Smoking is deadly...

Could you support the FDA regulating tobacco so that tobacco companies were required to produce different strengths of nicotine cigarettes to help wean people off smoking?

Smoking addiction costs our country billions in healthcare dollars. It is more addictive than cocaine. Is that reason enough?

MaggieD said:

Could you support the FDA regulating tobacco so that tobacco companies were required to produce different strengths of nicotine cigarettes to help wean people off smoking?

Smoking addiction costs our country billions in healthcare dollars. It is more addictive than cocaine. Is that reason enough?

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Yes, I would get on board with that.

MaggieD said:

Could you support the FDA regulating tobacco so that tobacco companies were required to produce different strengths of nicotine cigarettes to help wean people off smoking?

Smoking addiction costs our country billions in healthcare dollars. It is more addictive than cocaine. Is that reason enough?

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Yes, Mags. That’s a great idea. Cigarettes are so addictive that even people who are deathly ill from years of smoking find it extremely difficult to quit.

Years ago, they had a cigarette called "Real". Yup. "Real". A real fake. It had no nicotine. Didn't work for me. I would have liked to try a 1/4 strength "Almost Real" cigarette if they were available.

I finally quit with the patches. I wore a patch for almost a year until I forget how to smoke.

Different strengths? I thought that was what the distinction between Reds and No 27's were from regular cigarettes. Or for light you went with a vape or even lighter, an e-cig.

MaggieD said:

Could you support the FDA regulating tobacco so that tobacco companies were required to produce different strengths of nicotine cigarettes to help wean people off smoking?

Smoking addiction costs our country billions in healthcare dollars. It is more addictive than cocaine. Is that reason enough?

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I don't think the 'different strengths' means as much as regulating the process for making the cigs. The various companies use a lot of chemicals to make the nicotine much more easily absorbed and addictive, and many of those chemicals can cause cancer in and of themselves. The process basically unbinds the nicotine from the plant material so it gets absorbed by the bloodstream when you smoke it at a much higher rate. Regulating what chemicals can be used to process tobacco, and make sure that the nicotine is not 'freed up' to be absorbed when smoked would be much more effective.

When Philip Morris introduced the 'low tar/low nicotine' cigarettes, it was even MORE addictive than other companies higher tar/nicotine cigs, because they figured out that process. That is the area that should be regulated, not just the amount of nicotine in a cig.

But, I definately would be on board with regulations on the process.

MaggieD said:

Could you support the FDA regulating tobacco so that tobacco companies were required to produce different strengths of nicotine cigarettes to help wean people off smoking?

Smoking addiction costs our country billions in healthcare dollars. It is more addictive than cocaine. Is that reason enough?

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If it worked. But I knew a surgeon once that told me he liked folks that smoked lite cigarettes better that normal smokers. They inhaled more deeply, so he didn't have to cut as deep.

Spartacus FPV said:

Different strengths? I thought that was what the distinction between Reds and No 27's were from regular cigarettes. Or for light you went with a vape or even lighter, an e-cig.

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The regulatory wienies have backed off a bit on the vape industry because they are finding that it actually is helping some people quit, especially young people, and it's a less harmful substitute for smokers who go that route.

I would prefer the Australian approach, double cigarette taxes every year till no one can afford to smoke.

Sounds good on the outside Mags, but consider this, The government never knows when to stop, first it's cigarette's, then booze ( Alcohol content ) then certain foods, then life styles. he next thing you know we are all drinking some government approved health drink and protein wafers.

And as everyone knows, the best tasting stuff is always bad for you. It's only the bad tasting gunk that's healthy..

djl

MaggieD said:

Could you support the FDA regulating tobacco so that tobacco companies were required to produce different strengths of nicotine cigarettes to help wean people off smoking?

Smoking addiction costs our country billions in healthcare dollars. It is more addictive than cocaine. Is that reason enough?

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Do smokers really cost the government more than nonsmokers? Shorter lifespans means less SS and also less years to use health care dollars.

MaggieD said:

Could you support the FDA regulating tobacco so that tobacco companies were required to produce different strengths of nicotine cigarettes to help wean people off smoking?

Smoking addiction costs our country billions in healthcare dollars. It is more addictive than cocaine. Is that reason enough?

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I'm going to give a conditional "No", with reasons.

Personally, I don't trust the tobacco industry to make products designed to get people to stop using their main product. The conflict of interest combined with their track record of pursuing profits without any ethical concerns about the outcomes, to the point of hiding the results of their own studies if the results were unfavorable towards profits, makes this a bad idea, in my opinion.

Tax dollars, however, are much easier to work with. Taxes on tobacco are relatively high, almost exorbitantly so in some states. That money is supposed to go towards treatment and prevention of addiction, as well as helping to minimize public health risks involved with smoking (going from memory, I believe this is accurate). I believe (again, not sure, going from memory) some of those tax dollars subsidize addiction-curbing products like gum and patches, this may vary by state though. I don't see why cigarettes with different grades of tobacco strength couldn't fit into that scheme.

Overall, while it might help curb the addiction, Vaping is probably a better alternative and much easier to adjust how much nicotine you get, without the physical damage caused by smoking. Nicotine doesn't cause lung cancer, smoke does, it doesn't matter if you smoke tobacco, weed, corn silk, or carpet fibers. Due to the presence of certain chemicals and additives, tobacco and carpet fiber smoke happen to be particularly carcinogenic. That being said, I understand some people simply do not like vaping and get no satisfaction from it.

Smoking is down significantly over the last few decades.

If our goal is to reduce smoking and related damage, we just need to maintain the effective combination of information campaigns about the health risks, aggressive enforcement of age restrictions, and significant "sin" taxes.

I gave up smoking (used the gum) several years ago. I did it for my own reasons, and ultimately a smoker (or any addict) will quit when they decide to quit.

Nicotine gum pro-tip: If you buy off brands online, you can save ~40% compared to stores, even with shipping from New Zealand.

Risky Thicket said:

Yes, Mags. That’s a great idea. Cigarettes are so addictive that even people who are deathly ill from years of smoking find it extremely difficult to quit.

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That was my grandmother. She was on a ventilator and choking because she wanted to still smoke. She was buried at 58 years old. My grandad quit cold turkey when she was dying from it. He lived to 92. To this day the smell of butane lighters and Marlboro reds makes me think of them.

RAMOSS said:

I don't think the 'different strengths' means as much as regulating the process for making the cigs. The various companies use a lot of chemicals to make the nicotine much more easily absorbed and addictive, and many of those chemicals can cause cancer in and of themselves. The process basically unbinds the nicotine from the plant material so it gets absorbed by the bloodstream when you smoke it at a much higher rate. Regulating what chemicals can be used to process tobacco, and make sure that the nicotine is not 'freed up' to be absorbed when smoked would be much more effective.

When Philip Morris introduced the 'low tar/low nicotine' cigarettes, it was even MORE addictive than other companies higher tar/nicotine cigs, because they figured out that process. That is the area that should be regulated, not just the amount of nicotine in a cig.

But, I definately would be on board with regulations on the process.

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i didn’t know they did that. I HAVE heard, though, that it’s not the tobacco as much as it is the chemicals...

Carjosse said:

I would prefer the Australian approach, double cigarette taxes every year till no one can afford to smoke.

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Wouldnt that just cause a significant black market to develop?

Winchester said:

Do smokers really cost the government more than nonsmokers? Shorter lifespans means less SS and also less years to use health care dollars.

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I’m not sure. That was always my argument. You could be right.

MaggieD said:

i didn’t know they did that. I HAVE heard, though, that it’s not the tobacco as much as it is the chemicals...

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I think from what I heard, processing the tobacco with ammonia and formaldehyde help unbind the nicotine from the tobacco plant. ..and a bunch of other chemicals that would be considered highly toxic.

Smoking is deadly and lame. Vaping is the future, particularly vaping with CBD oil.

Interestingly, the United States Federal Government has patented CBD as a neuroprotectant and antioxidant, despite the current Attorney General’s denial of all things cannabis.

Despite federal law, 29 states have medical marijuana legislation passed! As this trend continues, more money will be raised to research the medical benefits of cannabis. Most importantly, those living with depression and other disorders will be able to address their medical needs using CBD.