In The News Today...

Quote: Gandler

You do realize Trump was the most restrictive President regarding tobacco in history?

He raised the ago to 21 for all tobacco products and made Federal flavor bans on vape products....

The age thing is defensible because that’s alcohol (usually) and casino gambling. Also, it applies equally.

The vape thing is not exactly defensible, but is borderline excusable, because those flavors were all but designed to attract minors to using them.

Quote: Mission146

The age thing is defensible because that’s alcohol (usually) and casino gambling. Also, it applies equally.

The vape thing is not exactly defensible, but is borderline excusable, because those flavors were all but designed to attract minors to using them.

Well there is no Federal age limit on alcohol or gambling, it is all set by states. To be fair the Federal government does advise states to be 21 for alcohol and if they do not they cut their highway funding by a certain portion (I think 5%). But, tobacco is (now) pretty unique as far as being a vice that has a hard Federal Age.

Quote: Gandler

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-poised-ban-menthol-cigarettes-week-experts-predict-n1265209


It appears likley the FDA will ban menthol cigarettes by Thursday (that is their court ordered deadline for them to decide). Menthol flavored cigarettes were the one flavor that were exempted for some reason when flavored cigarettes were banned in 2009 during the Tobacco Control Act.

One reason there appears to be more traction now is because of the increased acceptance of the reality of racial inequality in society (and menthols are known to be targeted at African American communities). So there is a large push from civil rights groups for menthol cigarettes to finally be banned (which on some of these issues can matter more than the science and health risks).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Smoking_Prevention_and_Tobacco_Control_Act

This one cracks me up. The same people who say blacks are not capable of getting an ID say they are not capable of choosing the cigarettes they want to smoke! Cigarettes are "racial inequality?"

That blacks prefer menthol more than other groups is not in dispute. Hard to say if menthols were marketed to them more causing this or it caused the marketing. For all my life KOOL was kind of a "blacks cigarette" while whites who smoked menthols chose Salem. Heaven forbid marketers market towards blacks!

The "some reason" is that menthol was such a major flavor. Outside the USA there are all kinds of flavors. Vapes kind of capture this. Just more nanny stateism.

Quote: Mission146

For some reason!? Oh, I don't know...maybe the inherent right to put whatever you want in your own body? Also, menthols had been around forever.

Anyway, tell your racist Liberal friends that my white ass loves menthols.

I smoked for 10 years.

But I started with non-menthol and was perfectly content until I tried my friend's menthols and then switched permanently. (unless I ran out and borrowed a non-menthol, or heaven forbid one of those super low tar + nicotine crappy cigs)

So there is some point there... : }

Quote: Mission146

For some reason!? Oh, I don't know...maybe the inherent right to put whatever you want in your own body? Also, menthols had been around forever.

Anyway, tell your racist Liberal friends that my white ass loves menthols.

If you run out, try chewing a rolaid while smoking a Marlboro light. Comes fairly close.

I'm surprised smoking is still a big thing. Seems kids have been indoctrinated in our school system for years against smoking. I think all this education regarding the dangers of smoking is a good thing.
Sorry to see it's not working so well
As to menthol itself.
Kind of on the fence regarding
I kind of agree with Mission wanting this
But
I am very uncomfortable with adding unnatural chemicals to a product grown to be consumed by smoking.
Dont you guys like tobacco smoke. Dont you prefer a pure natural taste of smoked tobacco?
Seems kind of weird not ever being a cig smoker.
Take Marijuana
I certainly dont want some chemical additive.
I prefer the naturally grown bud and like the taste.

Quote: terapined

I'm surprised smoking is still a big thing. Seems kids have been indoctrinated in our school system for years against smoking. I think all this education regarding the dangers of smoking is a good thing.
Sorry to see it's not working so well
As to menthol itself.
Kind of on the fence regarding
I kind of agree with Mission wanting this
But
I am very uncomfortable with adding unnatural chemicals to a product grown to be consumed by smoking.
Dont you guys like tobacco smoke. Dont you prefer a pure natural taste of smoked tobacco?
Seems kind of weird not ever being a cig smoker.
Take Marijuana
I certainly dont want some chemical additive.
I prefer the naturally grown bud and like the taste.

I personally much prefer non-flavored tobacco (when it comes to smoking, smokeless products and nicotine products I like flavors). I don't even like filtered cigarettes because it waters down the taste.

Lucky Strikes (until a couple months ago when they rebranded them into a new type where they now have filters and varieties with menthol crush ball things, they don't even sell the original soft pack with no filter anymore) were my favorite, now its pretty much just original Camels that are available without filters. I have been told Pall Mall makes a non-filtered variety, but I have not come across it.

Maybe if I smoked regularly (I probably average 1-3 Cigarettes/cigars a month, though due to COVID its been a long time, many months since I have smoked anything, generally just will have a smoke at casinos and certain bars, have not smoked anything in 2021) I would feel different, but I have never understood the appeal of menthol or filters. Both destroy that throat kick that you should get and the nicotine buzz.

Smoking is already terrible for you, so I don't buy the whole argument that adding unnatural chemicals to make flavors makes it any worse (its hard to do something more damaging than inhaling smoke into your lungs). The thing that is bad about the smoke is the smoke and carbon monoxide, after that damage a few flavor additives hardly matter, if it does at all. But, the health aspect is not a reason I avoid flavors, its just personal preference (if I was that concerned about the miniscule difference of additives I would not smoke at all, since its the act of smoking that is the greatest concern, but I'll risk it a handful of times a year when the occasion calls for it).

Quote: AZDuffman

This one cracks me up. The same people who say blacks are not capable of getting an ID say they are not capable of choosing the cigarettes they want to smoke! Cigarettes are "racial inequality?"

That blacks prefer menthol more than other groups is not in dispute. Hard to say if menthols were marketed to them more causing this or it caused the marketing. For all my life KOOL was kind of a "blacks cigarette" while whites who smoked menthols chose Salem. Heaven forbid marketers market towards blacks!

The "some reason" is that menthol was such a major flavor. Outside the USA there are all kinds of flavors. Vapes kind of capture this. Just more nanny stateism.

Again, I am not saying this (nor have I ever said that about IDs), I am simply reporting on the pending FDA decision. Everyone is jumping all over me for posting this link, which I do not even agree with.... All flavors should be legal. If you want to ban smoking, outlaw all cigarettes (which I also don't agree with), but nitpicking which flavors and varieties are allowed is silly.

Though if I had to bet, I would bet that the FDA will move forward with the menthol ban because they are being hounded for delaying this long by activist groups (that is why the Court imposed a decision to be made by this Thursday). I don't agree with it, but that is my prediction.

And, yes there are many flavors available oversees. However, in many countries outside of the U.S. smokeless tobacco (chew, dip, snus, snuff, etc...) is illegal (which has much more flavor varieties in the U.S.) so its a two headed snake. Dipping tobacco is very American, and very looked down in much of the world (sometimes this is due to EU trade restrictions sometimes this is due to spitting prohibitions imposed due to religious context). Outside of the U.S. and Canada it is close to impossible to find a can of dip (and even in Canada the prices are absurd, a can that cost 1-2 dollars here, will be over 20 USD, or close to 30 USD for a premium brand, not an exaggeration, even on Native Canadian reservation you are looking at at least 15-20USD for the "evasive price" and usually a cruddy brand).

John "Lurch" Kerry is a traitor.

Quote: fleaswatter

John "Lurch" Kerry is a traitor.

Oh dear.

The red meat lie blew up in the righties’ faces.

Now we are getting reruns from 2004...