Ban all tobacco - US health chief

Guardian ^ | Thursday June 5, 2003 | Duncan Campbell

[Ethan Clive Osgoode]

Richard Carmona, the surgeon general of the United States, has said he would support the abolition of cigarettes and all tobacco products, the first time that such a senior public health official has taken that kind of stand over the industry.

Dr Carmona's statement was welcomed yesterday by anti-smoking organisations and condemned by the tobacco industry. The Bush administration, which enjoys the support and financial backing of the tobacco industry, yesterday distanced itself from the abolition position.

The US already has some of the toughest anti-smoking legislation in the world. California has led the way. Last year it banned smoking in all areas next to playgrounds or "tot lot" areas. Similar measures are being considered nationwide.

The state, which has banned smoking in public buildings, bars and restaurants, is also considering a ban in some flats. Delaware has a similar ban. Connecticut will impose one from April, and this week Maine moved towards a ban. New York has banned smoking in bars and restaurants.

Ordinances framed also by local councils curtailing cigarette smoking are introduced almost weekly. Santa Monica recently made it an offence, punishable by a £160 fine, to dispose of "smoking-related waste" in a public park.

There have, however, been few suggestions that tobacco should be banned altogether.

Dr Carmona made his controversial remarks while giving evidence to energy and commerce sub-committee hearings at Congress on smoking products that supposedly cut the risk of cancer. Asked if he would support the abolition of "all tobacco products", he said: "I would at this point, yes." He would "support banning or abolishing tobacco products" and saw "no need for any tobacco products in society".

One of the country's leading anti-smoking campaigners, Jeffrey Wigand, the head of Smokefree Kids, said: "I applaud him. I hope that stirs people up to do something. This would set a tremendous precedent and would have a major effect on world health."

Mr Wigand, a tobacco industry whistleblower who was portrayed by Russell Crowe in the film The Insider, said it was notable that such a senior public health official was so outspoken. "There are 460,000 deaths directly attributable to tobacco in the United States every year. The World Health Organisation estimates that by 2015 tobacco will be killing more than 10m a year."

He said that the US, as the leading exporter of tobacco, had a particular responsibility to regulate tobacco use.

But, representing the tobacco giant Philip Morris USA, Brendan McCormick, said yesterday he did not believe Dr Carmona's views were widely shared."We have had experience with prohibition [in the 1920s when alcohol was banned] and that turned out to be a disaster."

Dr Carmona's remarks are unlikely to lead to any radical moves by the administration. The tobacco industry is a longtime supporter of the Republican party and there have been objections by conservative and libertarian commentators to restaurant smoking bans.

The White House yesterday said that Dr Carmona's remarks represented his views as a doctor, not those of the administration, whose main focus was discouraging young people from smoking. About 45m Americans smoke, in a population of 280m.

Tobacco companies have altered their strategies on the issue of regulation. Philip Morris is running adverts urging teenagers to "think, don't smoke". They say their products are aimed at adults and the issue is one of freedom of choice.

One of the latest anti-smoking campaigns is over cigarettes in films. The public has been urged to complain by writing to actors who smoke on screen. Tobacco firms denied that they paid for actors to use their products in films.

[clintonh8r]

Yep, Marlboros kick Gauloises' and Gitanes' asses!

[clintonh8r]

Yep, Marlboros kick Gauloises' and Gitanes' asses!

[clintonh8r]

three times, apparently!

[clintonh8r]

They'd simply tax something else. Who would stop them? Certainly not the voters....

[Robert_Paulson2]

every time it is tried... prohibition fails.

abstinence works because it is the individual who CHOOSES to abstain. The freedom of the person remains in tact. But, prohibition fails because it attempts to restrict and punish the person to the point of eliminating their freedom to choose.

They use lies to kill our freedom "for our own good." Remember the outright LIES about second hand smoke "kills" and the heart-rending commercials about it killing people's dead spouses? LIES.

Smoking CAN cause cancer. It does not always do so. I HATE smoking. BUT I LOVE the idea that folks can do with their own lives and bodies what they CHOOSE to do... Government of all aspects of life that MAY or may NOT present a risk... is unacceptable. And folks who make these kind of suggestions are dangerous.. no matter HOW good their intentions seem to be.

I am really SICK to the max... of the nanny state addicted do gooders who ever lust to enforce their twisted morality or immorality, view of life and physiological philosophy using the point of a federal-statist gun.

Fools who want to screw with our freedoms are dangerous, be they talibunnies, radical right wing religionists, homosexual agenda pushers, or runaway tobacco hating surgeon general types... same goes for folks who insiste on passing and enforcing of seatbelt laws, helmet laws and the rights to keep and bear arms issues.... it's ALL for the freaking children right?

The freedomphobics... we need to send them all... to Iran...
EVERY time I read one of these nanny state articles on smoking... it makes me want to START smoking... just to p!ss them off.

[Bubba_Leroy]

There is no large political group so opposed to smoking as to ban it.

Except for the illegal drug smugglers. They are already making lots of money smuggling cigarettes into high tax states. If tobacco were banned altogether they would make more money than they are making off of marijuana and cocaine smuggling combined.

[John Locke]

His views as a neo-puritanical Nazi perhaps...

Closer than you might think:

"Smoking is a genetic poison to the Aryan Race" - Adolf Hitler.

[steve50]

It was a good rant FrankR, and I agree with almost all of it. I would recommend that you re-examine your implied support for the WOSD.

IMHO, prohibition of alcohol was one of the first major power grabs, it started gun regulations and established a criminal/court/government partnership that we have never cleaned up. The WOD, especially on cannabis, has extended the power and corruption of government to an unbelieveable level and has clear links to government involvement in traffiking.

One of the prices of freedom is to retain ours, we must be willing to allow freedom to others. If an action has no direct impact on anothers rights, and unConstitutional privileges granted to us like health care are not a right, they must be at least tolerated.

I don't trust people who think anothers rights end the same place their personal vices do.

I'm ranted out now myself, thanks for your thoughtful reply.

[FrankR]

"I agree with almost all of it. I would recommend that you re-examine your implied support for the WOSD. "

The main counter argument I can make to being guilty of that is, I have no idea what WOSD stands for.

BTW, I am in no way - with my rant - supporting the legalization of drugs. We already are headed towards a stoned society with illegal drugs and LEGAL alcohol.

Running a society high on (anything) is like running and insane asylum, except in the asylum, at least you can keep them under lock and key.

The countless lives that have been wasted on drugs and booze a pity and has cost this country plenty.

To paraphrase your statement, I don't trust people who think we all should support and tolerate their personal vices.

[zip]

My sister, a lurker, said to tell you that your post makes sense to her.

[nobdysfool]

My sister, a lurker, said to tell you that your post makes sense to her.

Please tell your sister "thank you"! It's nice to know that someone understands how similar this idea to ban smoking is to Prohibition, which was a proven failure.

Isn't one of the definitions of insanity doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result each time? By that measure, our government is truly insane!