Congress Debates Outlawing Flavored Cigarettes...Except for Menthol

[Athena]

A congressional caucus is currently debating a bill that would outlaw flavored cigarettes, arguing that they appeal too much to kids. However, the bill exempts the most prevalent flavored cigarette of all: Menthol.

Menthol cigarettes make up nearly 30% of cigarette sales. Blacks account for roughly 75% of menthol smokers. Blacks in congress are split over the exemption.

The measure finds a great deal of support in the House of Representatives, but some don't approve of the exemption, calling it a sell-out to tobacco companies. The proposal currently has the support of Philip Morris, the manufacturer of the second biggest mentol cigarette, Marlboro Menthol. Frankly, if you're going to try to neuter cigarette companies, I agree. It IS a sell out. If you drop the exemption, Philip Morris will likely back out, and the bill will likely fail.

Baby steps, nannies. Baby steps.

Of course, I might argue that this is a ridiculous piece of regulation to begin with. Is it possible that teenage smoking will drop if flavored cigarettes are banned? Maybe...But, in my experience as a smoker with a bunch of friends who did or do smoke, what a kid smokes has everything to do with what their parents smoke. If their parents don't smoke, it has everything to do with what their friends smoke (and their friends are smoking what their parents smoke). The only kids I knew who smoked flavored cigarettes were the weird hippie kids who smoked clove cigarettes (I knew 2), which barely even count, and mentol smokers (who wouldn't be affected by this legislation).

I'd reckon that banning flavored cigarettes will have an immeasurable effect on the number of kids who start smoking each year, a number that has been steadily decreasing for some time now, anyway.

This is just another step toward banning the manufacture of cigarettes altogether. Once flavored ones go, menthol will be next, then "full-flavor", then lights, then ultra-lights...Until we're stuck with nothing but paper.

Goddamn, I'm really tired of the government trying to force me to be healthy. Maybe I don't wanna be!

[celtic friend]

The people I knew who smoked those clove and flavored cigarettes were all black kids.

I don't personally think this ban will really change kids smoking. If pictures of end stage lung cancer (after it has metatised) don't stop everyone from smoking, nothing really will.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Flavors? Like cherry and banana? I saw flavored cigars near a checkout line and thought that was weird enough. (Cigar smokers seem to be a special breed anyway). Going to look and see next time I go through the line... not to buy, just to "see for myself"... OK, maybe buy just for the grins.

Typical "do things that look good but don't mean diddlysquat" but avoid pissing off the money men.

Ban it all - plain and flavored - and get it over with. You know you want to. Let's move on to the next evil.

[Rotten Apple]

I smoked clove cigarettes at one time. Then I realized the habit was too expensive and stopped. It was very short term. I was never a REAL smoker.

But this legislation is not gonna curb anyone from smoking. It is just a waste of time and money. Its only gonna guarantee that some kid that decides to try smoking will get their first puff from a regular cigarette -which most do now anyway.

The thought that someone is actually out there debating this makes me tired. What the hell are we paying these people for?

[ImmortalOne]

damn it

Not like the government doesn't have something better to do... you know, like making baby beaters sterile, etc... instead they have to fuck with my smokes.

I like my Cloves, and I like my menthol... they can keep the cherry and assorted fruity flavors. Those are pretty gross usually anyhow.

[Athena]

Flavors? Like cherry and banana? I saw flavored cigars near a checkout line and thought that was weird enough. (Cigar smokers seem to be a special breed anyway).

Incidentally, I've never seen someone smoke one of those flavored "cigars" in its original form. Typically, they get hollowed out and used for weed. That's the primary reason convenience stores carry them. The tobacco isn't what's flavored; the paper is soaked in/sprayed with (I'm not really sure) a sugary, flavored substance. "Cognac", not so good.

[celtic friend]

Incidentally, I've never seen someone smoke one of those flavored "cigars" in its original form. Typically, they get hollowed out and used for weed. That's the primary reason convenience stores carry them. The tobacco isn't what's flavored; the paper is soaked in/sprayed with (I'm not really sure) a sugary, flavored substance. "Cognac", not so good.

Like cherry blunts...
This is by far the most important post I have ever made!!!

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Why would anyone want to "flavor" perfectly good weed? (Whoa! flashingback to college in the 70's)

[Athena]

For the same reason they flavor lots of drugs? No matter how good the drug may taste, candy tastes better.

My favorite was always blueberry. I found it to be naturally complimentary. However, when we lived in the hood, we'd keep multiple flavors on hand. :p

[Mandella]

I'm sick of the government. Period.

This is nothing more than posturing. It will have no affect whatsoever, outside of depriving me of the occassional vanilla flavored pack of smokes.

Fucking douchey.

Tell you what - outlaw cigarettes altogether. They're vile and disgusting and evil anyway. Oh, wait. That'll never happen because too much money comes in from these tobacco companies. Which is why we get bullshit legislation like this, those flavored tobacco producers aren't big campaign contributors, I'd bet......

Goddamn, I'm really tired of the government trying to force me to be healthy. Maybe I don't wanna be!

They're not trying to make you healthier, they're just trying to control your purchasing more. If they wanted you healthier, we'd have....well, y'know...good health care, and accessibility to health foods and promotion of quality diets, and promotion of sexual awareness as opposed to abstinence education, and they'd clean up the air and make companies who destroy the elements with their waste clean up as well, and I could go on and on and on. Your health is the least of their concerns, imo.

[Athena]

They're not trying to make you healthier, they're just trying to control your purchasing more. If they wanted you healthier, we'd have....well, y'know...good health care, and accessibility to health foods and promotion of quality diets, and promotion of sexual awareness as opposed to abstinence education, and they'd clean up the air and make companies who destroy the elements with their waste clean up as well, and I could go on and on and on. Your health is the least of their concerns, imo.

No, see...It's definitely about being healthy(/moral). They're just trying to go about it the cheap way. You add ignorance into the mix, and you get the ridiculousness we see today. Personally, I'm awfully glad they're not genuinely concerned about my health. If I wanted that kind of atmosphere, I'd move to Scandinavia. I just wish they'd stop pretending. Oh, and the sex ed thing? Christ. It illustrates perfectly the ignorance I speak of. Research states undeniably that abstinence-only students are at greater risk than those receiving comprehensive education, yet abstinence is still being funded. Retards.

You are absolutely correct, though, in that their interest in forcing health upon me is far from genuine concern. It's all about political posturing. It differs not from my experience with most Prius drivers or organic-only shoppers. It's less about what it does and more about what it says, ya know?

[Dakota Valkyrie]

... their interest in forcing health upon me is far from genuine concern. It's all about political posturing. It differs not from my experience with most Prius drivers or organic-only shoppers. It's less about what it does and more about what it says, ya know?

I WANT THIS AS A TATTOO!!! It's kinda long for a tramp stamp but if I put on a few hundred pounds it could fit. Maybe in Chinese characters it would work better on my current backside...

It is disheartening to see folks just going through the motions or putting up pretenses. While some things may be "good" (such as the green movement), it is scary that they are willing to follow along without thinking because it looks good. That's how "bad" things sneak up on us.

[Pete Bondurant]

I don't really care if people smoke or not, but...you know...that stuff killed Eddie Rabbit for God's sake! Wake up, people!