Holy Smokes!
A month ago, junior Nick Wagner, lifted a last cigarette to his lips. “I quit smoking,” he said. Ask Wagner about the recent legislation changes regarding tobacco, and he becomes less positive. “It’s the government taking one more step in legislating my life.”
Last summer, President Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA), which gives the power of jurisdiction to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the regulation of tobacco products.
The Tobacco Control Act requires reduction of nicotine levels, listing of all ingredients on the packaging and bigger, more obvious warning labels. Containers are now required to feature color pictures of the detriments of smoking, including blackened teeth and tarred lungs. Words like “light, mild, and low tar” are no longer allowed on packaging, as it misleads people into thinking the cigarette is healthier than it actually is. The new bill also bans tobacco advertising within 1,000 feet of playgrounds and schools.
However, the most significant change made in tobacco legislation through this act may be the fact that besides tobacco and menthol, all flavorings, natural and artificial, are banned. In the past, cigarette flavorings were seen as appealing ways to mask the unpleasant taste that comes from smoking. President Obama, a former smoker himself, said that the intention of FSPTCA is not only to better just the nation’s health, but in particular, the children’s.
“I speak as a grandmother and a health professional.” said Kathy Benson, registered nurse and health care administer at Kjos Health Center. “If some of my choices have the potential to affect my grandchildren, they have to be positive. Choices have to be made.”
Choices do have to be made, and change comes, whether we are ready for it or not. Some believe that change to be good.
“Kids don’t need to be constantly reminded to participate in behaviors which could have terrible effects on their health,” said Amanda Adair, a nonsmoking junior. “Doing something that harmful isn’t ‘cool,’ and they shouldn’t be encouraged to think so.”
Good intentions always mean well but that does not change the fact that sometimes, they stifle aspects of our lives and restrict our freedoms. Wagner questions how necessary all these measures are.
“With all the information about all the stuff that is bad for you, is taking away that going to change someone’s decision about smoking?” he asked. “As long as the age requirement is enforced, why shouldn’t I be able to smoke a cherry cigarette?”
It’s not just cigarettes that are being affected. Menthol and its effects will be studied for the next couple years and the FDA will be allowed to ban it if they wish. Other tobacco products may also come under consideration. As of now, shisha - the tobacco used in hookahs - is still legal but could also be prohibited.
It is essential to recognize right and wrong not in black and white, but in shades of gray. If you look closely enough, one canvas isn’t just one shade of gray. There are many hues, some darker than others, some lighter. The painting does not have to be considered perfect.
The law is the same. It is not perfect, and it is not everyone’s ideal. FSPTCA is neither perfect nor ideal. Its precautionary measures are commendable but its limitations too many. As Wagner said, “It’s obstructing capitalism. It’s basically shutting down a company. Djarum, imported by Kretek, only sells flavored cigarettes, such as cloves.”
Djarum is selling their products to people of legal age. They are allowed to target ads at younger people. Though the law cracks down on this, they are not the ones who are responsible for not taking IDs and selling their products to underage smokers. And with the law coming down harder on underage smoking and advertising aimed at children, it seems unfair to deprive smokers of options.
“Part of underage smoking is doing something just to get away with it, and some kids will try it anyways,” said Adair. “The images and lack of flavoring will only help to a certain extent.”
Change can be good, and it is important to keep the future in mind. However, it is also important to remember that freedoms exist for a reason, and ridding people of options will not force them to get rid of habits altogether.
