Smoking in Modern America
Posted by Andrew | Filed under Business
My father, brother and I took up an invitation to join some of our friends at their home for Independence Day this last weekend. It is a family of a man of Korean descent, his wife who is native born Scottish, and there twin girls and baby boy. The woman’s Scottish mother was also there from her home on the British Isles. I love nothing more than to celebrate our country’s founding than in such diversity. Of course, being all very social creatures, we discussed many different topics, one of which being Obama’s new anti-smoking legislation.
I mentioned that I thought it was an interesting move considering the current economic situation in out country. You see, part of the legislation bans flavored cigarettes, which apparently make smoking attractive to candy addicted youth. Granted, they will still allow Menthol cigarettes because big tobacco apparently begged them for leniency. However, clove cigarettes, or Kreteks are banned. Clove cigarettes are native to Indonesia, where they are made by a number of companies including the largest, a company called Djarum (pronounced De-Jar-Um).
As of right now, Djarum cigarettes are available in most of the United States, and are exclusively imported by a company called Kretek International based in Moorpark, California. It’s an entire company who’s business is buying and selling Djarum brand clove cigarettes in the United States, and they have just been told that their business is now illegal.
Now, it is now a fact that smoking is bad, we can all agree on that. But, isn’t one of the great things about this country is our ability to freely choose to destroy our lungs? It seems to be poor form for Obama, who is trying to get the economy to turn around and then shut a small company like this down? I would like to know how many people will be losing their jobs over this bill. I imagine their are other companies like this in the same situation and that Phillip Morris and ReynoldsAmerican are also looking at making some cut-backs.
Are people ever going to remember that Tobacco is one of the things that help put our country on top economically? That a large part of our economy and our government funding through taxes depends on people continuing to buy and smoke cigarettes?
