The United States has the largest prison population on earth today, and this is because it's got a problem with overcriminalization and it refuses to acknowledge that the drug war was a bad idea; one that should've been abandoned long ago.
Why? Because when you increase criminalization, you give law enforcement even more reasons to harass, kidnap, and ultimately kill people. Because every time that a new law is passed, what that ultimately means is that someone might lose their life if they don't comply with that law.
Is it really about safety?...Or is it about control ?
And let us never forget that they've got a monetary policy that's structured in such a way that it enslaves people to continue paying a compounding, inescapable debt. But, “they care” we're told. It's “for our safety” they tell us, again and again.
San Francisco has already made the move to ban menthol flavoured cigarettes from being sold in the city. And other cities have also followed in doing the same thing. New Jersey might soon become the first state to ban the products entirely.
Do more cages really need to be filled, tickets given, and people potentially shot over menthol cigarettes?
And for the others, many said that they wouldn't let the ban stop them. About 25 percent said that they would search for a way, look to the black market to get what they need.
The new criminalization efforts are being put forth as something that will save lives but what they might actually end-up doing is causing the deaths of those who are engaged in nonviolent activity; who get caught with some menthol cigarettes.
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Sources:
http://6abc.com/politics/nj-could-be-first-state-to-ban-menthol-cigarettes/3072153/
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/06/san-francisco-big-tobacco-set-for-a-showdown-over-flavored-products.html
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-s-battle-over-flavored-tobacco-heats-up-12172353.php
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22471735
https://www.ozy.com/opinion/the-racially-targeted-tobacco-crackdown-coming-to-a-city-near-you/85409
http://www.njherald.com/article/20180320/AP/303209849
http://news.wbfo.org/post/new-jersey-considers-ban-what-sets-menthol-cigarettes-apart-other-varieties
definitely agree with you that it is about control. the US gov't is on a rampant control streak and nothing stops it to kill and maim, especially brown/black, poor bodies... i do believe many police officers get into the work to help or care for people, but i also think many in there are not working for the people and become corrupt. it's a wonder so many police get off the hook for killing innocent people. i don't know how their consciences stand themselves. the war on drug should've been ended a long time ago. it's the government's creation, government's perpetuation, government's killing of innocent civilians... and then the cops do the drugs in their off time.. .......
It is always about control.. they don't really care about you.. all they care about is your votes and taxes
I think this is totally about control , like always ! I quit smoking 6 years ago when it was costing 9.00 dollars a pack , my sons still smoke and they pay close to 11.00 dollars a pack now ! its so adictive that even if you banned cigaretts they would find a way to get some , and i also would have back then , unless or untill your actually ready to quit ! Great job @doitvoluntarily ! upped and resteemed !
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( I will still check out and read your posts when I can and also resteem them !) 👍👍👍😀
All these drugs should not be ban but instead treat it as a health issue. By doing this, the government would profit and win against cartels!
Bureaucracy works like this: The administrator of the agency has a budget to spend. If they spend the agency funds with businesses that give them kickbacks, they personally get rich. This is called corruption. It's common. Administrators thus seek larger budgets, because by doling out more agency money, they get more kickbacks.
Administrators that save the government money generally aren't corrupt, and the parasites that want to bribe administrators to get business work to get rid of them, as quickly as possible, so they can make more money.
As a result of corruption, long-standing criminal relationships between government and drug smugglers has created the cartels.
Cartels are the underbelly of government, not the enemy. Pablo Escobar worked for the CIA.
I wish I could upvote this more than once. I cover the drug war very often and this is just more of the same.
I think the whole idea of protecting people from themselves is flawed from the start. If we truly value personal freedom, then people should be free to choose to do things thay may harm them. Sadly, the authoritarian types continue to try to force their vision of "morality" on everyone else.
Great post.
I agree with your statement:
it shouldn't be their responsibility or occupation to keep people safe from themselves. Freedom involves allowing people to be free to make their own choices.
This post is pure gold. People need to wake up and see all the death and destruction their statism makes them complicit in. Resteemed!
You're On Target. And always traces back to money and power. I would not be surprised if they can make more money having menthol cigarettes illegal and having them legal. But our government would never be that way now would it? I've always done what's in the best interest of the people. And if you believe that I've got some land to sell you. Thanks for the good article and info as I truly appreciate it.
It is always about the money and power. The safety of people is the biggest lie ever.
I agree, that we as people have to take our health and our safety in our own hands and we are responsible for our own choices .
image source
It is all about power and control by the few. Follow the money if you can and all will be crystal clear ...
Very nice awareness post.......i appreciate it....upvote done @doitvoluntarily
Hmmm, whats next... should we ban all fast food joints too? :)
smoking causes cancer. it kills human. you work is really respectable. keep it up.
The big question to ask here, and this post brings it right into the light, where it belongs, is certainly whether the banning of such things by the government has anything to do with safety, or whether it's something more sinister. What I mean by sinister is, will the United States reach a point where the government holds absolute power? If so, then this is a good place for them to start. Parents should be keeping their children safe, not the government. Not to say that I favour anarchy, but still, a power play is seemingly where we are going.
Excelente publicación y muy interesante el cigarrillo es dañino para la humanidad entera es un vicio como la droga, buen trabajo amiga @doitvoluntarily
I was a smoker, gave up smoking years ago and now I can only see the bad in it. One thing is for sure, if one can't see smoking is bad, there's nothing anybody can do about it. Forcing someone to quit by banning the product is not the answer.
just said.I agree with you too.Thanks for sharing......
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Only menthol cigarettes? Now that's interesting. I feel that by instating new laws that are eerily specific—it may be made to target a particular group of people to possibly excuse additional police violence as you stated. While menthol may be easier to smoke, why aren't they going after lights or ultra lights? Non-menthol?
This is like saying we are banning Patron, but you can drink all the Whiskey you like.
I never imagined this fact... after reading your publication I understood it.
The policies of a country always go hand in hand with control, is that nobody works for the common good??
another important fact of your publication.... freedom should let us choose, but it is important a good education for that, maybe a little more values will lead us to choose the right path, I congratulate him on his article, has super interesting data
If there is a mistake maybe my translator is not working
Upon my recent visit to Toronto, Canada, I was baffled to discover that the sale of menthol cigarettes as well as "bitchsticks" is now ILLEGAL.
A very interesting article to read. I can imagine if the production of certain cigarettes is prohibited. They must be trying to find him in the dark market. I am a smoker and it would be hard if I had to leave this bad habit. But still trying to leave it. Thank you for sharing @doitvoluntarily.
Although I take exception to your characterizing law enforcement individuals as vigilantes, " you give law enforcement even more reasons to harass, kidnap, and ultimately kill people",(they deal with the worst people at the worst time constantly day in and day out), I don't want their job. A sane society would learn prohibiting what free people do with their own lives just creates a criminal market and classifies otherwise decent citizens as criminals. Unfortunately we continue to elect communist elite self serving liars (they use both the republican and democrat labels). Using the popular themes of cooperation, bipartisanship and getting things done, the same liars(politicians) stay in power and continue to destroy our freedom and money. I ask this. What law, regulation or government spending made your life better than it would have been, than if we had a small government just enforcing the original constitution.
CONTROL is the "drug war." Nicotine isn't the problem. Its the combustion by products. VAPE instead
Vape for the win. I'll never smoke a cigarette. A joint? That's another story. But no cigs. I'll vape all the time, though, when I can. I only haven't got my own vape because I've not figured out how to independently fill it.