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Should Obama Sign Tobacco Bill?

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6). (Concern about adolescents) Who knows what adolescents used tobacco? Any number of low-end brands may contain no tobacco at all but, instead, fake tobacco made from industrial waste cellulose, camouflaged in patented ways to "simulate" tobacco, with shots of nicotine extract added. That is not tobacco, and the smoke cannot be tobacco smoke.
* This ought to not so much be about "curbing use" by teens, but about "curbing" manufacturers' adulteration of so-called "tobacco products" with some of the most deadly industrial chemical and other non-tobacco substances on earth.

7. (Government has lacked authority) Such government entities are generally funded by, or personally invested in various parts of the cigarette industry...their insurers, investors, pharms that contribute cigarette pesticides and additives, agricultural conglomerates that provide so many crop product additives, assorted chlorine interests, their advertisers and PR firms, and whatnot...that it's an outrage that they retain a shred of credibility. Government has intentionally refused to wield authority.

8. (Oversight of “tobacco”) If this means the Cigarette Industry...or the Pesticide-Contaminated, Dioxin-Delivering, Radiation-Delivering Industry That Makes Smoking Products That May or May Not Contain a Shred of Tobacco...that is certainly not clear. Legitimate Law, as Legitimate Science, requires more clarity.
In any case, the GAO already condemned "lax government oversight" of pesticide residues on tobacco. It is inconceivable that Congress and the FDA don't know.

* Further, if the "public at large" "recognizes "tobacco dangers", it is only evidence of the complicity of the mass corporatized mainstream media.

9. (Native Americans) "Indian Tribes" are sovereign nations. This "protect the kids" scheme reeks of further, and endless, attempts to destroy that sovereignty...and to further apply a bit of Cultural Genocide in that native peoples have used tobacco for cultural, medicinal, social, religious and trade reasons for some ten thousand years.

10. (Interstate commerce, etc.) Well...if "the economy" pertains to the "use" of tobacco (instead of just business aspects)...that has implications even about Grow Your Own tobacco. Another "tree" that Thou Shalt Not Eat The Fruit Therefrom...apparently. This point seems to be a threat to States' Independence. Plus, the "nation's economy" here does not seem to apply to the PEOPLE of the Nation who will pay, by Passed-Along Fees On Cigarette Makers to administer this legislation.
The "economy" of cigarette makers, their many adulterants providers, or any of their insurers or investors will be enhanced, not disrupted, by this act.
(NB: Top health insurers invest heavily in cigarette manufacturing...and in tobacco pesticide producers.)

11. (Cigarette commerce has health costs) The costs and effects on health from typical "Pesticide Pegs", "Dioxin Dowels" or "Radiation Rods" are not due to any "interstate commerce" or whatnot...but to official tolerance for the known human health-damaging contaminants of most smoking products. This point seems aimed at limiting States' Rights, and nabbing those who dare buy cigarettes where they are cheaper. Revered competition, not wanted here.

12. (FDA regulation for public interest) It is In The Public Interest that Congress and the FDA immediately forbid Any Untested, or Known Toxic or Carcinogenic, or Fire-Starting, or Kid-Attracting, or Addiction-Enhancing, Non-Tobacco component in smoking products. That would inconvenience the cigarette makers, their adulterants' suppliers, and all of their insurers and investors...but human health and life, and scientific and legal integrity, come first.

13. (Tobacco = Death) Since this really means that Pesticide-Contaminated, Chlorine-Adulterated, Dioxin-Delivering, Radiation-Contaminated, Multi-Ingredient Cigarettes are likely a cause of many premature deaths, statements that “tobacco kills” are unfounded and essentially lies. Nature's tobacco plant is not the villain. It is a conveniently-"sinful" scapegoat. Further, no studies seem to exist to disclose real or even likely effects of plain tobacco…and this bill requires no such tests.
* Since, according to many U.S. Patents, all cigarettes are not necessarily made entirely or at all from tobacco, and since none of the studies used to justify this legislation seem to have checked to make sure that what they studied was, indeed, tobacco, it is impossible to understand any of the claims made here about tobacco. Have those Fake Tobacco products claimed any lives or caused any illnesses? Perhaps, but we do not know.

14. (Costs from disease) To say "tobacco-induced disease", without noting the many non-tobacco cigarette adulterants (or the fake tobacco products) is scientifically fraudulent---an apparent attempt to exculpate the cigarette makers and the suppliers of the non-tobacco substances.
To imply concern for youth is not credible in light of the FDA's lack of attention or even mention of the dioxin-emitting chlorine substances that are notoriously and especially harmful to children, fetuses, and pregnant mothers. The FDA does not even mention, much less forbid, added burn accelerants that are complicit in so many fires that take young lives.

15. (Ads seen by the young) This non-credible concern for young people reeks throughout the legislation.

16. (Cigarette makers spend money to attract smokers) In recent times, other private interests, often in the chlorine, insurance and pharmaceutical cartel, spent many millions deceiving the public that it is the tobacco plant, itself, that has caused widespread harms. That is as much of a patent lie as are any claims or suggestions from the cigarette makers, or the FDA or others, that a cigarette is automatically tobacco or just tobacco.

17. (Smoking portrayed as acceptable) Tobacco smoking has been socially acceptable, except in some religious communities, for centuries. It was purposefully and artificially made "socially unacceptable" by interests working to evade charges for contaminating tobacco so thoroughly, by insurers working to avoid costs of caring for those who may be victims of their own investment properties, and by those working to remove tobacco and nicotine from competition with certain patented nicotine-delivery products and other drugs that treat the same symptoms as does natural nicotine.

18. (Ads again) This bill says nothing about Fraudulent Advertising, which has been ubiquitous and tolerated by legislators at every level. Any advertising that suggests that a cigarette is simply tobacco is fraudulent, and any "warning" in those ads that fails to address the pesticides, dioxins, radiation, and known deadly non-tobacco cigarette constituents is harmfully inadequate. No warnings say “Contains Deadly Pesticide Residues”, for example. They don't want to confess to homicidal recklessness.

19. (Ads in sport venues) One medicinal characteristic of nicotine is that it relieves stress, be that stress in sporting situations or otherwise.  For those who have allowed the dangerous and deadly non-tobacco substances to endanger uninformed, unprotected, insufficiently-warned athletes to now feign concerns about the linkage of smoking and sports is hypocritical and cruel.

20. (More about ads and kids) No concerns about children can be remotely believable when they come from those with the power to publicize, condemn, and prohibit the non-tobacco parts of smoking products that most harm children. As for “concerned” parties that were complicit in allowing those toxins…as they say, “jail is too good”.

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John Jonik Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Long time activist in areas relating to industrial toxics, media content and control, death penalty, Mumia Abu-Jamal, hemp prohibition, civil rights, insurance influence in public governing, religious influence in public governing, unsafe foods, (more...)
 
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