Michelle Malkin » Senate moves forward with government tobacco takeover

Senate moves forward with government tobacco takeover

By Michelle Malkin • June 11, 2009 05:33 PM

Photoshop credit: Mike

On June 2, I called attention to the Democrats’ plans to complete a government tobacco takeover.

The next step took place today while America slept. Another day, another industry grab:

Congress struck the government’s strongest anti-smoking blow in decades Thursday with a Senate vote to give regulators new power to limit nicotine in cigarettes, drastically curtail ads and ban candied tobacco products aimed at young people.

Cigarette foes say the changes could cut into the 400,000 deaths every year caused by smoking and reduce the $100 billion in annual health care costs linked to tobacco.

The legislation, one of the most dramatic anti-smoking initiatives since the U.S. surgeon general’s warning 45 years ago that tobacco causes lung cancer, would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate the content, marketing and advertising of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Here’s the roll call vote. Only 17 Nays:

Posted in: Graeme Frost, Health care

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#718938

On June 12th, 2009 at 10:44 am, Teddy Kennedy said:

On June 12th, 2009 at 10:26 am, right4life said: Uncle Ted, what are you gonna do if obama bans ALCOHOL!???

Errah, Ancient Family Secret; Dad left us well cared for!
#718985

On June 12th, 2009 at 11:17 am, RTater said:

Victory Cigarettes on the way !

http://www.zitantique.com/poster23.html

It is frightenly easy to compare, and very difficult to contrast the current administration to Nineteen Eighty Four.
#718996

On June 12th, 2009 at 11:20 am, taylork said:

It’s worth noting that it was our dear candidate John McCain that introduced this legislation to begin with. Thanks buddy!
#719048

On June 12th, 2009 at 11:47 am, Teddy Kennedy said:

Errah, less cigarette ads but more ads for booze, condoms and the lottery??!!
I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly… Where’s Elliot, Bring on the hookers!
#719102

On June 12th, 2009 at 12:14 pm, cheapseat said:

no teddy, barry won’t try to ban alcohol, after all fdr freed us from that scourge. the next tax them out of business is mcdonalds/burger king, and that dreaded obesity producing fat. it’s for the kids, to pay for the healthcare this business causes, $1 per burger, $2 for a whopper or big mac, and $3 for fried chicken nuggets and french fries.
#719134

On June 12th, 2009 at 12:27 pm, happyscrapper said:

On June 12th, 2009 at 9:17 am, happy2behere said:
Hi to the other happy! “Prompterman,” I love it.

I got into it a few months ago on this topic with one of the texans (I dont remember which one) because his/her position was the government had a vested interest in keeping folks addicted to pay for SCHIP. I admit now, because of this article, maybe he/she had a point, however, its the still the death industry and I still dont care what happens to it.

P.S. My father died of lung cancer three years ago and while he freely chose to smoke, I freely chose to condem it for the terrible effect it had on his loved ones.

Hi Happy! We have something else in common besides our great names. My father also died as a result of smoking. He had a heart attack at the age of 59. I agree that the tobacco industry can go into the toilet as far as I’m concerned. Cigarettes are death. Period. However, it is another intrusion into private industry and another nail in the coffin of capitalism. Where will it stop? I think Obama took on this one because he knew he would have a lot of conservatives in agreement. Since he wants the nicotine content cut, that means people will smoke more cigarettes, thus, more tax revenue. He doesn’t care how many people die. He just wants the taxes.
#719241

On June 12th, 2009 at 1:16 pm, happyscrapper said:

On June 12th, 2009 at 9:17 am, happy2behere said:
Hi to the other happy! “Prompterman,” I love it.

By the way, I don’t know if the term “Prompterman” is an original idea of mine, or if I subliminally heard it somewhere. I don’t recall seeing it before, so maybe I actually had a creative thought! Ha! At any rate, it does evoke ideas for some awesome posters, don’t you think??
#719248

On June 12th, 2009 at 1:18 pm, tbear44 said:

I hate to break it to some of you—we are all going to die. Some will die young, some will die old, some will die unfairly, and some will die because of poor health choices. Some will die for no reason at all–they will fall over dead and that will be that. I do not condone behavior that is harmful, however I will defend anyone’s right to do things that are legal if they so choose.
#719393

On June 12th, 2009 at 2:48 pm, happyscrapper said:

On June 12th, 2009 at 1:18 pm, tbear44 said:

That came home to me this past week as I went to my High School website for our 50th reunion that will take place next year. There was a list of the people in my class who have died. Out of about 420 seniors, 70 have died! Most of the names on that list were a shock to me, but none more than the name of my best friend in high school. Patty and I shared apartments after we graduated, travelled to Florida together and spent 6 months there, continued our friendship for years. However, family intervened and we lost touch. Now she is gone. I can’t even find out what happened to her, as she is not in any of the local obituaries. I am very sad.
#719615

On June 12th, 2009 at 5:28 pm, ThackerAgency said:

Notice NC’s D senator was the only senator dissenting from the D’s. . . a bold move by a freshman senator no doubt.

Hagan is a good one. It’s too bad she’s a D, but I’m glad she’s representing NC.

She won’t toe the line if Obama gets out of control or she’ll be voted out. . . she knows it.