According to CNN: "The House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate the advertising and sale of tobacco products in the United States."
Finally, the good folks at the Cancer Research Society and rest easy. The FDA is here to the rescue!!!
To be honest, I feel as if this is more of a political stunt then it is a health issue. Smoking is bad, we all know it, but with obesity on the rise, with meth and STD's, and with the freaking financial industry dead, do we really want to spend more money on smoking?
Here is the logic behind smoking. It's bad, but it makes you feel better when you feel worse! So what's between you dealing with stress and a little tar and lung cancer?
People aren't stupid. They know smoking is a horrible thing to do, and yet they still do it. And it's not like if the FDA requires certain chemicals to be taken out, it will make smoking any better. I understand the impulse to limit advertising and claims about certain 'healthy alternative" cigarettes, but with all the money being spent on press, and all the time senators and congressmen and women are going to spend promoting themselves by stating they passed the tobacco bill, one would think the money would be better spent else where.
Like say... the $5 Billion that was cut from CA's school system. We could all try to help out the FUCKING FUTURE OF AMERICA.
Do you think FDA's regulation of tobacco will really make a difference? If you smoke, will it stop you from smoking?
Comments (11)
Does the bill state that money will be spent on this? If so, how much? What does the bill specifically state, anyway? I would need more information to really make a decision, but I think that the regulating of tobacco is good.
Oh, and this is at the federal level--so it has nothing to do with California's %$&#ed up budget, which is at the state level. I could be wrong, but I think school budget issues are state.
As far as I know, tobacco products are still the leading cause of death, above obesity, so it's definitely still a prominent issue.
I would have thought the FDA already had the power to do this...?
I'd like to know specifics of this bill before making a real decision.
I know, lame comment. Sue me.
It's not necessarily going to stop smoking, but they push to somehow make it safer (good luck). They are already pushing laws that restrict smokers from smoking inside building and even give you a fine (and possibly jail time) if you are caught smoking in the car with children present.
i agree with ya, money could be better spent on other things. i don't smoke but i have friends that do, and it doesn't matter what you tell them about smoking, they're gonna do it anyway.
Meh. This stuff shouldn't even be sold...
i don't smoke it. and well money SHOULD be spent on a more useful thing.
I don't think it'll make a difference, but when it comes to things like the government, I'm quite the pessimist. There's SOME money involved in all of this, I'm sure of it. I think the worst thing about smoking is that it affects the second-hand smokers more than it does the actual smoker! That's not even right!
mmm the govt just wants more control of us, of our businesses, of our choices...why can't WE just make choices for OURSELVES?!?!
people CHOOSE to smoke. advertisements cannot physically MAKE anyone do something.
@imyourstargirl@xanga - It's not the tobacco they're really targeting with the bill.
I smoke. I'm trying to quit, more because of financial reasons than health reasons. But, if I weren't in the middle of trying to quit, it wouldn't affect my decision. Nothing would.
I love smoking. I *loveeeeee* to smoke. And everyone is so eager for smokers to stop. The truth of it is, cigarettes are one of the few things that are manufactured in America. If the anti-smokers had their way, our economy would be in worse shape than it already is.
These days, one of the few ways you can buy American is to buy cigarettes. Which I happily did until the recession took its toll on me and my husband.
Nice post, though. <3