Why would any state rep, expecially Kentucky, defend tobacco at the expense of the world's health?

Question

Republican Ron Lewis attempted to remove excise taxes and defended tobacco asking that the government of the US not destroy its main industry...go figure..we want to produce a substance that kills you so let us....

So then I and many others use cannabis so why can we not gor and use it as we see fit...

PROVE IT?...I personally do not totally agree with all the data and that smoking takes a bad rap for pollution but hey man it is still a killer.

CHOICE?...so why do I not have a choice to disagree with or even euthenize certain leaders of many countries

AND? the cost of unemployment of it ban would be far outweighed by the saving from health costs

Answer 1

The government gets billions from the tobacco industry. Plus the product only shortens your life (and those are the older years... who wants to be old anyways?)

Besides, all we did in prison was smoke and eat gruel. So we need it.

Answer 2

What you're really saying is this:

Adults who choose to smoke should no longer have that choice. If one person can CHOOSE to kill their unborn baby, why can't I CHOOSE to kill myself with tobacco? And yes, it is an equal parallel.

The State of Kentucky easily employs, say, 30 percent of its citizens in the tobacco trades. We should take away their jobs, their right to work, make money, contribute to the economy, etc., and totally destroy Kentucky as a state BECAUSE tobacco is bad for you.

Far less people smoke today than they did even ten years ago, and it still boils down to this: As an adult, you are free to do as you please. If you can drink and drive, if you can kill your child, if you can do any number of things under the guise of Freedom, why would you want to take away someone's freedom to smoke?

Answer 3

Prove it kills.

I've known way too many people who have lived as old a 90 that smoked, one lady lived to be 105 and smoked nearly every day of her life and I've also knows WAY too many people who have died of cancer who never smoked a day in their life and they died at a young age. I think there are those who have the cancer gene and they will die of cancer even if they are in a sterile environment. So I ask again that you prove it kills.

What does AL Gore say about it? After all, he's made millions off his family's tobacco farms.

Answer 4

Kentucky relies heavily on its tobacco. Why does it shock you that a congressman from Kentucky wants to defend big Tobacco?

Answer 5

I guess the same reason that the government subsidies the tobacco industry.

Answer 6

North Carolina comes to mind.

Answer 7

I agree, we need to outlaw tobacco because it kills people.

So does trans-fat.

And cholesterol.

And a low-fiber diet.

And cars.

And guns.

When I was a kid, a friend of mine drowned in a swimming pool. We need to outlaw water, too.

Answer 8

Oh no tobacco, if you smoke these days, you know the risk so suck it up.

Answer 9

Huge money