Light Up

Post by **Linnea** » 06-11-2009 05:42 PM

Senate passes sweeping tobacco reform bill:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington ... bill_N.htm

They might want to consider a new label on tobacco:

'Light up! You are supporting children's health care!'

...

What hypocrites. Smoking is bad. Politicians may be worse.

Rombaldi · Post by **Rombaldi** » 06-11-2009 05:45 PM

now wait a minute..

---------------

The bill will dramatically affect how tobacco is marketed as the bill's provisions are phased in:

• Immediately, tobacco makers can no longer make claims that their products pose fewer health risks.

• Within three months, candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes are banned, and the FDA can extend that ban to cigars and moist snuff, where such flavorings are more common. Menthol is exempt.

• Within nine months, the FDA must publish marketing restrictions that will take effect six months later.

• Within 12 months, new warning labels will be placed on smokeless tobacco products.

• Within 15 months, tobacco companies must disclose the ingredients in their products.

-----------------

what's wrong with that????

Post by **Linnea** » 06-11-2009 10:23 PM

Why exempt menthol? Is it some kind of religious consideration? Does the lobby for the menthol consortium have more cache than the tobacco consortium?

Most menthol comes from China and India:
http://www.ec21.com/companies/menthol.html

Also: Page 1 - google

Jul 18, 2008 ... Cigarette companies in recent years adjusted the level of menthol in different brands of cigarettes to attract younger smokers and maintain ...
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/115461.php - Cached -

Researchers: Tobacco Companies Use Menthol To Entice Teen SmokersJul 18, 2008 ... Tobacco companies use menthol to make some cigarette brands more appealing to young smokers by making them taste less harsh say researchers ...
http://www.injuryboard.com/national-new ... eid=244064 - Cached - Similar

Tobacco Companies Manipulate Menthol To Lure Teens Into SmokingUS researchers warned on Wednesday that tobacco companies manipulate the amount of menthol in...
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Tobacco_ ... 20499.html - Cached - Similar

MINA Breaking News - Study: Companies lure young smokers with MentholJul 16, 2008 ... Tobacco companies manipulate the amount of menthol in cigarettes to make those first few puffs more palatable to young smokers, ...
macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/2347/54/ - Cached - Similar

Tobacco Companies Accused of Targeting Blacks With Menthol ...2 posts - 1 author - Last post: Aug 22, 2008
Tobacco Companies Accused of Targeting Blacks With Menthol Cigarettes Tobacco companies accused of targeting blacks with menthol ...
http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrik ... ettes.html - Cached - Similar

Researchers Uncover How Tobacco Companies Use Menthol | Center for ...Researchers found that tobacco companies use menthol's anesthetic effect to mask the harshness of the smoke and ease throat pain for beginning smokers. ...
http://www.prwatch.org/node/7567 - Cached - Similar

Tobacco industry used cigarette menthol to recruit new adolescents ...Jul 16, 2008 ... Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that tobacco companies have deliberately adjusted menthol levels in ...
http://www.harvardscience.harvard.edu/m ... nd-young-a - Cached - Similar

Study: Tobacco Companies Lure New Smokers Using Menthol In ...Jul 17, 2008 ... Study: Tobacco Companies Lure New Smokers Using Menthol In CigarettesAccording to a new study, tobacco companies in order to lure new ...
http://www.topnews.in/usa/study-tobacco ... ettes-2773 - Cached - Similar

Curious minds want to know...

SETIsLady · Post by **SETIsLady** » 06-11-2009 10:54 PM

Are we now going to get warning that we may get hit by a car if we step in the street ? Come on this is useless legislation, we all know cigarettes are deadly. Heres some truth in advertising. Cigarettes will kill you, period its not complicated. Beware once they are done with the smokers you should be questioning who is next. Also is this all that is on the plate of those in the Senate ?

Kaztronic · Post by **Kaztronic** » 06-11-2009 11:28 PM

SETIsLady wrote: once they are done with the smokers you should be questioning who is next. Also is this all that is on the plate of those in the Senate ?

Salt & Sugar Setislady, Salt & Sugar. It will be tied to the healthcare plan, either upon it's formation - or sometime afterwards in order to control costs and minimize the need for so many doctor visits. Just take a look at the new head of the CDC, and his "accomplishments/proposals in his last job" to get an idea of the agenda building in Washington.

SETIsLady · Post by **SETIsLady** » 06-12-2009 12:33 AM

Smoking is already tied to regular insurance, that is nothing new. Its was happening long before President Obama ever took up health insurance.

Post by **Linnea** » 06-12-2009 01:20 AM

I would like to see a serious investigation of lobbyists. Who are their bosses? What hold do they have over legislators?

We assume it is simple greed which makes politicians cave in. What else might be going on?

Threats to cause economic havoc in constituent's communities? Blackmail dossiers? Other more dire considerations.

Anyone have any links to any studies, etc...?

Lastmartian · Post by **Lastmartian** » 06-12-2009 02:04 AM

The exemption for menthol is curious. It makes me think of the criteria for the Soda Tax in which artificial sweeteners are exempt. While tobacco is certainly bad enough the addition of menthol makes it worse. As I understand it menthol is essentially a tincture of mint and ethyl alcohol. And when alcohol is subject to combustion it can produce some rather toxic stuff. And many have heard about the potential toxicity of some of the artificial sweeteners used today, such as the lovable aspartame. So why these peculiar exemptions?...Do they want to retain a little unhealthiness so the health industry won't get bored?...

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 06-12-2009 08:47 AM

First they slap a 60cent tax "for the children" on tobacco (cigarettes)
Then they take over cars, put a head over GM who admits he knows nothing about cars and that 31 yr old recent graduate with also no knowledge....
they try to take over banks
they try to force States into taking monies with certain codicils that tells states they will continue the programs (in spite of lack of $$ to do so) and say its all or nothing
then they are now hitting tobacco companies again
health care is next - with people who get company benefits (paid or partially paid health care) to be taxed as income - and providing health care for all (Gee we have free clinics already) and 600 pages of health care stuff still not completely gone through --

--
AND TODAY -- IRS wants to put a tax on company owned cellphones - to the people who work for those companies - tax the people. Washington news

--
So they can't label cigarettes with the term "lights or ultra lights" - so what will they use to distinguish differences? AND as others note - why are Menthols exempt?

Live365 · Post by **Live365** » 06-12-2009 01:13 PM

SETIsLady wrote: Are we now going to get warning that we may get hit by a car if we step in the street ? Come on this is useless legislation....

"I'm going to take as much personal responsibility as I can before they ban it".

--A talk-radio host (won't say which one; it will just start a fight.

)

USSGoblin · Post by **USSGoblin** » 06-12-2009 01:41 PM

Yep, continue to tighten the control on people. What is next, declaring sugar, cream, certain fats as a substance that needs to be taxed and controlled. Bigger Government interference in every day life. Sure, second hand smoke is an issue, and can be easily addressed. But this is just more of the central government taking charge.

Oh, and I think smoking is bad, if it was up to me, I would ban it. but that is not how our Constitution is set up.

The issue with Menthols, is they banned flavors, but since there are a lot of Menthol smokers, the exempted that, it is about slowly taking it away, an all out ban would doom politicians.

Live365 · Post by **Live365** » 06-12-2009 02:25 PM

Linnea wrote: What else might be going on?

I'll say this. I will say this: I believe it was Clinton in the 90's who suggested nicotine-free -- are at least drastically reduced -- cigarettes, and I actually thought it was a good idea. This way, you could smoke your butt off but be withdrawing from the drug at the same time. Next thing you know, you're able to quit. Maybe all this will reactivate that idea.

But this isn't about quitting smoking, and we all damn well know it. So many things are happening so fast, that I don't know who's doing it anymore. Nor can I figure out who's "in on it" or just being taken along for the ride. But something is happening to this country. It's so obvious, yet it's insidious. I'm scared.

I also have to stop after work tonight to get gas, pick up some groceries and buy a carton of cigarettes. The gas will cost around $26.00. The groceries should cost no more than $30.00. The cigarettes will cost $60.00. To who ever is doing this: you've won.

Kaztronic · Post by **Kaztronic** » 06-13-2009 12:30 AM

What I would give to pay $60 a carton for smokes!

IvyQ · Post by **IvyQ** » 06-13-2009 01:02 AM

I pay 38.00 a carton for my ciggies... and they're American Spirit.

Kaztronic · Post by **Kaztronic** » 06-13-2009 01:04 AM

Paying $100 per carton here