News: State officials move to fight candy-flavored tobacco

[RobsanX]

I guess we users still don't have a "News" area that we're allowed to post in , so I'll post this here...

State officials are seeking $3 million in federal stimulus money to snuff out candy-flavored chewing tobacco and cigars that critics say are aimed at youths.

If the Department of Health Services receives the federal grant and lawmakers approve, it would fund a statewide campaign to persuade local communities around Wisconsin to ban sales of products like cherry-flavored chaw.

A state official said this backdoor approach could eventually lead to a statewide prohibition just as local bans on smoking in bars and restaurants led to the statewide ban taking effect in July. But one Republican lawmaker said the idea makes a mockery of the federal stimulus bill's primary goal of creating jobs.

"This has nothing whatsoever to do with job creation," said Rep. Phil Montgomery, R-Ashwaubenon, who pledged to oppose the proposal when it comes before the Legislature's budget committee Thursday.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/loc...cc4c03286.html

[RRK]

Why does Wisconsin hate tobacco so much? I believe it was your representative that introduced PACT.

[tom502]

While there are some younger kids that use smokeless, as well as cigs, and pot, I don't think they are lineing up to buy cherry flavored chaw.

But then what about flavored alcohol, like wine coolers?

It's sad the powers that be exploit children in an effort to subjugate adults.

This and the demise of Level only more signposts to 2012.

[RobsanX]

It's sad the powers that be exploit children in an effort to subjugate adults.

I don't even think it's that. They just look for a bogey man to go after so they can get some quick $$$. It just so happens that it's "cool" to hate tobacco right now...

[gear.h34d.2012]

Good friend of mine that I buy all of my cigars/pipe tobacco from told me about this last week. I live in North Carolina, #1 Tobacco comsuning/producing state in the Union, and we just banned public smoking.

Buddy was telling me about New York City, where all flavored cigars, pipe tobacco, chew and the like have been outlawed from sale. F'ing insane. What's that, I'm an adult and I can't do what I want to anymore? It's not my choice anymore to do what I enjoy within legal limits? Oh, that's fine. Here, let me bend over for Overlord Obama real fast. Make it quick...

[RRK]

Good friend of mine that I buy all of my cigars/pipe tobacco from told me about this last week. I live in North Carolina, #1 Tobacco comsuning/producing state in the Union, and we just banned public smoking.

Buddy was telling me about New York City, where all flavored cigars, pipe tobacco, chew and the like have been outlawed from sale. F'ing insane. What's that, I'm an adult and I can't do what I want to anymore? It's not my choice anymore to do what I enjoy within legal limits? Oh, that's fine. Here, let me bend over for Overlord Obama real fast. Make it quick...

...and of course we should pay more taxes for less rights. But, we should all live to 102 now that "candy" flavored tobacco is gone. :wink:

I think candy flavored sugar should be next on the list.

[clubsnus]

Ridiculous

I would have to say that I totally believe this is all driven by the all mighty desire for control and money. This in my opinion has nothing to do with children buying snus. Its all about the profits they can gain from the control and regulation of Tobacco.

I can't believe that we are now approaching the times where we are being told we are not allowed to use Tobacco or purchase it the way we want. We are now a society of followers who will believe any hype about "change and Hope" and now look whats happening. Things are for sure changing and we are getting the short end of the stick on this.

Keep being active and vote and let your voices be heard.

[tom502]

Maybe it's time for a Tobacco Retailers Union?

[spirit72]

I don't even think it's that. They just look for a bogey man to go after so they can get some quick $$$. It just so happens that it's "cool" to hate tobacco right now...

Yeah. Amazing that they could get stimulus cash for something as irrelevant as this.

[Tristik]

~~
They just did it to "candy" flavored cigarettes about 6 months ago. Not sure if that was national or regional. If they were going to do it to cigars, chew, etc, they would have done it with the cigarette push.

They won't get stimulus money for this.

It does bring up a point though: If they put more into actually policing tobacco's age requirements, you wouldn't have to worry about teens and pre-teens even getting this stuff. They're playing the wrong damn angle.
~~

[Mordred]

The government treats EVERYBODY like children. They've been doing it for some time now.

The idea of democracy is that you vote for a representative who then attempts to pass the laws that the people who voted for him wanted passed.

The reality is that you vote for a "father" who then acts in what he believes to be in your best interest, regardless of what you really want. I've been bringing this up in many discussions, and I'm sad to say that many people actually WANT it that way. They don't want representatives, they want leaders.

So really, any time we see the government acting this way, we have ourselves to blame, for not defending actual democracy.

[RobsanX]

Well it got rejected. Looks like there is a shred of common sense left in the WI legislature! LOL!

http://host.madison.com/news/state-a...b0b6bf8cc.html

[AtreyuKun]

Did any of this or anything like it in the future have anything to do with snus?

[GoVegan]

They have already banned flavored cigarettes, except for menthol and it is just a matter of time before they attack flavored snus. It seems like the FDA has quite a bit of power over tobacco now.

[RobsanX]

Did any of this or anything like it in the future have anything to do with snus?

It wasn't an official ban, but an advertising campaign to get retailers to stop selling flavored tobacco.