Why are cigarettes legal?

[Bonniejean]

As I sit here this afternoon and look over everyone's pages, I see us all as responsible, educated, loving, caring individuals who have a tobacco addiction that is destroying and taking our lives. Many of us are literally begging for help and support in our struggle to overcome this addiction. The medical profession especially knows the health consequences. Yet, when you ask the question, "Why are cigarettes legal"?, everyone just laughs at the idea that they could be made illegal. Why not? Is there not anything we can do to keep our children, grandchildren and subsequent generations from having to suffer as we have? How about writing our congressmen and senators. I believe if we all Stood up and Spoke with One Voice, it could be done. Any suggestions?

[Bonniejean]

Hi Edith, This decision to quit smoking has caused me to think a lot about addiction. It has really been a struggle to break this 44 yr cycle of tobacco addiction. As for alcohol, I suppose there are many people that can drink it and not begin to crave it. In other works, not everyone becomes addicted to alcohol. Can any person use tobacco and not get addicted? Is the person an addict or does tobacco use cause everyone to be become addicted. I still envision a day when tobacco use will be illegal. There is absolutely no good reason for any person to ever smoke one cigarette. Wouldn't it be great to hear public service announcements on TV ( like the ones we are now hearing about upgrading TV's) that everyone has one year to quit smoking before cigarettes will be illegal and offering smoking cessation help. I still believe it can happen!!!!!!

[Bonniejean]

Good point Rachel, and that is exactly what the government is doing today, educating the public on the health consequences of smoking and doing many things to encourage young people not to smoke but as long as they are sold legally, I don't think a lot of young people really believe they are that bad for you. As for us folks, 50 and older, we didn't have that information and smoking was totally acceptable. My first job after graduation was in an office where everyone smoked, when I went to get my hair done, ashtrays were built into the hair dryers, when you went out to eat, ash trays were provided on the tables. No one warned me I would be going crazy trying to quit before they killed me when I was 59 yrs old.

[rachel17]

I'm not sure I believe in limiting any one's freedom even the freedom to kill themselves slowly. I do however believe cigarettes and smoking should be kept from all public spaces and any one underage. I think education is the way to go. If every person on the planet truly understood the dangers and the lengths the tobacco companies go to keep selling their product than we could simply put them out of business no demand no supply . If we can stop people from starting to smoke eventually there will be no customers. The current smokers will either die or stop smoking, sad but true. NO SMOKERS NO BIG TABACCO! KEEP THE QUIT!!!

[edith2]

Well said Bonnie! I like what you said about alcoholism and I agree.

[becky16]

Most have answered your question.....the tobacco companies have too much power in our government and no matter what we do to make tobacco illigal, it will be impossible to stop it completely. Society allowed this to happen, we all bought the tobacco, providing profits to the conglomerates. We chose to smoke. We have to take that responsibility as hard as it is to acknowledge. All we can do now, is set the example by our quitting and to keep talking to the children keeping them informed. The more educated people are about smoking and the results of smoking....the better. By writing your senators and congressmen, I believe we can get some laws changed, like advertising to young people. My gripe is that most of the commercials that were running, have stopped. Whatever happened to those?