Posted on 05/01/2021 8:06:27 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Biden claimed to regret how his drug warrior legacy led to mass incarceration.
But the prohibition will lead to harsher policing in Black communities.
It's like the president hasn't learned a thing from the failed and evil War on Drugs.
This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.
Joe Biden clearly hasn't learned a thing from the failed and immoral War on Drugs - a disaster that he played a huge part in creating.
The president on Thursday ordered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban menthol cigarettes, a plan first reported on Wednesday by the Washington Post. Since it's a regulatory change, Congress has no say in the matter.
Anti-smoking advocates have lobbied for the ban for years, arguing correctly that the tobacco industry has targeted menthol sales at young people and Black communities.
Let's be clear: Big Tobacco is a callous, lying cabal that exists to profit off addicting people to a deadly product. But cigarettes aren't going to be made illegal overnight, just a certain flavor of cigarettes.
The ban will make menthol a prized commodity, a sought-after product whose artificial scarcity will inevitably drive up its price on non-legal markets.
A flavor will now be a crime, making criminals out of people who want some mint flavoring with their toxic tar.
This idea isn't just dumb and wholly unnecessary - it's plainly destructive to the communities it's supposed to be helping.
Throughout the 2020 Democratic primary, Biden was badgered by his rivals into apologizing for authoring several of the Drug War's most punitive and socially destructive laws.
Those laws contributed to mass incarceration, the militarization of police, black markets controlled by violent criminals, as well as millions of broken homes and shattered lives.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Why do you see the tons of articles promoting insects as food?
Sounds like he’s creating employment opportunities within the black community. Eric Garner would be pleased. I mean, if he were alive.
Follow the money. SolJoe must own stock relevant to this decision.
That would be hilarious if Americans had to start eating bugs under Joe Biden’s presidency. I would vote for that in a heart beat. Enjoy your bugs mofos.
***arguing correctly that the tobacco industry has targeted menthol sales at young people and Black communities. ***
So THAT explains why my Lilly White Dad started smoking KOOL at the young age of 28 years old! Never could quit after that. Smoked till he died in 1987.
I wonder what “Smokey” has been up to...
Just ban freedom.
That’s what they want.
Biden Administration is being patronizing toward the Black Community. But they voted for Biden 90%.
Oh really? Just like that huh.. and you’d be ok with that?
“You uppity blacks aint black if you don’t support a white KKK political mentor looking out for you.” - Democrats.
I wouldn’t call tobacco evil, just dangerous to your lungs and cardiovascular system. The mind altering effect, like with coffee, is trivial. But if you compare those to heroin, cocaine, meth, or the like, it’s like apples and H-bombs. I wouldn’t so much ban their use as the mass marketing of them, which like H-bombs is able to kill millions if carelessly unleased on the population. And so far there are no underground criminal organizations involved with nicotine and caffeine.
Yep, my dad died of smoking, never liked it and find vape equally objectionable. No problem with both being completely banned. And, yes, before you ask, feel absolutely the same about pot. (As pot smokers start getting lung cancer like cigarette smokers, who are they going to sue, their dealer?)
I’m sorry about your dad. Now, how about minding your own business?
Nah. What is your butt hurt about? Need your menthol nicotine fix? How can you afford the current costs anyway? What are you giving up to satisfy your habit?
Hi.
“And so far there are no underground criminal organizations involved with nicotine and caffeine.”
Believe it or not there is are billion dollar businesses in black market cigarettes cigars tobacco as well as coffee beans.
A couple of examples are truck hijackings and paid off customs officials.
Big business.
5.56mm
Nope. Started under Obama. They intended to ban menthol but ended up instead banning all flavors but menthol.
This will be as effective as banning guns in the Black community (hood).
Now Blacks can be arrested for weed AND Salems.
because that worked so well with alcohol/marijuana/cocaine/etc etc.
how about we leave people to make their own decisions about what they put in their bodies
Why would someone have to give up anything to buy cigs ?
.
Actually (Sadly), government started going after tobacco under Reagan.
When I was a kid, I remember him saying that they were going to increase the taxes on cigarettes to discourage the habit.
A pack of Marlboros was 45 cents back then.
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