Tobacco and the Limits to Utilitarianism

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Suverans2's picture
Suverans2, posted on August 18, 2011

And, the human beings responsible would be held accountable for adding man-made toxic chemicals, which cause harm, to their tobacco. They could not hide behind "corporation" veils.

tzo's picture
tzo, posted on August 18, 2011

Maybe cigarettes as they are currently manufactured are dangerous, but maybe smoking pure tobacco is mostly harmless.

http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_additives_in_cigarettes

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rita's picture
rita, posted on August 19, 2011

In a free society, certainly in a sane one, ALL drugs would be treated the same as any other commodity. Unlike most illegal drugs, tobacco really is addictive and harmful, but for decades the tobacco industry has helped to underwrite a massive campaign of false advertising against other drugs (check out the anti-meth posters at your local post office or police department), and now THEY'RE whining about THEIR freedom? They don't want THEIR relationships with THEIR customers invaded by the state? How perfect. Welcome to my world, Mr. Marlboro Man, the world YOU helped create.

cooperativesingularity's picture
cooperativesing..., posted on August 20, 2011

In WW2 a single pack of cigarettes was used for the purposes of barter. It changed hands many times with it's final purchase being a home. This seems to indicate the extremely addictive nature of tobacco as it relates to human nature.

Samarami's picture
Samarami, posted on August 20, 2011

Thanks, Co Op.

I remember once I bartered 2 pk K ration smokes in a Korean village for a much needed Ernie Pyle hat that the supply chiefs simply couldn't get, or so they said. I was freezing my ears off (not to mention my butt) in that miserable place**, and the mama-sans saved my bacon.

Best .40 I ever spent (I think a carton of smokes at the PX was around a buck -- that would be a silver buck, of course -- at the time, but I gave all my ration stamps away).

Sam

** IT was not a miserable place, I should correct that. US infiltration was miserable in what was a gentle, friendly village of farm folks trying to stay out of the line of fire. I had no business being there intruding upon their way of life; and, although a draftee, I would have found a way NOT to be there had I known what I know today.

Sam

 

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