if nicotine is more addictive than heroin or cocaine...why aren't cigarettes illegal?

Answer 1

Because although it is more addictive, it is overall less dangerous because it doesn't disrupt your ability to reason or do daily things like drive. Unlike heroin or cocaine addicts that often are unable to reason against violence and other things.

Answer 2

I think nicotine is bad for you to but it is NOT more addictive than heroin or cocaine. If we went by that caffeine is just as addictive so lets make pop and coffee illegal as well. How about people addicted to alcohol? I am pretty sure making alcohol illegal has not worked in the past so probably not a good idea to try it again. It is a never ending vicious cycle but nicotine may be bad for you but it is NOT as addictive as those drugs.

Answer 3

1) Pure Nicotine is more addictive. Cigarettes aren't pure nicotine.
2) The tobacco companies still have allot of influence.
3) The people are already hooked.
4) The government relies on the tax revenue.

Answer 4

I know nicotine is not more addictive than heroin, maybe just snorting coke, not heroin. Just more government propaganda that the masses willingly follow like lost sheep. And illegal is just a sick bird anyway. Why aren't they unlawful? Money mostly the buzz is not that good the only way it really affects someones judgment is to make them smoke more. You really don't hear about to many crimes being spurred from nicotine addiction.

Answer 5

because of the lobbiest in washington paying politicians off. Tobacco has been a widely accepted product since the dawn of man...heroin and cocaine have too, but the lethality with heroin and cocaine are much more immediate than that of cigarettes. government gets huge $$$ from the taxes people pay on cigarettes...so they are part of the system that is not easily replaced....that's the thing...if that tax money goes away, then the government has to replace it with another source of income.

Answer 6

Cigarettes are not illegal for many reasons.They have always had lobbyists working on their behalf.It has been socially acceptable for a long period of time.It is part of our culture.No one has ever killed for a cigarette(that's excluding maybe prison).Although i do know that people have broken the law by selling and buying contraband cigs,that just isn't as much money to be made as there is with heroin.Heroin and cocaine also make people do mighty strange things like armed robbery,and murder.So as long as it is socially acceptable to smoke it will probably remain legal,but the law is gaining on cigarettes and it might eventually become a controlled substance.there is always hope.

Answer 7

because more people use them than use hard drugs, and while they are both bad for your health cigarettes don't have the same effect on your mind.
I'm not sure that I would agree that cigarettes are more addictive than heroin and coke, because do you don't see people stealing, killing, or prostituting themselves just to get a pack of smokes. Some people nick out, but it's not at the same level as a junkie looking for a fix.
Hard drugs cause more problems in society.

Answer 8

The electronic/vapour cigarettes (which don't need to be lit and produce no smoke) claim to have no chemicals other than nicotine and propylene glycol (which is safe). The chemicals in cigarettes are either additives to help them burn slowly but not go out easily or are left-over pesticides from the tobacco farming operations.

Answer 9

I don't know if it is, but there is a lot of money and big business in cigarettes that have been established for a long time. Plus it is viewed as a less harmful thing by much of the common population.

Answer 10

Cigarettes never be illegal. Too much money made by government. If they were illegal people who smoked would save money. Be able to buy them a lot cheaper illegally.