Should we ban cigarettes forever?

[Warpy]

29. Prohibition won't work for the same reason pot prohibition hasn't worked

It's a plant most people in the country can grow in the back yard.

Also, prohibiting something people want never works. Oh, we can slow down the number of reckless kids getting it, but we can never stop it completely.

We can cut the number of people who smoke enough to become dependent by taxing it, the main thing that has worked to decrease the number of both children and adults who smoke. If we had national health insurance, those taxes would go to defray the increased health costs smokers have. As it is, they go different places in each state, few of which are any benefit at all to people who smoke and pay them.

The problem with banning it for a specific generation is that their parents smoke and sneaking butts out of Dad's desk or Mom's purse is a rite of passage. The ones who like it will get forged IDs as soon as they can pull it off. Or they'll grow it in the basement under Gro Lights.

As long as people don't smoke in confined spaces where I am likely to be, it's fine. I figure smokers all know why they need to quit already so I don't lecture. Keep it outdoors so I don't have an asthma attack and we'll coexist just fine. Just keep it taxed enough to slow stupid teenagers down.