Congress poised to regulate tobacco (next week)

TimesDispatch.com ^ | Feb 9, 2007 | PETER HARDIN

[SheLion]

WASHINGTON -- Bipartisan legislation to give the federal Food and Drug Administration regulatory control over tobacco products may be introduced next week.

[ellery]

I consider the war against smokers, the war against marijuana users, and the war against drinkers components of a single larger issue. The public (including tobacco users) permitted the government to get very militant in its war against drug users (even those who harm only themselves). The government then moved on to another substance people use to harm themselves: tobacco. Many people who eat lots of fatty foods happily support the war on smokers, not realizing that they're next.

My point: when you give government the power to stop you from ingesting substances it deems "not good for you," they will eventually come after everyone. I don't do drugs or smoke, but I'm outraged at the neo-prohibitionists and their war on our rights.

[ellery]

I wouldn't rule out vegetarianism, but according to the literature smokers and drinkers have higher risks.

Actually, moderate drinkers have lower risks of most diseases than do non-drinkers. Speaking of risk, how much do you drive in an average week?

[Eric Blair 2084]

Well said. I know what you mean. I don't do drugs or gamble, but this whole nanny state nonsense has caused me to rethink my entire position on everything that I previously found distasteful.

When they came for the drinkers during Prohibition, I did not speak out, as I was not a drinker.

When they came for the employees of the oldest profession in the world, I did not speak out, as I had no interest in purchasing sex.

When they came for the purveyors of what was deemed to be "obscene" or "offensive", I did not speak out, as I was not a fan of entertainers like Lenny Bruce or Howard Stern.

When they came to ban the female mammary gland from TV, I did not speak out, because Brian Boitano told me not to.

When they came for the marijuana smokers, I did not speak out, as I was not a marijuana smoker.

When they came for the steroid users, I did not speak out, as I was not a steroid user.

When they came for the pornographers, I did not speak out, as I was not a pornographer.

When they came for the people who don't wear seatbelts, I did not speak out, as I always wore my seatbelt.

When they came for the gun owners, I did not speak out, as I was not a gun owner.

When they came for the gamblers, I did not speak out, as I was not a gambler.

When they came for the cigarette smokers, I did not speak out, as I was not a smoker.

When they came for the overweight and the obese, I did not speak out, as I was not overweight or obese.

When they came for the drinkers (again), I did not speak out, as I was not a drinker.

Then they came for me...and there was nobody left to speak out.

[ellery]

When they came to ban the female mammary gland from TV, I did not speak out, because Brian Boitano told me not to.

Bwah! That's classic. I'm a pretty straight arrow, which makes this collective punishment crap all the more galling. I work to avoid things that will hurt my health and well-being, and yet the prohibitionists punish me anyway:

-Because some people get addicted to drugs and the Public says that Something Must Be Done, I now have to worry about the cops getting an address wrong, bursting into my house and shooting me and/or my dog.

-Because some people make meth in their basements and the Public says Something Must Be Done, I'm having a harder and harder time getting medication to treat my allergies effectively.

-Because some people like to smoke and the Public says Something Must Be Done, the charming little neighborhood pubs I like to visit on occasion are at risk of closing down.

-Because some perverts use the web to exchange child pornography and the Public says Something Must Be Done, that idiot John McCain has introduced a measure that would force people who run any public internet site to jump through so many "reporting hoops that many of them would be likely to shut down.

This is just off the top of my head. I'm fed up with preventative, collective punishment. Prosecute people who directly harm other people, and leave the rest of us alone. Unfortunately people only tend to get excited when their ox is being gored -- so even here on FR if you complain about the drug war people trip over themselves to call you a druggie. Sorry for the rant!

[Eric Blair 2084]

That pretty much sums it up. There is only one rule for living in a free society...DON'T HURT ANYONE ELSE.

And if the Gubmint claims you are hurting someone, the proof had better be irrefutable and unquestioned. No bogus studies or junk science allowed. Period.

"Harming somebody else" opens the floodgates to interpretation. The fact that some fat-ass somewhere gorges themselves on Big Macs and mozzarella sticks causing them to develope type 2 diabetes and hypertension, thus driving up my healthcare costs and taxes, doesn't count as direct harm. Though that will be the liberal argument. Second hand burgers.

[television is just wrong]

got hit with a fugly stick. I can't stand that man's looks.

There is an assembly man in Cal Lowell Levine, who wants to outlaw incandescent light bulbs by 2012.

[Ditter]

1. All artist are not left wingers. At the present time I am enjoying oil painting. I do portraits of mostly dogs, cats, cows calves and bulls.

2. In spite of wanting not to be obnoxious and antagonistic, you were.You just couldn't help it.

[ellery]

What's hilarious is that they want it both ways. Smoking and/or eating lots of fatty foods = likely to die earlier, say at 64 instead of 75. Likely to die earler = 11 years of health care expenses NOT incurred. From what I've read, the health care costs are a wash.

[SheLion]

Are you that ignorant? Go to your local farm store and ask for the pesticide under the name "BLACK LEAF 40". Read the label. Google the chemical.

Gee, wake up SheLion.

You know what? I have smoked since I was 16 and these "chemicals" haven't hurt me yet!!!

So, YOU wake up my Freeper friend!  Because all is well in SheLion Land!!!!

[SheLion]

Yep. The way to kill this bill would be to add "alcohol regulation" by the FDA. Imagine the squealing from Ted Kennedy. Alcohol actually IS a drug. No one gets "intoxicated" from smoking.

Hehe!  Drunk old Ted!  Yep!  He sure has a lot to be desired.  And HE wants SMOKERS to be banned!!!  Go figure............

\

Yep. The way to kill this bill would be to add "alcohol regulation" by the FDA. Imagine the squealing from Ted Kennedy. Alcohol actually IS a drug. No one gets "intoxicated" from smoking.

Hehe!  Drunk old Ted!  Yep!  He sure has a lot to be desired.  And HE wants SMOKERS to be banned!!!  Go figure............

\

[SheLion]

My smoking is wreaking so much havoc and garnering so much negativity natinewide, worldwide, that now I'm smoking out of guilt.
;O)

This is totally ridiculous, metesky!  How does Congress expect to make up all the billions of dollars that cigarettes generate?  They are having a hard time NOW tying to balance their budgets!  Not to mention the BILLIONS going over to Iraq!  heh!

[SheLion]

Prohibition will bring obscene profit opportunities and just create a lot of Jay Gatsbys.

Yep!

[SheLion]

Good post, Eric!  VERY good!!!!  High Five!!!!

Black Birch is one of the biggest Anti-Smokers here in FRee Republic, so he will say ANYTHING against smokers!  Even if the smoker belongs to Free Republic and is a CONSERVATIVE!!!

[SheLion]

Sieg Heil!

[SheLion]

I imagine that Waxman would refer to: MMWR — Annual Smoking–Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses — United States, 1997–2001.

He's full of bull chit!  Can't you smell him???

[SheLion]

How does "altruistic concern about the health of my fellow man." fit in when it comes to smoking?

BLACK BIRCH BIGGEST ANTI-SMOKER IN FREE REPUBLIC.  NO WONDER OUR PARTY IS IN TROUBLE!!!

[SheLion]

Every year 2 million people die; 28% of all adults in the U.S. are smokers; 28 percent of 2 million is 560 thousand; obviously some of those dead smokers died accidently.

LOL!  Show me the proof. Show me ONE death certificate that states that a person died from smoking!!!

I DARE YOU!  You just believe what the highly paid professional anti's put out there.

YOU my friend, are SO easily swayed!!!

[SheLion]

I've mentioned it before. I am not a C that wants bans or high taxes on smokers.

Then why are you here, giving FReeper smokers a hard time???

[SheLion]

Two words for this guy: No comprendre.

He's on my list as a FReeper Anti-Smoker!  Enough said!

[SheLion]

Iowa is just about to implement a $1.00 a pack tax. The Democrats have all the sheeple convinced this will bring in huge amounts of revenue with which they can cure all of mans' ills. At the same time, it will prevent people from smoking.

Oh yea, right.  Maine said the same thing too.

Read what Iowa smokers are already contributing to the state ecomomy:

Tobacco Taxes and Payments for Iowa

Iowa's excise tax per pack of cigarettes: $0.360
Iowa's excise tax collection for the fiscal year ending June 2005: $89,210,000
 
Sales tax on tobacco products: 5.00%
Tobacco products sales tax collection for the fiscal year ending June 2005: $40,331,000
Local tax on tobacco products: $0
Federal excise tax per pack of cigarettes: $0.39
Total federal excise tax collections in fiscal year 2005: $7,778,569,117
Click here for the Cigarette Tax and Payment Table for all states.

Master Settlement Agreement Payments Received

$355,160,986 has been paid to Iowa through Fiscal Year 2005 since the Master Settlement Agreement was signed on November 23, 1998.

*Payment amounts based on figures from "The Tax Burden on Tobacco" Volume 40, 2005 by the economic consulting firm of Orzechowski and Walker.

 

• Click here to learn more about smokers' rights issues.
• Register at MySmokersRights.com to receive your free personalized legislators contact Web page and smokers' rights alerts by e-mail.
• State Laws & Regs
• Federal Legislator Information
• State Legislator Information
• Congress Today
  (Schedules for the House and Senate, and Legislative Alerts.)

Alabama | Alaska | Arkansas | Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

 

 

Iowa is just about to implement a $1.00 a pack tax. The Democrats have all the sheeple convinced this will bring in huge amounts of revenue with which they can cure all of mans' ills. At the same time, it will prevent people from smoking.

Oh yea, right.  Maine said the same thing too.

Read what Iowa smokers are already contributing to the state ecomomy:

Tobacco Taxes and Payments for Iowa

Iowa's excise tax per pack of cigarettes: $0.360
Iowa's excise tax collection for the fiscal year ending June 2005: $89,210,000
 
Sales tax on tobacco products: 5.00%
Tobacco products sales tax collection for the fiscal year ending June 2005: $40,331,000
Local tax on tobacco products: $0
Federal excise tax per pack of cigarettes: $0.39
Total federal excise tax collections in fiscal year 2005: $7,778,569,117
Click here for the Cigarette Tax and Payment Table for all states.

Master Settlement Agreement Payments Received

$355,160,986 has been paid to Iowa through Fiscal Year 2005 since the Master Settlement Agreement was signed on November 23, 1998.

*Payment amounts based on figures from "The Tax Burden on Tobacco" Volume 40, 2005 by the economic consulting firm of Orzechowski and Walker.

 

• Click here to learn more about smokers' rights issues.
• Register at MySmokersRights.com to receive your free personalized legislators contact Web page and smokers' rights alerts by e-mail.
• State Laws & Regs
• Federal Legislator Information
• State Legislator Information
• Congress Today
  (Schedules for the House and Senate, and Legislative Alerts.)

Alabama | Alaska | Arkansas | Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming