Once again the Democrat Party puts group indenty political pandering over their “morals”
(NY Times) Some public health experts are questioning why menthol, the most widely used cigarette flavoring and the most popular cigarette choice of African-American smokers, is receiving special protection as Congress tries to regulate tobacco for the first time.
The legislation, which would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to oversee tobacco products, would try to reduce smoking’s allure to young people by banning most flavored cigarettes, including clove and cinnamon.
But those new strictures would exempt menthol — even though menthol masks the harsh taste of cigarettes for beginners and may make it harder for the addicted to kick the smoking habit. For years, public health authorities have worried that menthol might be a factor in high cancer rates in African-Americans.
The reason menthol is seen as politically off limits, despite those concerns, is that mentholated brands are so crucial to the American cigarette industry. They make up more than one-fourth of the $70 billion American cigarette market and are becoming increasingly important to the industry leader, Philip Morris USA, without whose lobbying support the legislation might have no chance of passage.
Nice try, NY Times, but, if the Democrats really stood for anything other then political pandering for the sake of power, they would have included it in the Bill.
The other side of this, from my point of view, is that federal government should not be legislating morality, which is exactly what the debate is about. Neither Party should be legislating morality, which is something the Founders were dead set against. If people want to fuck themselves up by smoking, that is their decision. They do it with alcohol, which is a much worse drug.
what a very libertarian view you express here the next thing you know you will be saying that you are ready to announce your support of the only climate change denier left in the race RON PAUL
First off, the flavored smokes ban is stupid. If they really wanted to do it they’d have covered all the multi-flavored cigars first.
And to be honest, menthol really isn’t menthol flavored. It’s little particles of glass you inhale that gives off the chilling “flavor” in menthol. You see, it cuts your lungs as you breathe it in to expose raw flesh to the smoke.
No, I’m not trying to advocate anything here. I used to smoke and don’t fault others for doing it. It’s a freedom, just like drinking is.
No thanks, John. My politics actually lean more to the Classical Liberal side, which is part Libertarian/part conservative, and I do believe heavily in the environment. Unfortunately, Paul is a nutjob, from a policy viewpoint, in my eyes.
The glass is the reason why I have always stayed away from menthols. I could be totally jonesing for a smoke, and I still wouldn’t have one. Notice they never go after cigars or pipes? Cigarettes are just easy.
you sir are an idiot…this is not pandering to blacks. It’s pandering to the tobacco companies. They didn’t include in the bill because it makes big tobacco a lot of money and their powerful lobbyist wouldn’t let the bill pass. Jeez…lol…you think that they didn’t include it because black people would be angry? oh hahahahah. That’s a good one.