Ok, Mister President, let me see if I have this straight.

[misterx]

You, with the backing of Phillip Morris, have banned the sale of clove cigarettes, and other flavored cigs.

Except, you are exempting Menthol cigarettes. Menthol isn't a flavor? No, it's a flavor. Here's why not menthol:
- Phillip Morris manufactures menthols, so it would hurt their bottom line if those were banned
- Menthols are popular with the black community, and that wouldn't work well for Obama. Can you imagine? lol

The idea behind banning flavored cigs is that these are preferred by youth. But we know that menthols are popular in the black community. So is that to say black youth are not worth protecting? That is what this bill implies.

All we have here is an anti-competitive measure, and an expansion of federal power. It's targeting imported products, exempting popular domestic products, and declaring that federal power now supersedes state power on this issue.

Argh. And they wonder why we don't vote. It's because no matter who you pick, they find a way to screw things up.

Comments

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

Wait, what???

The hubby smokes cloves. Just bought some yesterday. When did this 'ban' go into effect?

[misterx.livejournal.com]

It became law on the 22nd. I don't know when it takes affect.

Go to http://www.thomas.gov and search for H.R.1256 if you want to read it.

[brujaoscura.livejournal.com]

Hate to say this- I'm one of those folks who has problems with secondhand smoke.Since nearly everyone in my life smokes- I grew up with it. Asthma, bronchitis, constant illness- all smoking related and I didn't smoke.
But I say it's the right of people to destroy their own bodies if they choose. Cloves are only slightly "less" harmful than regular tobacco.

Smokers have my sympathy- He claims to be a "former" smoker. So he makes decisions to "save people from themselves" I totally don't agree that he should have.

[roaming.livejournal.com]

He can claim to be a former smoker like the spate of Republicans claim to uphold the "sanctitiy" of marriage, call for resignations of those who fall off the faithful wagon. . . and we know where that's lead! I'm sure POTUS can get all the clove ciggies he wants to smoke in the privacy of his bathroom.

I'm VERY disappointed in Obama, and I voted for him. He's got much bigger fish to fry, yet his baffing around with this nonsense!

(Like you, I'm a non-smoker, HATE second hand smoke, grew up in a family that smoked. But yeh, people have the right.)

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

This here, very allergic, hate cigarettes with a passion. And I agree that decent measures should be taken to make cigarettes less attractive to young people.

BUT...cutting out flavors
1) takes away something that some people do enjoy.
2) would NOT discourage young people from starting. They start because it's rebellious, forbidden, and "cool" among friends...and have the peer pressure.

I'm glad we don't have McCain, but...yeah. This is stupid on his part. There are better ways to help solve this problem, and there are much more important matters to worry about. I really don't see how this passed.

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

I found it.
It contradicts itself. Says they are not allowed to ban existing products, then bans flavored products.

If they really think this is going to curb teen smoking, they're deluded.

[roaming.livejournal.com]

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. (Obama, not your post.)

I never bought the "cult of Obama" stuff: I was just glad there existed an alternative to McPalin. But this disappoints me greatly.

[yertelsbitch.livejournal.com]

Obama is getting into our personal business way too much! This is unbelievable.