Should we just totally ban the manufacturing, importing, and sale of all tabacco products in the U.S.A.?

Question

Wouldn't this solve a lot of problems?

Cigarettes and other tabacco products are truly deadly. Should the legislature be protecting its citizens from deadly things?

Lots of chemicals are totally banned. So why not tabacco products.

Yes, it seems a bit harsh, and indeed it would suddenly kill an entire industry. But it would still eliminate a group of products that are proven to kill people.

Answer 1

Cars ( Their drivers actually ) kill people. Let's ban cars.
Food- Obesity kills people. Let's ban food.
Alcohol- Didn't we do that once? Let's bring Capone back!
Sharks and Bears- They kill people. Let's wipe them out.
Medical Malpractice- Doctors kill people. Let's ban them.

Do you see how absurd banning tobacco is?

If the illustrious government bans tobacco, it will be sold on the black market just like drugs. And it will turn law abiding Americans into criminals, because they're gonna want to smoke. Some idiots decided to ban alcohol once, it was called "Prohibition", and crime went up big time, normal people became bootleggers, and alcohol went on the black market. Prohibition never stopped booze. There was just as much alcohol as there was when it was legal.

It's up to the smoker to decide whether to quit or not. It's his/her life, and they decide what to do with it, not the government or a bunch of Health Nazi's who want every blasted thing banned they don't agree with.

Answer 2

Much better idea: tax it till they cant even think of affording to deal with it, and if they order overseas or out of state, turn state line toll booths, post offices, and parcel shipping companies into U.S. Customs and inspect all vehicles and parcels for breaking tax laws regarding limits and penalize them till they can afford to breathe.

But if you are going to do that, they better start taxing the crap out of alcohol as well. But since alcohol has an actual health benefit, it probably will never happen.

But really, Maine has to be the worst state to have come up with this idea (landowners seem to like it though), I have no idea how its affecting the community of smokers but considering its $2.00 per pack (No, really, there is a $2.00 PER PACK tax!) tax I am certain that the die hards/addicted ones have found a better avenue (mostly) and new comers have to think twice about a $6.00 per pack habit. What does alcohol get from this tax happy state? 15 cents. At least on the spirits and wine, assume beer is in the same category

Oh! also, no smoking in restaurants, and bars (and of course, public places)! Many bars are like ghost towns and the ones that still have booming business has the front of the building laced with people trashed and smoking outside. NOT a pretty sight.

So I say, why destroy a potential cash cow? Have the feds slap a $2-$5 tax on these little "cowboy killers" and maybe we can get something towards killing off our 9 trillion dollar debt.
May deter new smokers because it is legal, just expensive.

Just a thought.

Answer 3

Most people that smoke can spell! By the way, If tobacco gets banned, what do you purpose to do about alcohol, marijuana, illegal drugs? They are just as deadly as cigarettes, if not more so.. So, chew on that a while! There will just be a black market for a legal product!! Nice try .....

Answer 4

Do some real research. Don't be misled by junk science regarding the effects of second hand smoke. Alcohol and "second hand" alcohol" kill more people. I'd much rather take a whiff of second hand smoke than have some drunken idiot kill me in a car. Research the affects of alcohol on crime, families, and health. Again, do the research and get off the bandwagon of the "evils" of smoking. It's just a "trendy" cause for idiots.

Answer 5

The problem with tobacco (note, not tabacco) is not with it's use, but with it's negative impact on health. If the cost of health insurance for them is made commensurate with the increased risk and costs later in life, they might be inclined to quit voluntarily. For example, if one must contribute $250 a month deducted from their pay as a non-smoker, and smokers must pay $500 for the same coverage, then there exists some real encouragement to quit.

Answer 6

Lets also ban cars, swimming pools, bikes, planes, and we can't forget that evil human killer the knife. I heard once that a bottle of water killed a man, let's join forces and toss those killer bottles up in the air and blast them with a shotgun. Oh ya, can't do that cause we banned them too. Shut off your light and go to bed

Answer 7

Right after we ban alcohol ... oh, wait a minute, we tried that already. Marijuana is illegal and yet it is still grown illicitly, and I suspect that if legal tobacco production were banned, then that would give birth to an illicit tobacco industry.

Answer 8

what about the crime that would come from that? people would be growing the stuff in their homes, selling it on the street corner, gangs, shootings, like when they banned booze in the 20's..it was a bloodbath, it was a huge mistake..they ought to be legalizing EVERYTHING, BAR NONE! as a matter of decency, why don't you just worry about keeping yourself all clean and pure and stop worrying about others choices huh? i don't want the government telling me what to do with my body.

Answer 9

LOL you ban tobacco and you'll have Armageddon. Despite people going crazy from lack of tobacco you'll have that would be so much cleaner and that'll take some time getting used to...*deep breathe* *cough* *cough* "the fresh air is killing me".

Answer 10

I think those who think tobacco is harmful must prepare banners and stand before the white house and ask Bush to make all planters of tobacco stop this dirty business, Business is there to profit by what is offered on the market. So try to stop the sources ,Forget not Bush is a kind man at heart with problems of others -has he not ordered US planes to spry pesticides or what not "cides" on coca plants South America?