If enough signatures were obtained on a national petition. Would This be enough to require lawmakers to enact legislation prohibiting the sale of tobacco products? I understand there will be a black market. my thought is an attempt to deter new smokers .I hold no animosity for smokers .But i bet every smoker has or will wish they had never started. Tobacco companies have raised nicotine levels by 16% in the past 5 years. Prohibition was totaly different. And it is a lot harder to illegally grow tobacco than to distill alcohol. My thought is this would greatly reduce this dangerous practice. I know some will mention marijuana but this is used in minute numbers compared to tobacoo products.
2006-10-14 05:00:15 · 10 answers · asked by carolinatinpan 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
The money made is offset by the health care costs on the other end.
2006-10-14 05:34:33 · update #1
Do you smoke?
2006-10-14 05:36:05 · update #2
Won't happen. there is WAA?AAAY too much money collected in tax revenues. In fact, the government makes more money off of cigarettes than the cigarette companies do!
And, no, this not the right avenue to take. I like banning it many public places, but whatever people do to themselves in the privacy of their own homes is their business and nobody else's.
The best way to stop people from picking up the habit is to continue education efforts on the detriments smoking has.
"The money made is offset by the health care costs on the other end"
- Not really. Insurance charges massive premiums for smokers, which means smokers pay for it. The government doesn't fund hospitals, insurance does.
Besides, introducing a criminal element to smoking would be going backwards.
2006-10-14 05:13:02 · answer #1 · answered by Manny 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A petition requires nothing. It's more of a public statement of interest. And such a petition shows nothing about the people who would oppose your plan. Even if your petition had 10 million signatures, it would likely be ignored.
You know, I see your good intentions, but I hope you realize that you will never keep people from doing stupid things. Only God can do it.
Say you ban tobacco. Now, there is a black market for it. But there is also a black market for cocaine, codeine, marijuana, and now tobacco. Its likely that all black markets will rise. Instead of people getting addicted to nicotine, they've got all these other drugs (including prescriptions) to abuse. I doubt the medical costs will be offset, in fact we'd probably find that a whole new slew of self induced diseases because of people's addictions.
So what if tobacco is hard to grow illegally, it'd just be imported!
Now, one thing that might be interesting... Ban Tobacco, but make Marijuana legal! (Oops, I just suggested something that would probably raise the number of car accidents significantly.) If we allowed Marijuana, though, with tobacco, would there be such a problem?
I mean, if everybody were perfect, ideal citizens, we wouldn't have the problems we have today.
2006-10-14 07:19:16 · answer #2 · answered by Jay 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the government already tried doing comparable element with prohibition of alcohol and look what that did! Banning tobacco might merely create an entire new black industry and alot extra criminal interest. Our jails may be packed with human beings who smoke leaving no room for the incredibly accountable. human beings could desire to recover from the full smoking concern. As others have mentioned, we could continuously be loose to wreck ourselves if that's what we desire. that's what this u . s . a . is approximately. confident, flow forward and outlaw it in public places, that saves human beings who smoke from harming others yet there is not any could desire to make this u . s . a . even one extra step nearer to a socialist society!
2016-12-13 08:07:17 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the prison system is already overburdened enough, and to add yet another crime to fill it's ranks is a bad idea, similar to the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920's.
2006-10-14 05:10:48 · answer #4 · answered by Feathery 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I used to smoke. I quit. Tobacco should be illegal. If anyone wants to smoke they should have to go to Canada. Tobacco kills more people than marijuana.
2006-10-14 11:41:35 · answer #5 · answered by WendyD1999 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you know how much tax is made off of the sale of tobaco products. The government does and I do not think you would ever see this happen. This would not be a good solution anyway as I think as Americans we should have our choice to go to hell as we please.
2006-10-14 05:09:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
jeez, if people want to smoke, let them. if we outlawed tobacco, then our taxes would skyrocket. smokers pay a lot of taxed at $4 a pack. if we outlaw it, we will not be a free country anymore, people have smoked for hundreds of years. we cant stop it
2006-10-14 06:19:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even thought I don't smoke... I don't think it's right. What's next banning chocolate because it causes cavities?
2006-10-14 05:19:00 · answer #8 · answered by Blaredtx 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thank you for trying to take away my right to choose.
2006-10-14 05:02:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT.
2006-10-14 05:10:01 · answer #10 · answered by shirleypowers1953 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋