I voted "No" but I don't think cigarettes should be banned. I'm somewhat disappointed in Thom for giving a false choice in his survey.
We've decided as a society, although arbitrarily, that the age of adulthood is 18 years old. With that being said, people at age 18 should be able to make thier own decisions about whether or not to smoke. I think we should continue to educate people about the dangers of smoking. Education has been very effective in the U.S. in stemming the number of people who smoke, and should used along with other measure to move forward on issue like gun regulation/safety as well as the decriminalization or legalization of drugs.
I voted "No" but I don't believe we need to ban cigarettes. Just assign them to Schedule One status, nicotine is worse than THC and that's a Schedule One.
I voted "yes," but I'm honestly not sure that raising the legal age would stop anyone underage from smoking. I started smoking at age 14, & it certainly wasn't legal. You just have older kids buy them for you. Of course, it wouldn't be as easy to find a 21 year old to buy them, as it is to find an 18 year old, when you're in high school. So, it might make it harder for underage kids to smoke, & that's a good thing. I quit, thank God. As long as smoking is a symbol of rebellion & defiance, it will be "cool" and alluring to teenagers. If that mystique could be destroyed, smoking would be less attractive. That should be part of the education piece.
I voted no, but not because I think cigarettes should be banned. I haven't smoked in over 15 years, but I used to. However, I think that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. If you are legally an adult, that should apply to all "adult" activities.
"Thom Hartmann is a literary descendent of Ben Franklin and Tom Paine. His unflinching observations and deep passion inspire us to explore contemporary culture, politics, and economics; challenge us to face the facts of the societies we are creating; and empower us to demand a better world for our children and grandchildren."
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From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
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I voted "No" but I don't think cigarettes should be banned. I'm somewhat disappointed in Thom for giving a false choice in his survey.
We've decided as a society, although arbitrarily, that the age of adulthood is 18 years old. With that being said, people at age 18 should be able to make thier own decisions about whether or not to smoke. I think we should continue to educate people about the dangers of smoking. Education has been very effective in the U.S. in stemming the number of people who smoke, and should used along with other measure to move forward on issue like gun regulation/safety as well as the decriminalization or legalization of drugs.
I voted "No" but I don't believe we need to ban cigarettes. Just assign them to Schedule One status, nicotine is worse than THC and that's a Schedule One.
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I voted "yes," but I'm honestly not sure that raising the legal age would stop anyone underage from smoking. I started smoking at age 14, & it certainly wasn't legal. You just have older kids buy them for you. Of course, it wouldn't be as easy to find a 21 year old to buy them, as it is to find an 18 year old, when you're in high school. So, it might make it harder for underage kids to smoke, & that's a good thing. I quit, thank God. As long as smoking is a symbol of rebellion & defiance, it will be "cool" and alluring to teenagers. If that mystique could be destroyed, smoking would be less attractive. That should be part of the education piece.
I voted no, but not because I think cigarettes should be banned. I haven't smoked in over 15 years, but I used to. However, I think that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. If you are legally an adult, that should apply to all "adult" activities.