The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Shock: Tobacco is Dangerous!

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I'm sure most of you are unaware that using tobacco is dangerous. You've been closeted away for the past half century, with your ears stuffed and eyes covered. So Congress is moving forward on legislation allowing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. Reports the Washington Post:

After 15 years of debate, tens of millions spent on lobbying and a roller-coaster legislative history, public health advocates say they believe Congress is finally ready to regulate tobacco -- and their opponents privately agree.

This week, a Senate committee will take up its version of a bill that passed the House by a comfortable margin last month. Supporters say they have more than the 60 votes needed to make the legislation filibuster-proof when it reaches the Senate floor sometime after Memorial Day.

The sponsors, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), with help from party leaders, have pushed the legislation onto a fast track. And President Obama, himself a smoker who has struggled to quit, has said he intends to sign the bill -- a reversal from President George W. Bush, who sought to kill it.

The legislation would give the Food and Drug Administration broad powers over the manufacturing and marketing of tobacco, a product used by 20 percent of Americans yet largely unregulated.

The very idea of tobacco regulation strikes some as nonsensical: Take a product that, if used as directed, will kill a third of those who use it and place it under the control of an agency charged with protecting public health. But advocates say FDA oversight is the best hope for reducing the 400,000 deaths each year from tobacco use.

I don't like tobacco. Even when lots more people smoked, I wouldn't let them smoke in my house. My grandfather was a heavy smoker, which we suspect contributed to the cancer which killed him. I wish my friends who smoke would quit.

But if liberty means anything, it is making choices and balancing risks. Lawmakers shouldn't act like national nannies, treating us like irresponsible children. They should let us make our own decisions about our own lives.

They aren't about to, however. Indeed, their determination to micro-manage our lives seems insatiable. Which is why these days I just laugh when I hear someone refer to America as "the land of the free." No longer.

View all comments (8) | Leave a comment

Political Jules| 5.11.09 @ 2:40PM

Micromanagement of our lives is the perfect description of what they are doing. Well, that and manipulation.

What is it going to take for people to wake up and make this nonsense stop?! I am guessing the country literally has to hit rock bottom before we stop being so indifferent about the whole thing.

And I am sorry to say that I mean REALLY rock bottom, somewhere that is very close to anarchy. God help us all.

Joseph J.Pippet| 5.11.09 @ 3:24PM

People complain about placing Tobacco under control,Why not? When you smoke you don't have a smoke stack (at least 6'tall besides you the smoke stack,you don't really count as you blow the smoke At those arround you.) to vent the smoke away from those around you,Nope you blow it in our faces.Smoke outside,Again People have to breathe your Filth No choice.Your're committing Suicide so why not take some Family members and Friends,with You,I almost forgot your Pets,Rocks don't count,Second Hand Smoke KILLS,to. when you smoke Everyone around you smokes (They don't Light up,they just Inhale your stench from your tobacco product)Pipe Tobacco is Arromatic,I guess it's nice to have something that smells nice while it's Killing you and others around you.Try burning your lawn cuttings,see what happens.Reading so far You must come to the conclusion that Your Friendly Mom and Pop stores are in the business of Drug dealing and Death,As in MURDER,selling tobacco products for Human comsumption is Premeditated Murder,It's about the Money.The Drug (Nicotine is a Drug,use it your a Drug Addict) has it's good uses,But,No Good to life.Legal Not according to God's Law,Thou Shalt not Kill,Keep Holy the Temple of God,Your Body.Their's 2 ways to stop smoking,by Choice,or surely by Death! Respectfully with Love,Joseph J. Pippet

political jules| 5.11.09 @ 5:19PM

Joseph, with all due respect, you cannot legislate morality. It simply does not work. We have lost our values as Americans because of the government constantly trying to sanction controls on stuff they think is wrong. It has not made less smokers, IT HAS MADE MORE!

Somewhere along the line you have to stop the madness.

B Merry| 5.11.09 @ 10:37PM

OH yeah?
They WILL come after your pleasure next.
Do you really believe the government cares about your health or regulation of EVERYTHING, including the air you breathe. What about defending the horrible spread of aids in our own country....hardly ever mentioned....But the CDC Must go after smokers? C'mon!

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Cigarette| 10.18.11 @ 9:56AM

Unless the agency demands so many changes in tobacco products that consumers no longer want to smoke them. He said the bill could squeeze out small companies because they are less able to afford the process involved to get a new product approved for the market.