when i began smoking cigarettes were less then $4 per pack of named brand cigarettes, billboard cigarette advertising was still common as were magazines ads. when in school i was "told" smoking was bad for me but i dont recall being told that cigarettes contained things like hydrogen cyanide. cigarettes were much more popular today and it was a world that told you smoking was bad but it was still very commonplace. many of my classmates and myself as well smoked, we were literally addicted when cigarettes were fairly cheap. the people this absurd tax increases hurt the most are those people that were addicted when cigarettes were cheap. this does not help someone who is unable to quit something that was been perverted into something that is as addictive as many illegal dangerous drugs (crack, ......., ect). natural tobacco is not nearly as addictive as packaged, manufactured cigarettes (which are only about 40% tobacco). people that are already addicted to cigarettes move to RYO because they addicted no other reason. teenagers that are picking up cigarette for the first time are not really aware of the RYO products on the market and how they work. MOST teenagers are just going to start smoking by getting a pack of marlboro or newports that are easily taken out of the pack and smoked with ZERO work.
there is also the issue of FSC chemicals that some smokers DO NOT WANT in their bodies. when i smoked it was BOTH the cost AND the FSC's that made me migrate over to RYO. i feel that i was already exposing myself to cigarette smoke which was bad enough; i didnt need to expose myself to more harsh chemicals added that didnt need to be added. i felt that RYO had less stuff added to them; and in particular were not fsc's which i regarded as more government control try to force extra crap into my body. I HATE FSC'S with a passion.
the e cigarette offers people that are already addicted a way out of cigarettes; and RYO offeres people that are already smoking and broke a cheaper way out. neither really has much to do with the smoking rate of teenagers. leave well enough alone. i thought it was funny when many RYO stores switched over to "pipe" tobacco, the government tried to kill their business and it did NOT work. this is becoming a prohibition through taxation and it doesnt work any better then an outright prohibition. people are going to smoke and people are going to consume nicotine. people have been consuming nicotine in some way shape or form since the native americans were consuming it hundreds of years ago. it is not going away it will just move further underground. sometimes i think the health risks associated with smoking are nothing more than an excuse to raise up the price, they dont really want people to quit becuase if they do the gravy train called tobacco is no more.
there is also the issue of FSC chemicals that some smokers DO NOT WANT in their bodies. when i smoked it was BOTH the cost AND the FSC's that made me migrate over to RYO. i feel that i was already exposing myself to cigarette smoke which was bad enough; i didnt need to expose myself to more harsh chemicals added that didnt need to be added. i felt that RYO had less stuff added to them; and in particular were not fsc's which i regarded as more government control try to force extra crap into my body. I HATE FSC'S with a passion.
the e cigarette offers people that are already addicted a way out of cigarettes; and RYO offeres people that are already smoking and broke a cheaper way out. neither really has much to do with the smoking rate of teenagers. leave well enough alone. i thought it was funny when many RYO stores switched over to "pipe" tobacco, the government tried to kill their business and it did NOT work. this is becoming a prohibition through taxation and it doesnt work any better then an outright prohibition. people are going to smoke and people are going to consume nicotine. people have been consuming nicotine in some way shape or form since the native americans were consuming it hundreds of years ago. it is not going away it will just move further underground. sometimes i think the health risks associated with smoking are nothing more than an excuse to raise up the price, they dont really want people to quit becuase if they do the gravy train called tobacco is no more.
