This, and they didn't source a damn one of their numbers.

Other than that, in sum I agree with the OP in every respect. This is outrageous.

 

[Aardvark]

Ban on chocolate, vanilla and clove flavour, but only talk of regulating menthols, even though menthol has been linked to sterility.

My conspiracy brain is ticking away at this one.

 

[syndicated44]

This is really rather old. My coworkers at the time were up in arms when we heard this on the radio one morning. Needless to say the argument lasted for a good week.

 

[AssButt]

Actually, menthol

My word, that NY Times article reeks with bias. Not that I'm a smoker, but forthrightly stating that menthol, cloves, and vanilla lure kids into smoking? Are you mad? The fancy R. J Reynolds berry-type stuff they refer to might KEEP kids smoking, but seriously... This, and they didn't source a damn one of their numbers.

Other than that, in sum I agree with the OP in every respect. This is outrageous.

Actually, they specifically excluded menthol, most likely to avoid having cars set on fire.

Nobody smokes just because there's a specific type of cigarette available and especially not "candy" flavored cigarettes, I don't know anyone who smokes them.

This legislation is completely pointless and is just another encroachment on people's rights to lead their lives in ways others disapprove of.

 

[Jindrak]

Why are you smoking anything other than Hookah tobacco?

 

[sagacious]

Dammnit! there goes my lucrative seasonal flavored cigarrette order catalog!!!

 

[Ninja_X]

Cigarettes are evil and smokers should pay high taxes for their filthy habit.

I'm of the opinion that it should be outright illegal.

 

[jimkozminski6714]

What the government seems to forget is that we have the freedom to smoke if we want to, and that they should really do nothing to impose upon our free will. Smoking does not hurt anyone but the smoker, and come on. What smoker, or non-smoker, does not know the risk of smoking?

As a smoker, I'm all for being considerate of non-smokers and not smoking in close proximity to them or whatever, but there are already enough regulations, area restrictions, and BS taxes on it to begin with. They really don't need to do anyting more to smoking.

 

[Chicago Ted]

This is just so... stupid.

It's like banning flavoured water. Pointless.

 

[AWC Viper]

im sorry but isn't tobacco the crop that made america?

that's kinda hypocritical of them to ban this stuff.

 

[VanityGirl]

*smashes hookah*

I don't really smoke, but my friend does... That blows. I know she'll be depressed.