Post by MTMT on Jun 26, 2009 11:56:58 GMT -4
I still love Obama... but this is ridiculous.
He just signed the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" (By the way... why the fuck is "Family" part of the title? I would understand "Child" or "Adolescent"... but "Family"??).
From PoliticsDaily.com (http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/06/22/obama-signstobacco-bill/):
* FDA regulations will supersede weaker state laws, a major expansion of federal power;
* The bill bans the words "light" or "mild" in tobacco advertising, as well as any words that give the impression that one cigarette is less dangerous than another;
* It bans flavored tobacco products, like clove or cappuccino cigarettes (yes, they exist);
* It requires companies to submit a complete list of ingredients in the tobacco, paper, filter and other components, and allows the FDA to require the removal of any additive it says is dangerous;
* It requires this list of ingredients to be placed on all labels, which will itemize chemicals added to tobacco products;
* It restricts tobacco marketing to children, such as tobacco billboards near schools.
I'm all for the restriction of marketing (though I can't even remember the last time I saw a tobacco ad)... and the label thing I'm fine with...
But everything else?
Oh- menthols are still allowed, even though they're "flavored" cigarettes. In fact, they are the most popular flavored cigarettes. Hm...
Not to mention, this bill was written by Phillip Morris. Yes- the cigarette company. Why? Glad you asked-
(http://www.thebigmoney.com/articles/judgments/2009/06/08/cool-refreshing-legislation-philip-morris?page=full)
So- the government gets to look all compassionate and caring, trying to prevent children from smoking... Marlboro gets to make a shitton of money off of this AND look like they care... the only people who are fucked are other tobacco companies, and smokers who liked the flavored cigarettes.
I'm all for the government taxing the shit out of tobacco. If you know the risks to your own health, public health, and the environment, and STILL want to smoke- then you should pay extra for it.
But this- this is fucked up.
I wish I could say, "Put that money into education- teach kids how smoking is wrong." But- shit, that doesn't work. When kids are 9 or under, it's easy for them to say they'll never smoke. But by their teen years, it becomes all too common. I got the whole D.A.R.E. treatment, and it worked on me- I never smoked anything until I was 18 (and that was only the occasional clove or cigar, and I don't do either anymore), never drank until I turned 21 (and that is again on occasion), and never used hard drugs (I've smoked weed, because I do think it's a victimless crime... but it hasn't really done anything for me. I refuse to do anything harder, though).
Basically- D.A.R.E. and similar programs worked on me (mostly), but not on everybody. So unless people can find a more effective education program, let's just continue what's currently being done and let those who refuse to listen fend for themselves.
He just signed the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" (By the way... why the fuck is "Family" part of the title? I would understand "Child" or "Adolescent"... but "Family"??).
From PoliticsDaily.com (http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/06/22/obama-signstobacco-bill/):
* FDA regulations will supersede weaker state laws, a major expansion of federal power;
* The bill bans the words "light" or "mild" in tobacco advertising, as well as any words that give the impression that one cigarette is less dangerous than another;
* It bans flavored tobacco products, like clove or cappuccino cigarettes (yes, they exist);
* It requires companies to submit a complete list of ingredients in the tobacco, paper, filter and other components, and allows the FDA to require the removal of any additive it says is dangerous;
* It requires this list of ingredients to be placed on all labels, which will itemize chemicals added to tobacco products;
* It restricts tobacco marketing to children, such as tobacco billboards near schools.
I'm all for the restriction of marketing (though I can't even remember the last time I saw a tobacco ad)... and the label thing I'm fine with...
But everything else?
Oh- menthols are still allowed, even though they're "flavored" cigarettes. In fact, they are the most popular flavored cigarettes. Hm...
Not to mention, this bill was written by Phillip Morris. Yes- the cigarette company. Why? Glad you asked-
"It is a dream come true for Philip Morris," Michael Siegel, a professor at the Boston University School of Public Health, told me. "First, they make it look like they are a reformed company which really cares about reducing the toll of cigarettes and protecting the public's health; and second, they protect their domination of the market and make it impossible for potentially competitive products to enter the market." Other tobacco companies have taken to calling the bill the "Marlboro Monopoly Act of 2009."
(http://www.thebigmoney.com/articles/judgments/2009/06/08/cool-refreshing-legislation-philip-morris?page=full)
So- the government gets to look all compassionate and caring, trying to prevent children from smoking... Marlboro gets to make a shitton of money off of this AND look like they care... the only people who are fucked are other tobacco companies, and smokers who liked the flavored cigarettes.
I'm all for the government taxing the shit out of tobacco. If you know the risks to your own health, public health, and the environment, and STILL want to smoke- then you should pay extra for it.
But this- this is fucked up.
I wish I could say, "Put that money into education- teach kids how smoking is wrong." But- shit, that doesn't work. When kids are 9 or under, it's easy for them to say they'll never smoke. But by their teen years, it becomes all too common. I got the whole D.A.R.E. treatment, and it worked on me- I never smoked anything until I was 18 (and that was only the occasional clove or cigar, and I don't do either anymore), never drank until I turned 21 (and that is again on occasion), and never used hard drugs (I've smoked weed, because I do think it's a victimless crime... but it hasn't really done anything for me. I refuse to do anything harder, though).
Basically- D.A.R.E. and similar programs worked on me (mostly), but not on everybody. So unless people can find a more effective education program, let's just continue what's currently being done and let those who refuse to listen fend for themselves.
