[big snip]
This argument is a big crock of crap. So during all the years that the
cigarette companies were saying that their products weren't harmful, what was
the FDA doing? (an organization that I pay taxes for to protect my health)
They were doing their own studies and found out that smoking was bad for you but
did nothing to get butts and nicotine regulated. The FDA had the same info as
the cigarette companies and all they had to do was get off their butts and get
it done.
Coca-Cola once said that cola syrup and *** was good for you and the FDA got
it together and banned *** regardless of what Coke thought. The way that I
see it is the cigarette companies lied but the government didn't do anything to
get off of their dead asses to get the product or nicotine regulated. If the
FDA couldn't to get it to happen because of politics, then apparently the US
people and their representatives felt that they could live with the
consequences.
Now, let's put it this way. The hazards of smoking have been known and the
scientific data in the government hands for over 30 years. In fact, I remember
seeing film strip projector films in school in the 60's describing the hazards
of smoking. Remember the pictures of black lungs that they used to show? If
everyone thought they were so damn hazardous or health care costs too high, they
would have demanded that they be banned immediately in the 60's when the first
real data was being produced by the government.
So to say that the cigarette companies are 100% liable is crap. It has been and
still is, a legal product regardless of the lie by the companies. It's my
opinion that us taxpayers should hammering the FDA for not doing their job since
EVERY American taxpayer pays those morons salaries.
To further extend the argument, I feel that the federal and state governments
are a bunch of hypocrites. I mean, what the hell has all the tax money
collected on cigarettes for the last 80 years been used for? If the governments
were so damned concerned for smokers health then why weren't they using THAT
money to pay for the health care bills of dying smokers and fund anti-smoking
campaigns instead of building bridges and highways with it? But let's see...
The cigarette tax money went into the General Fund which then went into Social
Security. From there it paid for the medical services of smokers. Hmm, this
means that it didn't cost the government squat out of their own pockets for
smokers health care costs. That means that all this money that the government
is talking about as being owed to them is crap.
And remember, smokers die younger, therefore they pay into Social Security
during their working years but usually never get to collect retirement (because
they're dead). This means that the government is making even more money off of
the smoker. Hmm, the way I see it all the non-smokers should be thanking the
smokers for all the extra money they contribute. Hell, they pay more taxes than
a non-smoker, they pay Social Security but never collect it and they keep
thousands employed which results in a vibrant economy in the South It also
indirectly keeps health care people employed, if you get my drift.
The bottom line is that both the State and Federal governments are just using
this as an excuse to get money back in their budgets that have been seriously
wacked with balanced budget amendments and the like. It's a great way to get
easy money in the coffers. I guess that means that the politicians will have
to do less begging with foreign dignitaries in order to obtain campaign
contributions. Cigarettes have helped the American economy more than hurted it
regardless of what all the government officials are saying. Be it jobs,
investments (most states invest in cigarette companies) or people dying young,
the government has benefitted greatly from butts.
As to whether the government can do an outright ban on advertising for a legal
product, I have serious doubts. I think that would be worthy of a First
Amendment fight in the Supreme Court. Then again, that's an argument for
another message...
And you may ask whether I'm a smoker or not. No, but I used to be.
--- Frank ---
