The Prohibition of Cigarettes

Writing 101 17February2011 The Prohibition of Cigarettes I thought about the question, “Should the manufacture of cigarettes be prohibited” and I don’t really believe that saying “yes” to this question would be of benefit to those who are pro cigarettes or against cigarettes. The question basically appears to make out that the manufacture of cigarettes, and only cigarettes, should be prohibited. There are many campaigns against the usage of cigarettes as we can see television commercials clearly stating that smoking causes cancer or attempting to deglamorize cigarettes.
Many people have seen the surgeon general warning on a pack of cigarettes claiming that cigarettes can cause “lung cancer” or “emphysema. ” In a study performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study shows that between the year 2000 and 2004 that about 443,000 people in the USA died from a variety of illnesses due to cigarette smoking (citation 1). This would certainly be a motivation and a convincing reason to halt the production of cigarettes but we should analyze this proposition more in depth.
I believe that the term “cigarettes” is too narrow to solve any problems, as not everybody smokes cigarettes nor would the halted production of cigarettes solve any public health problems. Tobacco is a better term as it is much more broad and would include cigars, snuff, dip, and other forms of tobacco that contain nicotine. Nicotine is the suspect found in cigarettes that causes an addiction but nicotine can be found in the other forms of tobacco.

Stopping production of “only cigarettes” simply means that current cigarette users may, switch to another nicotine source, quit smoking, or choosing an alternative nicotine source such as nicotine gum or the patch. Having been a tobacco user in the past, I know most certainly that many people will not just outright and quit. Prohibiting the manufacture of cigarettes means that it will be illegal to produce cigarettes but how about the selling or the possession of these products?
It will be necessary to outlaw these points of trade if the intended action is to meet with success because if selling and possession are legal then it will be difficult to regulate the circulation of cigarettes within the nation. Though the making of cigarettes are deemed illegal by the government, the creation of cigarettes will certainly not halt as now cigarettes are almost equivalent to that of the marijuana drug trade as there will probably be many people growing and producing cigarettes.
The police cannot arrest these people for possession or selling of cigarettes and cannot obtain a justifiable clause to obtain a search warrant to prove that the person may be manufacturing cigarettes which is deemed illegal. One last point would be the idea that cigarettes can be grown in another country such as Canada or Mexico and brought through the border with no problems as possession is not illegal. There are actually quite a few positive reasons to keep the cigarette trade going rather than shutting production down.
I have been around the world through my time in the navy and I have seen one of the most popular brands of cigarettes “Marlboro” just about everywhere that imports tobacco. Take note that I mentioned the term “import” as in those countries do not make “Marlboro” cigarettes in their own country. Marlboro is a popular brand of cigarettes made under Phillip Morris which is a subsidiary company to Altria incorporated. Marlboro, in itself, holds about 42% of retail shares of cigarettes in the USA (Citation 2).
This is certainly an income to our nation and though I’m uncertain of how much is made through the exportation of cigarettes; it certainly has an effect on the economy which is currently in a depression. Have you ever looked around base and noticed those supposed “smoke pits” or a designated smoking area? Those “smoke pits” seem to be next to just about every building on base. Did you notice how many stores sell cigarettes or even the cigarette vending machines here in Japan? How about in movies? Doesn’t the popular stereotypical “Bad Ass” person in the movies usually smoke a cigarette?
Even though direct advertisement through television or magazines is prohibited, cigarettes are still very popular and many people do smoke them and not just in America. The cigarette trade is most likely a very profitable trade based on it’s popularity and demand which would probably put it as a very valuable source of income for the United States. Based on the many cigarette brands I’ve seen from traveling the world, I’ve seen that cigarettes are quite likely a major export for the states as many f these brands are originate from the States. I personally do not deny of the risks caused by cigarette smoking and myself being an ex-smoker, I certainly do not encourage smoking but the plan of prohibiting “just” the manufacture of “only” cigarettes does not reflect the best interests of those that are for cigarettes or against cigarettes. Cigarettes are a form of tobacco and the halted production of only cigarettes means that a regular cigarette user will move to another source of nicotine rather than quit.
I know personally that quitting is a long process (I still chew nicotine gum four months after quitting). Prohibiting the manufacture of cigarettes in the United States but allowing the sell or possession simply means it will be produced where it’s legal and the carried over through the US’s borders with no issues. We can’t deny that cigarettes are very popular worldwide and thus contribute to the United States economy as a popular export since many popular brands such as “Marlboro” are made in the United States.