FDA Tobacco Bill

I quit smoking in 2005, after 21 years of being a slave to the cigarette. Prior to being a smoker, I was a long distance runner with the hopes of carrying my running skills into the collegiate level. Unforeseen life events led me in a different direction, pointing me down a path that ultimately led to the 21 year cigarette habit.

As a former smoker, I hold no anger towards the tobacco companies for their marketing styles, or having such a dangerous product available on the market. I made the decision to smoke on my own accord. It was my own personal decision. Nobody else placed the cigarette in my mouth, and usually nobody else ignited the flame that lit the tip of the incendiary device. I smoked because I enjoyed it. When cigarette taxes rose, or advertising changed, it didn't change my habit. I smoked anyway.

Last week Congress passed a bill designed to significantly weaken the tobacco industry, and limit the choice of Americans regarding tobacco products. The new law gives the Food and Drug Administration regulatory power over the packaging, manufacturing and marketing of tobacco products, specifically targeting cigarettes. The politicians say it is for your own good.

Liberty was sacrificed as a result of the passing H.R. 1256, and it signifies yet another private industry heading towards being nationalized, and destroyed, by the ever expansive United States Federal Government.

Some media outlets called the vote "overwhelmingly bipartisan support for H.R. 1256," despite the fact that in the Senate vote, for example, only one Democrat voted against the bill, and only seven Republicans voted in favor of the bill. The lone Democrat in the Senate voting against the bill, Senator Kay Hagan from North Carolina, was also quickly singled out by the New York Times, where the publication was quick to remind us that North Carolina is a historically recognized tobacco state.

The FDA Tobacco Bill, in the simplest terms, puts the federal government in a position to dictate to Americans what choices they can make.

By suggesting that the government has no business regulating the behavior of cigarette smoking, I am in no way suggesting that we should go to the other extreme, either. Legalizing drugs, for example, like Marijuana, would be catastrophic to our societal stability. The attempt to eliminate the use of tobacco completely in America, however, is foolish, and self-defeating. After all, if one of the major reasons for the heavy taxation on tobacco products (in addition to the heavy regulation which is designed to cut down on the usage of Cigarettes) is also to provide funding for government sponsored health insurance for children through SCHIP, what happens to the revenue when everyone quits smoking like the nanny-state tyrants in our society desires? Where will the revenue for the programs funded by cigarette taxes come from then?

One more thing. Barack Obama promised, during his presidential campaign, that he wanted to give 95% of Americans a tax break, and specifically wished to ease the tax burden of the lower incomes. However, most smokers are individuals in the lowest income brackets, so isn't the cigarette tax yet another broken campaign promise since increasing cigarette taxes will affect the lower incomes most, and in reality be a massive tax increase (coupled with Cap and Trade) against the lowest incomes?

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

By Douglas V. Gibbs

Bill Number H.R. 1256 Status - Roll Call, Congress dot org

Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act - Open Congress

Cigarette Tax Will Affect Low-Income Americans Most - Gallup, Lydia Saad

Moving Towards Tobacco Prohibition - American Daily Review, Ron Paul

Clay applauds landmark legislation to regulate tobacco - The St. Louis American

Senate Clears Hurdle on Tobacco Bill - The New York Times, Kate Phillips