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Some how the democratic party is in favor of prohibiting the use of menthol cigarettes, but they're also in favor of legalizing marijuana? Very weird.
by nprz 5y ago
Some how the democratic party is in favor of prohibiting the use of menthol cigarettes, but they're also in favor of legalizing marijuana? Very weird.
- jolux 5y agoTobacco is vastly more harmful than marijuana. I don't necessarily agree with the justification but I don't think these positions are inconsistent.
- endisneigh 5y agoI don’t have a strong opinion either way, but you could just ban both things you know.
- catillac 5y agoWe should consider risk versus reward though, not just harmful effects, buttressed by some measure of individual liberty.
- lotsofpulp 5y agoWhat is inconsistent is not banning alcohol, since it by far causes more harm than marijuana or menthol.
- jolux 5y agoAgreed. Unfortunately the social perception of alcohol is still at a place where banning it would be impossible, though. People don't even want to talk about making it more expensive. Alcohol still doesn't have nutritional labels in the US!
- int_19h 5y agoWe have already banned alcohol in US a long time ago. That didn't last long, for very good reasons.
- jolux 5y ago>That didn't last long, for very good reasons. It was, and still would be extremely unpopular. The public health reason is as strong as it's ever been.
- int_19h 5y agoThe Prohibition wasn't extremely unpopular back when it was passed. Indeed, it was passed due to heavy pressure from the progressive public at the time, with grassroots campaigning advocating for such measures on all levels of government. It became extremely unpopular when it became law, and people found out what this actually means - a large black market for organized crime to cultivate, and heavy-handed enforcement with plenty of "collateral damage".
- jolux 5y ago>The Prohibition wasn't extremely unpopular back when it was passed. Indeed, it was passed due to heavy pressure from the progressive public at the time, with grassroots campaigning advocating for such measures on all levels of government. There's no evidence it ever had majority support, though: https://www.vox.com/2015/10/19/9566935/prohibition-myths-misconceptions-facts https://www.vox.com/2015/10/19/9566935/prohibition-myths-mis... The campaign was effective at getting an unpopular law passed. I think that's how we should read prohibition. Besides which, we don't have to go all the way to prohibition to make a dent here. A pigouvian tax would be good enough to start with, and maybe better education on the effects of alcohol.
- NeutronStar 5y agoBecause when they legalize marijuana they'll also pass a bunch of anti privacy laws. Watch here in Canada, since we can smoke marijuana legally they can arrest you without any probable cause.
- JumpCrisscross 5y ago> in favor of prohibiting the use of menthol cigarettes, but they're also in favor of legalizing marijuana Cigarettes are sold at every convenience store in flashy packaging. They are made by deep-pocketed multinationals with generations of lobbying experience. Legal marijuana, on the other hand, is sold with minimal advertising in licensed, purpose-built stores. If you gave tobacco companies a choice between banning menthol and forcing the sale of cigarettes in tobacco stores only, I think I know which one they'd pick.
- heavyset_go 5y ago> but they're also in favor of legalizing marijuana? Very weird. In every state that it's been legalized in, weed is heavily regulated. Weed must be tested for adulterants, heavy metals and mold contamination before it is sold. Some states even regulate the amount of active compounds that are present in the marijuana. In the states I'm familiar with, it's also illegal to package, market or sell marijuana in manners that might entice children to use it. Sometimes that means banning THC laden candies or vapes that children can recognize, and banning the use of colorful advertising or cartoons, as well.
- jolux 5y agoCannabis in Massachusetts has to be sealed in child-proof containers before leaving the point of sale, too.