[SkyDancer]

Thanks for that reading. I was just trying to equate the two since I bet that tobacco will be banned like alcohol was during Prohibition. I didn't say the tax was a ban, I simply put it that taxes on tobacco can be raised as high and the government wants to but it will not dissuade people from smoking.

There were two parts to the Prohibition act: The Volstead Act and a Constitutional ban, the 18th. Amendment. The Volstead Act passed in 1919 enabled the US government to enforce the 18th. Amendment.

The 18th Amendment was introduced into the Senate in 1917, and it was successfully ratified by 1919, when the need for the Volstead Act to enable its enforcement became clear. Under the 18th Amendment, “intoxicating liquor” was essentially prohibited within the United States. The law was passed in response to the temperance movement, which had gathered large numbers of followers. Adherents to the movement believed that the consumption of alcohol was harmful, and that society in general would benefit if alcohol was banned.

So basically it was for the "good of the nation" and I'll bet that sometime down the road they'll do the same for tobacco; you know, it's for the children.

[SoCal Pubbie]

That's very possible. Your mention of temperance movements reflects my suggestion that moral extremism is a deep rooted American trait. Consider the nutty gender identity movement that tries to claim the moral high ground of the civil rights era. Or the whole affirmative action effort that could be a justifiable recruiting and mentoring program but instead replaces racism with racism and gives us the concept of “white privilege.”

I wonder if anyone has realized that the large numbers of new immigrants the left is importing are from places where the majority are smokers.