No Mo' Menthol Fo' Y'all

While traveling on the BloNo Public Transit, there was an alarming announcement made. President Obama intended to pass legislation banning all menthol cigarettes! This fellow bus rider explained for all to hear that since the President had finally quit smoking he wanted the rest of the country to quit as well. Not sure if this report was completely accurate but I was now curious to find out.


Well, after doing some minimal research, it was discovered that there was indeed a menthol ban in the works. I have yet to see any mention as to whether or not this was initiated by President Obama. Of course, there are a number of  tobacco companies that do not intend to go down without a fight. There is one company in particular, Lorillard Inc., who could see their sales drop roughly by 90%. At least that's what an article in the Wall Street Journal says. According to this article, "An FDA committee is weighing a ban of menthol cigarettes, which have been marketed to African Americans for years." All of that is well and good (I guess) but one thing that is not being considered is the great number of jobs that would be lost/affected by a successful passing of this ban. (an argument being made by Lorillard Inc.) And let's not mention the tax revenue that would be lost when menthol smokers are FORCED to quit. Not quite thinking this thing all the way through, are we?


So... What to think about this? As an African American, NON-SMOKING woman, I am insulted. Would this be because some evil company (possibly run by racist, old, white men) is purposely marketing a product to me that, in the end, is designed to kill me? (PLEASE recognize the sarcasm in that last sentence.) No, not really. Could it be because it seems the general idea is that I (and I would imagine, my "kind") seem unable to discern what is good to consume and what is not so good to consume? *ding! ding! ding!* Being a strong believer in Free Will, I believe it is not only the right of companies to market products to ADULTS with questionable health ratings but also the free will of said adults to purchase those products without someone holding their hand. 


At this point, it is always good to ask "Where does it end?" Is it really to be decided FOR someone that two Big Mac combos a day, five days a week is too many? How about more than three glasses of wine during dinner? When government entities feel the need to decide for the public what will be available to purchase and what will not, it takes away consumer responsibility and turns us into... something less. Not quite children but... well, something less than true adults. 


I am sure that I have not addressed all that could be said regarding this subject. And I imagine there are areas where I would draw the line. I invite any arguments challenging what I have stated here.