New Tobacco Ban

[Cadetak]

This might be old but I just heard about today and apparently it just went into effect today.You can read about it here Source

It seems that the FDA has put a ban on flavored cigarettes because apparently they are for kids and this will help stop kids from smoking. This ban doesn't include menthol(apparently not a flavor) and doesn't include cigars(for some unknown reason).

Being 21 years old and being a smoker since the age of 17 and living in Cleveland Ohio I think I have a pretty good grasp on what kids do. In highschool there were only two brands of ciggaretes that people smoked...regular menthol Newports and regular Marlboros. Flavored stuff was only used for one very specific purpose...to be used in accordance with marijuana.

The FDA's new authority granted to them by our president also allows them to do such things like block the 'Light' label and put huge graphic labels on the packages to warn us. Because that will help...because I didn't already know smoking was bad for me and I only understand things if they have big graphic pictures.

Completely pointless and asinine.

[ROGER]

Oh, let them make more laws and raise the price twice as high as it is now. I believe they will just drive up a new 'Black Market' item that will NOT pay any taxes on. In Madison Wisconsin there is already a rash of "Snatch and Grab" robberies where all they take are the cigarettes. It's like the prohibition of alcohol and the War on Drugs the Government keeps fighting. They make it illegal and the criminals find a New product to sell.

IF they were REALLY serious about cutting the number of smokers, why don't they promote the sale of Electric Cigarettes and other stop smoking products right next to the Cigarette displays. But no, that would make to much sense!

[Cadetak]

Smoking is bad and gets pseudo-banned and monster taxed...but Big Macs and Gas Guzzlers are good to go.

[ROGER]

SHHH, Not so loud, you want the Demarcates to hear you!

Edited September 29, 2009 by ROGER

[churchanddestroy]

This might be old but I just heard about today and apparently it just went into effect today.You can read about it here Source

It seems that the FDA has put a ban on flavored cigarettes because apparently they are for kids and this will help stop kids from smoking. This ban doesn't include menthol(apparently not a flavor) and doesn't include cigars(for some unknown reason).

Being 21 years old and being a smoker since the age of 17 and living in Cleveland Ohio I think I have a pretty good grasp on what kids do. In highschool there were only two brands of ciggaretes that people smoked...regular menthol Newports and regular Marlboros. Flavored stuff was only used for one very specific purpose...to be used in accordance with marijuana.

The FDA's new authority granted to them by our president also allows them to do such things like block the 'Light' label and put huge graphic labels on the packages to warn us. Because that will help...because I didn't already know smoking was bad for me and I only understand things if they have big graphic pictures.

Completely pointless and asinine.

Well, as a smoker, personally, I don't buy flavored cigarettes, so the absence of flavored cigs isn't what bothers me. What bothers me is this: That every time the government feels things going down the crapper, they can kick tobacco in the balls and claim victory. Please, the tobacco industry is the greatest scapegoat for the government of all time. Yes tobacco is bad. Yes it causes cancer. Yes, we all know. Its my choice to smoke if I want to or not anyways. What bothers me is the scenario seems to play out like this: "Hey guys, its your government, so yeah I know I can't get healthcare right, and Afghanistan is going horribly, and Iran is a stones throw away from aquiring nukes, but HEY! guess wwwhhhaaattt!!!! we just gave big tobacco a swift kick between the legs... AGAIN! I know, right? so yeahwouldyoupleasevoteforme?"

Thats all I see here.

[Cadetak]

Well, as a smoker, personally, I don't buy flavored cigarettes, so the absence of flavored cigs isn't what bothers me. What bothers me is this: That every time the government feels things going down the crapper, they can kick tobacco in the balls and claim victory. Please, the tobacco industry is the greatest scapegoat for the government of all time. Yes tobacco is bad. Yes it causes cancer. Yes, we all know. Its my choice to smoke if I want to or not anyways. What bothers me is the scenario seems to play out like this: "Hey guys, its your government, so yeah I know I can't get healthcare right, and Afghanistan is going horribly, and Iran is a stones throw away from aquiring nukes, but HEY! guess wwwhhhaaattt!!!! we just gave big tobacco a swift kick between the legs... AGAIN! I know, right? so yeahwouldyoupleasevoteforme?"

Thats all I see here.

I doubt many people actually care that flavored cigarettes are banned because I doubt many people smoke them. I don't even think any of the big brands have flavored variants. No adult or child is at home thinking "Crap no more vanilla cigs guess I'll quit" it's more like "Bullpoo! now I have to smoke menthols!"

Every sane American knows smoking is bad for you. As a child my parents told me this, my school told me this, my pediatrition told me this, and my cartoons even told me this(because knowing is half the battle and because I wanted to be a Planeteer too). As an adult I'm told my doctor, still told by my parents, and am reminded by the fact everytime something like this happens. Also its pretty obvious anyways isn't it? You shouldn't have to be told smoking is bad.

What bothers me is the excessive disproportional taxes and the fact that they pretty much demonize smokers.

Do you know that the United States Military has recruitment advertisements in video game magazines? That's what I call a double standard. Hey kids don't smoke...but make sure when you turn 18 you sign up so I can send you to a dessert to get blown up.

EDIT: A poo you not just went to 1up.com...front page has an advertisement for the Air Force with the line "It's not a game. Find out what it takes"

Edited September 29, 2009 by Cadetak

[stevewinn]

The UK done this a few years ago. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1065854/Graphic-images-appear-cigarette-packets-shock-smokers-quitting.html

does it work i dunno, the increase in price on this side of the pond is not to prevent people smoking or encouraging people to quit. its used has a revenue generator for the government through increased taxes. Tobacco revenue for the government is 9.5 Billion (2007 figures)

[Cadetak]

The UK done this a few years ago. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1065854/Graphic-images-appear-cigarette-packets-shock-smokers-quitting.html

does it work i dunno, the increase in price on this side of the pond is not to prevent people smoking or encouraging people to quit. its used has a revenue generator for the government through increased taxes. Tobacco revenue for the government is 9.5 Billion (2007 figures)

yeah but our new thing is that we are banning certain types of cigs(only flavored kinds) which I'm assuming leads to less tax revenue. So our sole reason is assumingly to stop people, specifically kids, from smoking...the way they are doing it won't work. All it will accomplish is to stop people from smoking flavored cigs...they just switch to non flavored or menthols(which most smoke anyways)

Edited September 29, 2009 by Cadetak

[Fluffybunny]

Using that logic, we should be able to walk into Mcdonalds and find the young family of 4 that weighs over a thousand pounds(we have all seen them) and tax the crap out of what they have been eating as their health issues will be far more apparent, far sooner, and far more expensive than a smokers health issues would be due to cigarettes they are smoking today.

[acidhead]

Using that logic, we should be able to walk into Mcdonalds and find the young family of 4 that weighs over a thousand pounds(we have all seen them) and tax the crap out of what they have been eating as their health issues will be far more apparent, far sooner, and far more expensive than a smokers health issues would be due to cigarettes they are smoking today.

lol.... I been saying this for years..... Fast food burgers and fries should have the same warning labels that cigarette packages have in Canada.

The grease eaten off the frying pan is the #1 cause of high blood pressure and heart decease.

[acidhead]

This in today....

The Province of Ontario, Canada-- says it is going to sue the big tobacco companies — for $50 billion. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/09/29/ont-tobacco.html

************

The NEW industry in 'socializing North America' has and is determined to become the Health Care Industry...... thank a Clinton.... and a Walton.... and Brand Obama.

[MissMelsWell]

Really, if they want to get a handle on smoking, maybe they should offer smoking cessation products and programs at a reasonable price.

[AROCES]

Tobacco industry is a good source of nourishment for the Tax crowd.

It is how it works, they see somethng that voters agree they can suck blood from. And they will keeep sucking blood on it until it dies or voters say no more.

[Fluffybunny]

lol.... I been saying this for years..... Fast food burgers and fries should have the same warning labels that cigarette packages have in Canada.

The grease eaten off the frying pan is the #1 cause of high blood pressure and heart decease.

Smoking isn't nearly the issue it was compared to what Americans(and other countries too)have let themselves turn into with the help of fast food in the past 25 years.

I drove by a high school the other day, and I was absolutely stunned to see the percentage of kids that were obese walking across the street from the bus stop. When I was in school it was pretty rare to have half a dozen morbidly obese kids in a senior class of 900(Los Angeles); they really stood out. As I waited for the buses to pass and the kids to cross, out of the 100 or so kids in that bunch, 20 of them were morbidly obese, and 10 more were pretty dang large. But then again I see how the kids here eat, 10-15 meals a week are fast food with all the extras and goodies! Super-size me!

It is just nuts. Gluttony. Sloth. Greed. Setting 'em up and knocking 'em down.

[Lt_Ripley]

really serious ? tobacco growers should look to grow something else. or a regulation on how much is grown and every year that crop smaller .....

[Lt_Ripley]

Smoking isn't nearly the issue it was compared to what Americans(and other countries too)have let themselves turn into with the help of fast food in the past 25 years.

I drove by a high school the other day, and I was absolutely stunned to see the percentage of kids that were obese walking across the street from the bus stop. When I was in school it was pretty rare to have half a dozen morbidly obese kids in a senior class of 900(Los Angeles); they really stood out. As I waited for the buses to pass and the kids to cross, out of the 100 or so kids in that bunch, 20 of them were morbidly obese, and 10 more were pretty dang large. But then again I see how the kids here eat, 10-15 meals a week are fast food with all the extras and goodies! Super-size me!

It is just nuts. Gluttony. Sloth. Greed. Setting 'em up and knocking 'em down.

Americans and corporations !! all about that profit !!

there truly is something addictive about fast food. Maybe if the menu was changed to chicken soup , salad , tuna on toast only ?? I doubt as much business would happen and seeing how we've become an economy based on fast food and bad health ..............

[BiffSplitkins]

As long as they don't ban flavored 'Blunts' the kids won't be disappointed.

[Lt_Ripley]

As long as they don't ban flavored 'Blunts' the kids won't be disappointed.

hey , maybe if the added something to those blunts that made kids more respectable instead of a bunch of 'chavs' ?? we'd be buying them in bulk and putting them under the xmas tree !!

[Pinx]

Meh, I never liked flavored cigarettes anyway, flavors should be left to cigars. If they banned menthols though, I'd be forced to quit. Which would be good for me in the long run, but would totally p*** me off at first.

Using that logic, we should be able to walk into Mcdonalds and find the young family of 4 that weighs over a thousand pounds(we have all seen them) and tax the crap out of what they have been eating as their health issues will be far more apparent, far sooner, and far more expensive than a smokers health issues would be due to cigarettes they are smoking today.

Oh, I definitely think we'll see a "fat tax" in our lifetimes.

Edited September 30, 2009 by Pinx

[Wickian]

Americans and corporations !! all about that profit !!

there truly is something addictive about fast food. Maybe if the menu was changed to chicken soup , salad , tuna on toast only ?? I doubt as much business would happen and seeing how we've become an economy based on fast food and bad health ..............

The only thing addictive to it is the convenience I think. The taste and quality of the food is too low for me to eat it. The only fast food I even consider sometimes is a local place called S.S. Burger Basket, now they make some quality food for being fast.

[preacherman76]

This might be old but I just heard about today and apparently it just went into effect today.You can read about it here Source

It seems that the FDA has put a ban on flavored cigarettes because apparently they are for kids and this will help stop kids from smoking. This ban doesn't include menthol(apparently not a flavor) and doesn't include cigars(for some unknown reason).

Being 21 years old and being a smoker since the age of 17 and living in Cleveland Ohio I think I have a pretty good grasp on what kids do. In highschool there were only two brands of ciggaretes that people smoked...regular menthol Newports and regular Marlboros. Flavored stuff was only used for one very specific purpose...to be used in accordance with marijuana.

The FDA's new authority granted to them by our president also allows them to do such things like block the 'Light' label and put huge graphic labels on the packages to warn us. Because that will help...because I didn't already know smoking was bad for me and I only understand things if they have big graphic pictures.

Completely pointless and asinine.

I have a few years on you, but Id have to agree, it was the same when I went to school. Reds, or Newports. This is just a way for them to pretend they dont want people to smoke, while doing absolutly nothing to actualy stop it. There isnt a single government program to help people quit smoking, afew states do, but not the fed. That should tell us all what we need to know about government intervention regarding smoking.

Edited September 30, 2009 by preacherman76

[J Gab]

In high school, I would hear of kids smoking the flavored ones because they were sold easier to them and they actually enjoyed the taste.

Not that it matters, I just read an article that has the companies already finding a loophole by selling tiny cigars that are flavored instead. Did you think tobacco companies wouldn't find a way around it?

[Cadetak]

I have a few years on you, but Id have to agree, it was the same when I went to school. Reds, or Newports. This is just a way for them to pretend they dont want people to smoke, while doing absolutly nothing to actualy stop it. There isnt a single government program to help people quit smoking, afew states do, but not the fed. That should tell us all what we need to know about government intervention regarding smoking.

It would make sense if they were taxing us again because that equals tax money but this deal would seem to lose tax revenue.

If the singular goal here is to attempt to stop kids from picking up smoking it's an incredibly epic fail. Even if there is a large group of kids who start on flavored cigs it's not like they were thinking "Mmm it tastes like candy I want more" if that was true then they would just buy some Skittles. What they wanted was cigs and now they will just have to skip ahead to Reds and Newports.

I'm also positive that if any young male smoked flavored cigs they would be ridiculed. You get called names if you smoke Lights in school(girl cigs). So this is targeted at a minority of children that effects everybody.

I would be more forgiving if this was because of some no name representative or senator who thinks they know what the hell their talking about but this is the FDA...it's kind of in their job description. Some blame also has to be put on Obama for giving the FDA their new power...as a smoker he's probably thinking the same we are right now lol!

[Cadetak]

In high school, I would hear of kids smoking the flavored ones because they were sold easier to them and they actually enjoyed the taste.

They were probably sold easier because nobody wanted to buy them and they needed to remove their stock lol. Generally speaking cigs are easy to get no matter the variant. I started at 17 and got mine from older friends or stores that didn't care.

There was only one flavor enjoyed in my school and it was menthol. Newports outsold Reds at my school.

Not that it matters, I just read an article that has the companies already finding a loophole by selling tiny cigars that are flavored instead. Did you think tobacco companies wouldn't find a way around it?

The FDA is already working on ways around the way the tobacco companies are getting around it(...ya that made sense i think).

Basically their will be regulation setting the length, width, and size that makes the difference between a cig and a cigar...or some pooey.