Pulling more figures out of da butt I see.......
Gee, one guy voted against the bill because he was worried that "prohibition would drive smoking underground." Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. In other states it's been driven out of workplaces, parks, and "public places." The only place left IS underground. And so what? Illegal drugs are consumed "underground." I'll bet he's not for legalizing them.
The "North Dakota Medical Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, North Dakota Public Health Association and North Dakota Nurses Association" were all afraid that prohibiting tobacco won't prevent its use (although that is exactly what they claim happens when smoking bans are imposed) and they don't want to lose their funding for tobacco control programs.
Why in the %$#^ world would anybody need tobacco control programs if there was no tobacco to control? And I don't think smoking compares with Prohibition. It isn't the same. People hole up and drink for a part of the day. Smoking is 24 hours a day minus sleep time wherever you are. It's much more visible.
And what's with The North Dakota Grocer's Association supporting the bill? Retailers "spend too much time and money training employees on proper procedures for proof-of-age in selling tobacco products."
Jeez, don't they sell alcohol in that state?
I read that Texas convenience stores average $312,000 per year in cigarette sales. I don't know how that compares to North Dakota or to grocery stores, but it would take a lot of convincing for me to believe they lose money selling cigarettes.
.......The Above Was Written by Squeezer
A Republican started this?!
It's all about the money and not about health at all. Good to see these slime balls admit it, however inadvertantly.
The best part:
The measure, which would make selling or using tobacco products except for using it for relgious purposes misdemeanors, failed by an 88-4 vote.
Imagine if all the states were stupid enough to pass a law like this! Remember that religious sacrements are tax free!
What could they do if we all exercised our 1st Amendment rights to freedom of religion? Kill the cash cow.
Just goes to show you that these organizations, with the possible exception of the ND Nurses Association (Most nurses are normally pretty tolerant), are NOT about stopping tobacco use. They just want the public trough to keep being filled for them and to be able to FEEL superior to a segment of society.