Smoking Tobacco and The Government Surprised, criminalized and taxed into submission. Tobacco was once the cash crop of our great nation, upon which are original founders made their mark on history. Yet since the upper-middle class set their sights to smoking in the 1970’s, it has become demonized and socially unacceptable. Furthermore, with the increase of “sin taxes”, tobacco is one of the highest taxed commodities in the United States. The overarching question is, should the government be so heavily involved in the private affairs of responsible adults? No, they should not. Throughout the 1900’s, up until the late 60’s, smoking was perceived as a sophisticated pastime that the most famous and successful of individuals partake in. …show more content…
While some methods were similar to those used by the tobacco companies, such as utilizing authority figures like doctors, the other common technique was the moral plea. This is clearly illustrated in a poster used by the American Lung Association which depicts a young girl with the caption “We all share the same air. Thank you for not smoking.” Government legislation was another avenue that anti-smoking crowd used to prevent people from buying and using tobacco. This was accomplished through taxation and outlawing the use of tobacco products in federal and public spaces. California is a prime example with several laws pertaining to the prohibition of tobacco usage: Section 118885 of the California Health and Safety Code prohibits the use of tobacco is designated public space, Section 5148 of the California Code of Regulations prohibits the use of tobacco products in the workspace, and California Health & Safety Code section 118900 strictly limits the use of smoking in restaurants to name a few (Citation). Federal taxes however, are by far the most egregious example of biased discrimination towards tobacco products, having one of the highest tax rates in the country. In 1951 the federal excise tax on cigarettes was only eight cents per pack (Citation). This was steadily raised through the 1900’s and into the early 2000’s, when by 2009 under the Obama administration the rate had reached
According to “The Action of Smoking and Health,” every six seconds someone loses their life as a result of a tobacco related disease. It’s hard to realize how damaging cigarette smoking’s effect can be until you experience it first hand. It is almost certain that every one knows someone who is currently a smoker or was a smoker at some point in their life. For years smoking was the seen as the “cool” thing to do, it was how to “fit in.” There was no real emphasis placed on the dangers of this particular habit, and as a result, it became a world wide trend. In the past, technology and medicine were not nearly advanced enough to be able to determine just how harmful tobacco usage is. However, as we have made medical and
The first reason that tobacco should be illegal is because of its effects on the United States economy. In the United States tobacco has harmed the economy because it has taken away from the price discounts that can be given out for products because tobacco products alone account for 84.3% of all of these discounts.This means that for things that people require to live, like food or water , have not received the discounts that they may require. The prices of have increased and people are spending more on products that they need while tobacco products which are not essential to live have been received the discounts. Another example is the amount of money spent on treating. In the United States alone “nearly $170 billion in direct medical care for adults” who suffer from a tobacco related illness (). This means that if tobacco was made illegal the amount of money spent on the medical bills could be put to use for other expenses. With the repurposing of this money it can help with research into deadly diseases, be put to save others lives, or help give money to those who need it. These are some reasons why tobacco should be illegal.
People in the 1960’s thought smoking was considered cool at the time and it was the thing to do. Many people saw smoking as a symbol of statuses, such as being a hard worker or even an office worker. It showed that one had “class” because you were a refined person with a good paying job (White, Cameron,Oliffe, Bottorff). In many cases, smoking was considered beautiful for a women to smoke, in addition to her daily beauty routine. It was also associated with a strong, hardworking, and handsome man who all the woman would try to get a date with.
It was 1920 when smoking began to catch on in the United States. Its recreational use was
Federal Restrictions and Guidelines in Smoking and Politics by A. Lee Frischlet and James M. Hoelfer
Tobacco is a very large industry in Canada, providing very large tax revenue for the Canadian government. This paper examines the two sides to the argument; should Tobacco be made illegal in Canada? Is smoking tobacco ruining the Canadian economy? Or should Canadians be given the freedom to chose, and current rulings upheld?
Tobacco use and the effects of second hand smoke have been an ongoing issue for many years. Looking at the attitude of the 1950’s and 1960’s when smoking was thought of as cool, suave, mature, etc., there has been a major turnaround in the way society looks at the use of tobacco. Now the issue is not just smoking and the damage to health that it causes, but now there is the additional awareness of what second hand smoke can do to individuals.
It was 1920 when smoking began to catch on in the United States. Its recreational use was
Consumption of Tobacco is a worldwide phenomenon. Nearly every country is planning to raise more restrictions around the consumption of Tobacco. The awareness about its ill effects is rising through the corridors of Parliaments of many countries with the help of governmental and non-governmental organizations. There are some internationally recognized organizations like the “World Lung Foundations” that are striving hard to reduce the consumption of tobacco to a bare minimum. There are numerous reasons that support the argument that tobacco should be completely banned from the United Sates.
Tobacco has existed for long as we have known about history, but due to the negative effects of it to the broader community Tobacco has sparked greater controversy across the globe. Many people argue that it is the government’s responsibility to protect the individual but on the contrary some disagree and believe it’s up to the individual. This essay will elaborate above mentioned aspects and lead to a logical conclusion.
That is the only reason why cigarettes are legal. The government makes billions of dollars a year from selling cigarettes. About 25% of the cost of a pack of cigarettes goes to federal and local revenue. They
Tobacco is one of the world's dangerous drug which is haunting human lives to death. Over a billion adults are addicted to this drug and wasting their money, time and health. Nowadays there has been an ongoing debate/discussion among many people about the role of government in restricting the usage of Tobacco and thereby safeguarding the health of the public. In my personal opinion, both government and the Individual together needs to work to overcome this problem.
The use of tobacco is a very controversial topic here in the United States. The harmful side effects of tobacco are well known and consequently, many believe that it should be outlawed. Though this has not yet occurred, constant regulations on the industry and
Before the health risks were discovered, in the 1960's, the glamorization of smoking by hollywood began and as a result, by
Smoking tobacco has been a part of American culture since its very conception. Throughout our history, tobacco has been advertised as a simple pleasure for those who seek it out. Whether you are sitting on the porch with a couple of friends or in a dimly lit jazz club, tobacco ads give off a false sense of comfort, power, and success. Until around the mid-1900’s, smoking cigarettes was not considered unhealthy. It was only later that the public realize the detrimental health consequences that came with smoking tobacco. To spread this information, specific advertisements were aired to help inform the public of the dangers of smoking. While these ads have changed over time, the same message and warning still remains evident.