LIVESTRONG BLOG

This will put the Food and Drug Admin. in a whole new category, making our food more unsafe than ever while trying to curb tobacco products from getting into the hands of minors. A big warning label will not detour a smoker from smoking (you can’t teach an old dog new tricks). If you are over 18 you have the right to smoke, it’s not the Feds responsibility to tell us what we can and can’t do. If you really want to do something to help, don?t smoke! Period! Getting the FDA involved will do nothing but put a burden on our food that in the past several years the FDA can’t control anyways? Also, please keep in mind that the FDA is the same people who think it OK to stuff antidepressants down my kid?s mouth! I SAY NO THANK YOU!!!!

End the FEDs!

This act will generally improve the average young smokers education on the subject, and including pictures on the packs is genius. Sure people who want to smoke will smoke, but overall this will eventually drive the percentage of people in this country down who choose to smoke. It is already abundantly clear in my area, that people frown upon smoking. And I have friends that smoke which try and hide this habit from family and friends. People which are in the mid 20s, and 30s.

And personally I think if someone IS going to buy anything which they intend on consuming in one form or another, they should know exactly what is in it, and that data should be readily available on the package.

People start smoking, precisely, because it is bad for them. It’s allure is that it is dangerous, and youmg people are impetuous by nature. No one who is smoking now is unaware of the dangers. I believe that smoking begins due to peer pressure, a desire to rebel, or to fit an image. The failure to quit as one matures is due to a weakness of character. Obama signing this legislation is hypocritical, and shows a further lack of character. The villaiainization of this industry shows the frustration of the government at their inability to control the actions of a large portion of the population. Nobody should smoke, but tobacco is not going to go away. The more the government raises taxes, the more they create a black market to skirt the rules.

Sorry, I understand smoking is bad, but this is wrong. If the government fully respects the cigarette industry as a legitimate business then all of these measures are wrong. If cigarette smoking is never beneficial, than shouldn’t it have been shut down out right? No, it hasn’t because of the large monetary gains to be had through taxes and the country’s overall economy. Either, you eliminate this “cancer” to society fully or you don’t. You can’t step in like this and give these foolish boundaries to their business and regulate it. If you make the step here, then you must regulate the food industry as well putting scare labels on high starch products stating that “simple carbs cause obesity.” There’s too much pick and choose right now, and not enough hardlining from this administration; something this country desperately needs.

I agree that it’s wrong for the tobacco industry to target kids. I also agree that it is a weakness of character which causes people not to quit smoking. I am an occasional smoker I am nineteen years old and have been an occasional smoker since high school It is the lack of moderation and discretion which causes invasive legislation which deprives us of our liberties. I like to smoke clove cigarettes, which I am of age to do and I don’t understand the idea that these things target kids. The only place you can buy those, at least in my area is at a tobacco shop, where they card on the way in. I for one think this is ludicrous. At twenty-one you’re allowed to drink, are we going to ban margaritas because they have sugar in them and kids might decide they want one. These types of laws don’t protect anyone, just sell cigarettes at specific stores or registers in stores like they do for liquor and the problem is no longer nearly as large. The problem is that any store can sell cigarettes and the licensing isn’t well enforced.

What difference does it make if the cigarettes are tutti-fruiti or bubble-gum flavored or colored?? If you bring a pack to the counter, your age should be determined by legal identification before being allowed to purchase……simple…..works in a liquor store….works in an “adult” store…..should we now outlaw lemon vodka, kahlua, strawberry daquiris and edible underwear??? If you dont want to smoke…dont….and if you dont want to be around smoke, welcome to the new USA, where practically everywhere is banned from smoking, but where is the line going to be drawn???? I rarely smoke and when I do, I smoke a cigar or a clove cigarette. I rarely drink, but when I do I enjoy spiced rum……wonder how long till thats outlawed???

govt. has done the right job by starting tobacco law…..its good for all of us….