Why are cigarettes still legal?

hikix, sounds like you want them to be legal because you can't seem to quit. Obviously if you still need the cig, then your desire to quit isn't strong enough. Just remind yourself of the reason you quit every time you feel the urge.

I quit about 6 months ago cold turkey after 7 straight years of smoking. Sure I bite my nails more and find myself chewing gum quite often, but if you really want to do something, just do it.

I'm not for making cigs illegal. If someone wants to poison their body, let em. Though perhaps there should be some law about smoking in a closed area with kids (house/car).

I think a nice balance would be to have designated smoking areas. As long as the smoker isn't hurting anyone else, I don't see a problem.

Just a random thought about the debate:

Perhaps it's just one more conspiracy among all the others. Allow the sale of a carninogen for round-about population control. Or on the darker side, a slow-process eugenics program. Those who aren't smart enough to avoid a carcinogen (and thusly a teratogen) slowly cull themselves from the population.

In the end, it all boils down to money. Marijuana isnt illegal for its effects, it's illegal because Monsanto and Dupont lobbied for its ban in the 30s.

Tobacco remains legal because very large corpoprations have very large stakes in its sales.

Those who have the money make the rules, always and forever.

This whole concept is anti-American. "Why are cigarettes still legal?" It implies that everything is illegal unless noted otherwise, while the opposite is true. The government has been thoroughly derailed by such authoritarian principles. The government's place isn't to play nanny or control people's lives, its place is to enforce laws and protect the rights of the people. The entire principle behind liberalism (no, not like the Liberals, liberalism is more like libertarianism) is that in a free society, the people can do whatever they choose until they infringe on the rights of others. Everything, therefore, is legal, unless explicitly made illegal. And thus, you have freedom.

[edit on 14-5-2007 by Johnmike]

Originally posted by Johnmike
This whole concept is anti-American. "Why are cigarettes still legal?" It implies that everything is illegal unless noted otherwise, while the opposite is true. The government has been thoroughly derailed by such authoritarian principles. The government's place isn't to play nanny or control people's lives, its place is to enforce laws and protect the rights of the people. The entire principle behind liberalism (no, not like the Liberals, liberalism is more like libertarianism) is that in a free society, the people can do whatever they choose until they infringe on the rights of others. Everything, therefore, is legal, unless explicitly made illegal. And thus, you have freedom.

[edit on 14-5-2007 by Johnmike]

I agree with you 100%


except i think the real question should be.... why are tobacco products full of chemicals that make people get cancer?

It is peoples freedom to choose to smoke tobacco, but the tobacco companies are taking advantage of these choices and making the most easily excessable tobacco poluted with chemicals. Am i asking the store clerk for a pack of chemicals? no i want tobacoo, and i dont know why companies are allowed to call it tobacco when they are selling you so much more.

Why are cigarettes still legal? Because there is way to much money to be made. All the way from Agriculture to Funeral Homes.

If I knew then what I know now I would have never started smoking. I'm in my late thirties and when I started smoking we still had TV advertisements, and the Marlboro Man was recognized as a cool American Cowboy.

I can agree to the comment "If they choose to smoke then let them smoke" I agree with that when it comes to your new smokers ... because they were fairly warned of the health problems that comes from smoking. If you smoke today with all the warnings out there then don't cry when your riddled with cancer.

Originally posted by Kruel
hikix, sounds like you want them to be legal because you can't seem to quit. Obviously if you still need the cig, then your desire to quit isn't strong enough. Just remind yourself of the reason you quit every time you feel the urge.

I quit about 6 months ago cold turkey after 7 straight years of smoking. Sure I bite my nails more and find myself chewing gum quite often, but if you really want to do something, just do it.

I'm not for making cigs illegal. If someone wants to poison their body, let em. Though perhaps there should be some law about smoking in a closed area with kids (house/car).

I think a nice balance would be to have designated smoking areas. As long as the smoker isn't hurting anyone else, I don't see a problem.

unfortunetly i think that you are all too correct about that. Thanks everyone for the posts, alot of good info. And i think taxes AND population control are a factor along with a ton of other things.

As others have said, the reason they are still legal is because the government,
nor anyone for that matter has the right to tell you what you can and can not do with
your own body, so long as you are not directly and non-consensually infringing upon
others by doing it.

I don't smoke, I did for a few months, but I quit, as it really was'nt very logical for me to
continue doing it (I started for a stupid reason), but that does'nt others should'nt,
heck I don't even mind being around cigarette smoke, so I have no problem with
cigarettes as long as people know the real risks.

Because I want a freaken smoke that's why, any other idiotic questions

Actually it would kill our economy, or at least several state economies like Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, etc.

If you don't want to smoke, don't smoke, quit trying to tell me what I can or can't do in my own home.

PS I don't smoke but I will stand up for their right to do so.

[edit on 17-5-2007 by Royal76]

Originally posted by Johnmike
They're legal because there's no reason that they shouldn't be. The U.S. Government, and I'm making the assumption that you're talking about it, has no right to tell me what I can and can't buy.

This liberal idea is very fundamental to the whole meaning behind the country, even though it's been largely ignored for a while.

Uhm, hard drugs are illegal?
Even softdrugs are illegal...

There are loads of reasons to make smoking illegal.
But it seems the reasons to keep it legal are the ones that bring in money for the government.

The saddest about it all is the more verbal "I have the right to give me and everyone around me cancer" folks turning it into a freedom thing...

Giving yourself and others around you horrible diseases because you are too weak to break with your senseless addiction is not a freedom, it is just very pathetic.

[edit on 8-6-2007 by Jakko]

[edit on 8-6-2007 by Jakko]

Originally posted by Jakko


Giving yourself and others around you horrible diseases because you are too weak to break with your senseless addiction is not a freedom, it is just very pathetic.

[edit on 8-6-2007 by Jakko]

[edit on 8-6-2007 by Jakko]

tobacco smoke does not cause cancer any more than refined sugar or msg.

and to make assumptions and false conclusion that cause my fellow man to call me pathetic is a very big problem.

Jakko,

what makes you non pathetic?

do you tell smokers they are pathetic to their face?

i bet not, silly little man.

Originally posted by tom goose

tobacco smoke does not cause cancer any more than refined sugar or msg.

I think you should have one more look at some lungcancer statistics...

and to make assumptions and false conclusion that cause my fellow man to call me pathetic is a very big problem.

Jakko,

what makes you non pathetic?

do you tell smokers they are pathetic to their face?

i bet not, silly little man.

Not much to assume.
Smokers give themselves and those around them cancer.
Most of the time they can not stop it because their addiction is stronger.
That is pathetic to me.
Just like a junkie addicted to heroin is pathetic.

Unable to help themselves, damaging what they don't really want to damage, needing help but confusing their addiction with their free choice, not even understanding their own miserable situation.

I make it sound pretty bleak, but this is is one way to look at it that people do not often use. And I wonder why?

I think that there are two reasons that they are still legal.

1.) Big business and the tax revenue generated.

2.) If you made them illegal, there would be an increase in healthy people and social security would be stretched even thiner perhaps going broke even faster. So smoke up because I want to collect my SS. I've been paying into it forever.

oh that is classic.

buddy i decided to smoke.

im a picture of health

i am active and strong.

Pathetic, is insulting people with your own opinion.

is cigarettes still being legal pathetic?

or are certain indavidual groups of PEOPLE pathetic?

you better not be insulting me mr self rightious.





people die from peanuts, am i also pathetic for enjoying an oh henry?

get it strait

tobacco does not cause cancer in everyone, regardless of what has been propagated to you. chemicals added to the tobacco for curring and smoking can guarantee health problems eventually for most. some of us are strong enough to deal with this though.

you wanna be hardliner? all those susceptible to cancer should just die, and stop trying to scare the rest of us normal healthy people.




i better point out that that was a joke since ive witnessed some pretty drawn out misunderstandings.


personally i think people live to long anyway,

not going to read all posts but why are they legal?

it's simple.

1. Taxation
   
2. Population Control
   
3. They keep people from flipping out and killing those around them.
   

but I've actually stopped smoking wewt go me!!!!!


ALLOW ME TO GET UP ON MAH HIGH HORSE NAMED SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!!!!!

Originally posted by tom goose
oh that is classic.

buddy i decided to smoke.

im a picture of health

i am active and strong.

Pathetic, is insulting people with your own opinion.

is cigarettes still being legal pathetic?

or are certain indavidual groups of PEOPLE pathetic?

you better not be insulting me mr self rightious.

There's lotsa things wrong with me, but I don't give myself and people around me cancer and then act as if it's the same as eating peanuts.

people die from peanuts, am i also pathetic for enjoying an oh henry?

get it strait

Well how about you get it straight.
www.ash.org.uk...
I understand using google for the words "cancer" and "smoking" is scary for a smoker like you, but don't you think it's kinda coward to hide your head in the sand about this?

tobacco does not cause cancer in everyone, regardless of what has been propagated to you. chemicals added to the tobacco for curring and smoking can guarantee health problems eventually for most. some of us are strong enough to deal with this though.

you wanna be hardliner? all those susceptible to cancer should just die, and stop trying to scare the rest of us normal healthy people.

i better point out that that was a joke since ive witnessed some pretty drawn out misunderstandings.


personally i think people live to long anyway,

What is your point? You actually want lungcancer at some point in your life?

^^^

there is no cancer in my family, all smokers, never cancer. maybe your fact sheet forgot to mention that there ARE those that are just not effected.

i know that doesn't fit in to your reasoning of making yourself feel superior.


do you think that everyone that smokes gets lung cancer?

do you find it odd that some can smoke their whole lives and never end up with lung cancer, and then someone that claims to have inhailed it second hand claims it caused cancer. sorry, i dont think the docs have a clue on this one, they are just saying what ever fits, and agreeing on it the way they always do except the few of coarse


smoking is one of the many many many things that are availble for your pleasure that can lead to cancer.

Cancer has many causes
There are about 200 different types of cancer affecting all the different body tissues. What affects one body tissue may not affect another. For example, tobacco smoke that you breathe in may help to cause lung cancer. Over exposing your skin to the sun could give you a melanoma on your leg. But the sun won't give you lung cancer and smoking won't give you melanoma.

Apart from infectious diseases, most illnesses are 'multifactorial'. Cancer is no exception. Multifactorial means that there are many factors involved. In other words, there is no single cause for any one type of cancer.


Carcinogens
A 'carcinogen' is something that can help to cause cancer. Tobacco smoke is a powerful carcinogen. But not everyone who smokes gets lung cancer. So there must be other factors at work.

www.cancerhelp.org.uk...

do i want to die of lung cancer? whatever, what does it really matter? i know i wouldnt take advice from people that tell me that mcdonalds and penaciline are good for me.

Originally posted by tom goose
^^^

there is no cancer in my family, all smokers, never cancer. maybe your fact sheet forgot to mention that there ARE those that are just not effected.

i know that doesn't fit in to your reasoning of making yourself feel superior.


do you think that everyone that smokes gets lung cancer?

do you find it odd that some can smoke their whole lives and never end up with lung cancer, and then someone that claims to have inhailed it second hand claims it caused cancer. sorry, i dont think the docs have a clue on this one, they are just saying what ever fits, and agreeing on it the way they always do except the few of coarse

Well if you do not believe in statistics, and in proper research, then that's really your loss.
It's typical tho, a smoker saying "I know many non-smokers who got lungcancer, and many smokers who didn't".
A lot of smokers tell themselves that kind of stuff, to make em feel better.

It's almost funny how ignorant you allowed yourself to become in order to ease your mind, and in order to keep your filthy addiction going.
But also tragic.

Every drug that's legal is legal for one simple reason: somebody in a position of power is keeping it legal because they're getting a cut.

I think the sooner people realize what's going on, the sooner they will wake up and just simply make the decision to be healthy. The government has no reason to make or keep us healthy. They make their money from us being sick and taking prescription drugs that merely cover up the symptoms.

You know why cigarettes are still legal? Consider this: here's a product that admittedly kills people. It has no health benefit whatsoever. It is a threat to the public health. Yet why does it remain legal? Because states get a cut of cigarette sales thanks to the Big Tobacco settlement a few years back. Keeping cigarettes legal results in desperately-needed revenues for states... revenues that are almost never spent on anti-smoking campaigns, by the way.

It's a classic racket: tobacco is allowed to remain legal because powerful institutions get a cut of the action. While people die from lung cancer, states get financial resuscitation by taking a cut of every sale. States are trading your health for their revenues.

It's not about your health, it's about their wealth
You see, corporate America doesn't really care what you put in your mouth, up your nose, through your lungs or into your veins, as long as they get a cut from it. That's the whole prescription drug racket in a nutshell: it's billions of dollars in annual profits generated from mind-altering (yet legal) drugs that flat-out kill people. Lots of people. Like 100,000 Americans a year (or a lot more if you believe more critical statistics).
So if you've ever wondered why Ritalin -- which has no medical purpose whatsoever -- is perfectly legal, and yet medical marijuana -- which has a well-proven medical purpose -- is outlawed, now you know the answer: because Ritalin makes powerful people rich. And marijuana doesn't. Anybody can grow marijuana. Drug companies don't control the patents.

Source: The raw (and ugly) truth about the war on drugs

U2U send by Tom Goose:

from: tom goose
sent: 9-6-2007 at 12:17 PM
its obviouse you dont have anything to contibute to this thread, you didnt even read my link.

you have lots of problems?

your about to have on more if you keep it up.

your the one with all the illnesses, i get a cold every 5 yrs or so for an hour. what about you mister healthy,

hows YOUR health.

sickly little man.

Tom, why don't you act like a real (smoking) man, and post your pathetic threats in this thread, instead of u2uing them to me?

To answer your question, smoking has not much to do with having a cold. I have a cold every now and then. Fortunately I don't have an extremely high chance to get lungcancer due to smoking.

Oh and I am having troubles finding the link you talk about...

[edit on 9-6-2007 by Jakko]

Originally posted by Jakko

Tom, why don't you act like a real (smoking) man, and post your pathetic threats in this thread, instead of u2uing them to me?

To answer your question, smoking has not much to do with having a cold. I have a cold every now and then. Fortunately I don't have an extremely high chance to get lungcancer due to smoking.

Oh and I am having troubles finding the link you talk about...

[edit on 9-6-2007 by Jakko]

are you like.... 5?

flame retardant troll hunter indeed.

if you have something that you wanna tell ME, then U2U me if it has nothing to do with this thread.

what link? the one i posted? try clicking it.



so by your rational, since smoking causes not obsticle for me, i should listen to some doctor that tells me some one sided BS

let me tell you something about doctors im sure you already know, my mothers one (smokes) and does a lot of research, she could tell you a lot about how you should not believe everything a doctor says. they got bosses too you know, and they have their own agenda.

i dont care about something that COULD hurt me, otherwise i would be hiding in my room all the time afraid to go outside cause of all the things that COULD hurt me. I could even start hateing and disrespecting those taht MIGHT have something to do with the things that COULD hurt me.

dont try and predict your future buddy, you will surely be disapointed.

sorry about this rant to everyone else, i guess the troll hunter does not like to U2U his personal beefs with spacific members. sorry if you wasted time reading this.