Does The U.S. Government Care More About Profits Than It Does Its Citizens?

Question

Let's start here, with a quote from the CDC. “Despite the slow steady declines in prevalence in the United States, cigarette smoking still causes hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year," said Dr. Corinne Husten, acting director, CDC Office on Smoking and Health.

Don't you find it disturbing that while everyone is all in a dither over us being attacked here at home by terrorists--that with nearly a half million tobacco related deaths in the U.S. per year--those guilty of these alarming number of deaths are given a pass (in the name of commerce and profits)?

President Bush claimed in the days after 911 that "You're either with us, or you are against us." He was speaking of other governments around the world. What I want to know is why is the U.S. Govt is not held to those same standards? Why don't we, get just as worked up over this as we do foreign terrorism? We've lost 6 Million lives to tobacco since 911.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/medicalnews/a/smokingcosts.htm

Answer 1

People choose to smoke. Period.

And people are still choosing to start smoking every day, despite the dangers.

I hope you are not suggesting that cigarettes should be outlawed. If that were the case, you would have millions of "in need of protection" citizens calling for your head.

Answer 2

Actually, the government DOES have legal powers over an individual taking care of him or herself. The only way one can be involuntarily committed to a hospital is when the person attempts suicide or a licensed professional suspects the person will try to end his or her life. That's the law, and certain professionals are liable for what the government decided should be a law.

But regarding your question...the short answer is YES, the current form of government in the U.S. is a capitalist democracy. There's MUCH more concern for big industry (automotive, oil, military products, etc.) than for the people themselves.

Ironically, cigarette smoking, unlike terrorism or committing suicide, is not against the law unless you smoke in a nonsmoking zone. Yet, smoking is a slow suicide. One could argue the moderation issue suggesting that a cig here or there doesn't harm you at all, but of course nicotine has been called the most addictive drug on the face of the earth, as you smokers who have tried to quit all know. Notice how most smokers make it to a pack-a-day habit instead of an occaisional cig? It's a product designed to get you addicted, no matter how naive freedom loving Americans want to be.

It's funny too how most Americans are quick to condemn terrorists if they come in a muslim form but when they wear pin striped suits and act as lobbyists for a product that contains an addictive drug sold to the public in the name of economic well being for a handful of the population this is not also considered a form of terrorism in need of condemnation. Oh, I forgot because there's harm dealt to victims of terrorism who don't choose their fate, unlike cigarette smokers, that's adequate reason to say the tobacco industry is 100% free of guilt for selling a product that comes with a warning label telling you about the great harm you'll do to your body if you use it. I guess all harm isn't harm.

I guess we've forgotten how to think in this country. Must be all the second hand smoke.

Answer 3

Tobacco deaths are voluntary deaths (with the exception of second hand smoke afflictions). We can hardly stop the country's foreign and domestic policies to protect those that won't help themselves!

A country is like a corporation...and the government's responsibility is to the financial health of that corporation. Without that, the employees will have no jobs or ways to feed their families. I would rather the government keep their eye on the economic ball, and empower citizens to keep their eyes on their own health...

Answer 4

Our government increases costs to the consumer with taxation. Cigarettes are very good example, most of the price of a pack of cigs is taxes. This money originally was to be earmarked for smokers, yet is spent on a myriad of programs.

Should we also prohibit the eating of fatty foods that can cause heart disease? How about transportation - cars kill many more of our citizens than die in wars.

Where do we draw the line?

People need to take responsibility for their actions and government should stay out of our lives. If someone chooses to smoke, they should be able to.

Answer 5

The Federal Government has no constitutional authority to protect people from themselves. That includes using tobacco, skateboarding, mountainclimbing or any other dangerous activity that costs lives and limbs.

States have the authority and can outlaw tobacco if they so desire. I suspect they do enjoy the massive taxes they place on those tobacco products and don't really desire their prohibition.




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Answer 6

1st of all, I doubt those numbers are accurate. How many of those people were going to die anyway??

2nd, its not the govts job to tell us what to do. If I want to eat a piece of cheesecake, I dont want to have to get it from a black market and then worry about the cops breaking in my door.

People need to take responsibility for their own lives, children, and health. The last thing we want is the govt trying to tell us how to live. That only helps to serve liberalism and the growth and power of govt.

Terrorism on the other hand is a hiuge threat that has only been getting worse since the 80's. At least if your grandpa dies from lung cancer, he made his choice. What about the 5000 people that died on Spetember 11th? They made no such choice, they were just cut off from life.

Answer 7

Smoking is a choice people make.

Tobacco is a legal product to grow and sell.

Government has no duty to protect us from ourselves.

Anti-smoking zealotry tramples on our liberty, and is contrary to every principle this country was founded upon.

Answer 8

People die in car accidents every day, is the government supposed to ban driving or hold car manufactures responsible? Driving is a choice just like smoking.

Answer 9

I would say that question/statement you ask, would be true for most people, rich or not. Part of a government, or not. Where has the person gone, that will risk themselves for the safety of another? I think almost all of them are in the military.

Answer 10

are you stupid or just kidding?how can you in your most compitant state of mind compare the smoking of tobacco to nine eleven? not to get of track but since you started it, alcohol i mean get real alcohol and making money sure thats the plan