I want all answers. Even "Best Guesses". What would be the most kind and gentle way for our country to

Question

stop selling tobacco products? Recognizing, of course, that a sudden ban is impossible for many reasons, how can we turn this runaway freight train around for the greater good? Everyone knows that tobacco products serve no decent purpose. Everyone knows they are deadly. Do we continue knowing it and do nothing in order for the same people to keep filling their pockets at the expense of public health or do say No, We Will Not Continue Like This? Drastic times and situations require drastic measures so here's what we're going to do? I have a plan that I believe would be difficult but is doable. I was just curious if anyone else has thought about this? Thanks.

God's Speed and Grace,

Nancy

Answer 1

if we ban tobacco, it would only be fair to ban alcohol... and we all know how THAT turns out.

Answer 2

I am guessing you are American.

In England we seem to moving, very slowly towards a smoke free country, in my opinion.

First high taxes on tobacco.

Then ban advertising them

then ban smoking in public places,

next wiil be to ban smoking in cars. As this is done on public health grounds it can be done.

Continue to put out health warnings. We will soon have pictures of diseased lungs on packs.

What next?

raise age - we are now at 18 from 16. next raise to 21.

legislate to have additive put in to make taste more unpleasant

Slowly tobacco becomes less atractive and more trouble.

You CANNOT ban it as prohibition Never works.

The only way is to make it culturaly unacceptable. When demand is small enough it will not be profitable and mass production will stop.

People must always be able to choose to harm themselves in this way, because that is what freedom means, but as a society we must do all we can to make it harder and harder.

Answer 3

Which country?

Answer 4

Legalize marijuana...just kidding!  Just make it less profitable for farmers to grow tobacco.  Give incentives to growers of corn, wheat etc.  The American farmer is a dying breed, hundreds of farms go under every year!

Answer 5

Alcohol,mcdonald,driving,flying,and starting wars are also bad for us***** what you say we ban them all?

Answer 6

Raise the price sky high.

Answer 7

Yeah then ban s*x then religion then tax breathing, seeing touching and feeling. then you can tax driving... good one eh.. the tax food then and then and then.............where does it end you idiots!

Answer 8

silly rabbit, money made from tobacco helps pay for the war on Iraq. you know, the one you already forgot about because you're too busy hating illegal immigrants. all rich people(multi-millionaires and billionaires) help fund the war duh they belong to the WORLDS SECRET SOCIETIES duh.

Answer 9

Nancy,

  Stopping the sale of a legal product in the US is pretty tough.  We are a Republic that has Representitives (The House of Representitives and the Seante)  that do the peoples bidding.  If we wish to smoke, that is our privilege no matter what others might say.  As the old saying goes, "Your rights end at the tip of my nose".

  One reason that tobacco is still legal is the tax money that is raised.  The average amount of money that a tobacco farmer gets per acre of tobacco  is $3,000.  The average amount of money that a cigarette company gets per acre of tobacco is $30,000.  The average amount of money that the government gets per acre of tobacco is $300,000.  You tell me who is dragging their feet on this issue.

  Your line about smoking being a "runaway freight train" is amazing.  Smoking used to be nearly universal.  Even actors and actresses that didn't smoke had to hold a cigarette while shooting scenes in movies because to not do it would make the movie look fake.

  In the 1930's and up until the 1960's, 80% of people in the US smoked. Today it is down around 20%.  A 75% reduction in 40 years is a "runaway freight train" going in the direction that you want it to be.

  The biggest group of smokers now is the young people that are trying to look cool and hip.  Plus they feel like they are immortal and nothing will "get" them.  Go tell them that what they are doing is dumb and see how far you get.   Both of my Grandfathers started smoking when they were young, smoked for over 50 years and they lived to be 82 and 84 years old.

  Remember that there are only about 7,000 Americans each year that die as a direct result of smoking.  Around 35,000 to 40,000 a year die in car crashes.  But about 98,000 die from  doctors misdiagnosing diseases or giving the wrong drugs.  That is 10 times worse than smoking.  Are we going to outlaw the entire medical field for "the greater good"?

Jim

PS:  I don't smoke and never have, so actually I am on your side of this issue.