Eighty national public health groups, including the American Heart Association, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Preventative Medicine, placed a full-page ad in Sunday’s edition of the Washington Post in support of a federal ban on menthol in cigarettes and all flavored cigars.

“The answer is clear,” the full-page ad says. “Saving lives starts by ending the sale of menthol cigarettes and all flavored cigars.

“Smoking kills nearly half a million people in the United States each year, and these addictive, deadly products are a big part of the problem. The FDA and White House have our full support to release lifesaving rules prohibiting menthol cigarettes and all flavored cigars.”

  • chaogomu@kbin.social
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    11 months ago

    Tobacco is fucking horrible, but Menthol and other flavorings make it so much worse. They increase the likelihood of addiction massively.

    And is always the case in public health, you don’t put in rules to cater to the edge cases, you put in rules to protect the majority affected.

    • sylver_dragon@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Because Prohibition worked out so well they first time. But yes, let’s learn that lesson again, it’s not like we haven’t been having it reinforced over the last half-century with the War Ear Drugs.

      But this time it will be different, right?

    • Melkath@kbin.social
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      11 months ago

      Tell me you’re not a smoker without telling me you’re not a smoker.

      You clearly have no idea how tobacco addiction works.

      Prohibition doesn’t work. Mind your own fucking business.

      • chaogomu@kbin.social
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        11 months ago

        I can tell that you’re addicted just by the vitriol in your response here.

        Did you start of menthols and other flavored tobacco? Because that’s how a lot of people start. Which is why people are pushing for a ban, so others won’t be as hopelessly addicted as you are.

        • Melkath@kbin.social
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          11 months ago

          Fuck you.

          It’s my choice.

          Mind your own fucking business you fucking asshole.

          Here, childhood obesity is a MUCH larger issue than smoking.

          Go ban all the artificial flavorings that are in all of the different bowls of sugar, ahem, breakfast cereals, that are shamefully aimed at children in an effort to give them diabetes, just leave the aisle full of plain rasin bran.

          Do that and I’ll believe it’s about health and the kids and not simply a power trip controlling another person’s choices.

          A lifetime of doctors visits, insulin vials, insulin pumps, blood sugar meters, etc are bleeding this country FAR more than 80 year olds with lung cancer (that probably wasnt even caused by the tobacco).

          • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            Go ban all the artificial flavorings that are in all of the different bowls of sugar, ahem, breakfast cereals, that are shamefully aimed at children

            We should do that, without question. Marketing candy to children as part of a balanced breakfast should be a crime.

          • chaogomu@kbin.social
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            11 months ago

            Wow, denying that tobacco causes cancer is a level of delusion that I had thought died out with the 5th or 6th Marlboro Man (who all died of cancer).

            Do you want to know one of the causes of cancer from Tobacco? It might surprise you.

            But you’ll ignore this because you’re hopelessly addicted to nicotine, one of the single most addictive chemicals known.

            You try to deflect with whataboutisms, but guess what? People are trying to solve those health problems as well. You’re just pissed that they’re trying to solve one that affects your personal addiction.

          • BenGFHC@kbin.social
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            11 months ago

            In places where healthcare is vaguely civilized, your unhealthy addiction becomes my business because it comes with negative social externalities in the form of additional cost and strain on a public health service.

            Edit: Spelling

            • gregorum@lemm.ee
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              11 months ago

              This is an article and discussion specifically about a federal ban in the US. So, unless you live here, it’s not your business.

              • ANGRY_MAPLE@sh.itjust.works
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                11 months ago

                That’s not even getting into the possible “fun suprises” we’ll have from all of the microplastics in our bodies.

            • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
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              11 months ago

              Should we ban junk food then? How about a fat tax? I’d wager obesity is a far bigger strain on the healthcare system than smoking is.

            • Melkath@kbin.social
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              11 months ago

              Doesn’t sound very civilized at all.

              Sounds judgy, controlling, biased, and miserable.