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> By arbitrary I mean why are chemically addictive substances like tobacco and caffeine legal? If you are truly asking, then I'd say that it's because those su
by mekkkkkk 5y ago
> By arbitrary I mean why are chemically addictive substances like tobacco and caffeine legal?
If you are truly asking, then I'd say that it's because those substances were normalized and became a large part of culture before the overzealous harm considerations were broadly accepted. If something has enough popularity or momentum it's simply infeasible to outlaw, regardless of your general policies and principles. Prohibition etc.
- belorn 5y agoIt should also be noted that as tobacco usage is decreasing in popularity in the world, so has the law followed by making it more more illegal in places where it can. Here in Sweden it is getting taxed to death and the places where it is legal to smoke is shrinking every year. The current battle is if apartment owners can forbid renters from smoking, and once that is in place it will just be a short time before sale of nicotine is banned outside of medical prescription. Just this year a new anti-smoking law was added. Caffeine is also getting more regulated here in terms of energy drinks. Those have gotten a similar age restrictions as alcohol. Coffee however is normalized and such a large part of the Swedish culture that any potential harm is broadly accepted as part of life. There is however a general opinion that young children should not drink it, which is first step of recognizing the effect of the substance.