Tewksbury & Company Blog

Prohibition or Prejudice by the Numbers

In a United State of America where only 15% of the public approve of the actions of Congress is at 15%¹. Simply put, that means 85% of the American public thinks they are doing a bad job. Once again, Congress is considering some astronomical increases in tobacco taxes for cigarettes and pipe tobacco. When you delve deeper into the reasons behind the proposed tax increases it just does not add up. After studying the history of Prohibition while in the wine business for over 30 years, it looks, smells and feels a lot like the pre-prohibition era in the US.

Let’s face it, increasing tobacco taxes by the largest single increase on any product in US history in 2009, how much better is the economy getting along today? Really, this is a simple case of smoke free individuals and organizations who have tried hard to find a kinder and simpler way to ostracize those who smoke tobacco. Let’s face it, “a full 28% of people aged 18-25 use cannabis annually, and over 11% are using cannabis more than 100 days per year, more than the 9% who use less than monthly. But by ages 26-34, all those figures drop by half or more (so much for the new Pot 2.0’s addictive powers.) By ages 35-49, even though chronic and occasional/rare use drops by half again, there are still one out of twelve middle-aged Americans using marijuana at least once per year”². Now let’s compare these figures to the latest survey of US adults using tobacco. In 2008 20% of all US adults reported using tobacco products.³ Reports in 2009 show that consumption of tobacco had actually increased by 1%. Isn’t it interesting that the number of pot smokers are higher than either the approval rating for Congress and the percent of adults using tobacco? By the way – When was the last time you heard of increasing, or even starting to tax, Marijuana?

This leads us to the point of a not-so-well disguised basis for Prejudice. Webster’s Dictionary describes prejudice as: injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of one’s rights; especially : detriment to one’s legal rights or claims: preconceived judgment or opinion: an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge: an instance of such judgment or opinion: an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics. Using these descriptions, the anti-smoking groups and individuals fit this category exactly.

There is a marked difference in controlling any potentially dangerous substance that is legal under our country’s laws and a simple case of prejudice. Many of these anti-tobacco activists have been the very same group that has fought for years to end discrimination against race, sexual orientation and many other social, economic and ethnical issues. But when pressed on the issue of using prejudice against tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, an individual’s weight and other “social evils”, they go right back to Webster’s description of prejudice above. If this is not the epitome of hypocrisy, then what is? 

We challenge the political leaders of this country to justify why they have not “outlawed” such things as tobacco, sugar, etc. if they are indeed so bad for us, in their opinion. It appears to many of us that if these things are indeed so bad for the people why are they so focused on taxing these things rather than outlawing them. It is time for Washington and our state legislatures to admit that this is simply a matter of prejudice and attempting to tax out of existence those “dangerous” products rather than outlaw them. What? Did they learn that excessive taxation or prohibition only add to their dismal national approval ratings? Or, will we see these same politicians continue to show their sad example of being prejudice to those who use these products while continuing to turn their heads to other issues they choose to be “acceptable” and continue their selected attacks on those of us who have supported the economy of our state and federal governments through the already excessive taxes we currently pay? What do you think?

¹ Gallup/CBS Poll February 5, 2010

² Research by NORML  (April 12, 2009) in Society / Drug Law

³ Institute of Medicine

GET THE FACTS CORRECT ON WHAT CAUSES CANCER

It’s never surprising that our congress, state and local representatives have selective memory. Usually, those in powers will crater to highly paid lobbying efforts rather than simply face the true facts. Recently we did some in depth investigation through leading cancer researchers and found that there is a lot more than tobacco that is effecting the increases in cancer rates. There is no doubt that tobacco is a known contributing factor to cancers, but the following list will give you a TRUE picture of the other leading suspected causes of cancer throughout the world.

Unlike our politicians who are consistently focusing on the tobacco industry, we are glad to give you what we think, is the most comprehensive list of those factors that may cause cancer. We would only hope that our politicians would begin to pay as much attention to some of the following issues and focus on those myriad of other environmental, chemical and natural causes that leading cancer research has found. Many of these suspected factors are purposely overlooked as select politicians are actually supporting these causes because of the pressure of well paid lobbyists. We would love to get your feedback as well.

For those who are tired of the constant attacks on tobacco it is time you act now. Currently the FDA is conducting an open forum from the public on what will be the next steps in their control of tobacco products. We urge you to act on this before the deadline, December 28, 2009, is here and gone. The following is a brief summary of what could happen without your help.

Can you imagine?

w The word “tobacco” could be deemed illegal and not allowed in retail tobacco shops’ names! w Customers may not be allowed in humidors or to physically handle tobacco products! w Shop windows may have to be blacked-out! w Premium cigars may be required to be selected and sold from catalogs with only black and white photos! w Premium tobacco products may have graphic images of diseases on them! These are ALL things that HAVE happened in parts of Europe and even closer to home– in Canada. The very way you sell your tobacco products is in jeopardy. Because of this threat, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to hear from you!

Please take a moment before the Public Comment Period that ends December 28, 2009 To submit your personal comment to the FDA, please select and copy (or cut and paste) the following URL from this note to your Internet browser address bar:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#submitComment?R=0900006480a34db4

The following is a list of factors that have been linked to cancer by leading cancer researchers:

Car Exhaust

Sunlight

X-rays

Family history

Tobacco

Alcohol

Asbestos

Bicycle commuting

Cat scans

Vinyl chloride

Estrogen

complex carbohydrates

Age

Granite

Nickel

Weight

Agent Orange

Air pollution

Chloride

Marijuana

Radon Gas

Nutrasweet

Cell Phones

Cold Water

fluoridated water

Vitamin K

Pesticides

Chemotherapy

Asbestos

Plutonium

Diabetes

Race

nuclear power plants

Benzene

Acne

PVC Plastic

Lack of exercise

Hair spray

UV Light

Red meats

STD’s

Drug abuse

Fatty foods

Caffeine

Contraceptives

HIV-AIDS

Obesity

Steroids

Hepatitis B

Aspartame

High power lines

Hair dyes

Fried foods

Vasectomies

Toxic chemicals

Lead

Formaldehyde

Wood dust

MSG

Coal tars

It’s time someone got all the fact straight.

 December 17th, 2009  Tewks   No comments

According to the Associated Press article this week (November 9, 2009), smoking has increased in the past year. Not that we are promoting more cigarette smoking, but, after all, it has been our company’s business for over 13 years now. The most recent national poll shows that now there are about 21% of adults that enjoy tobacco products. It is easy to see why. Like Prohibition, when government tries to take away individual freedoms, it usually backfires.

Recently, the city of New York’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg and the city council banned flavored cigar sales in the city. This has always proven to be a big boost for those products sale. With increased pressure on Not Smoking, more and more people tend to want to buck the system. As with the SCHIPS tax that went into effect earlier in 2009, sales of roll you own tobaccos (the one product that felt the largest Federal tax increase in SCHIPS legislation) has taken a huge increase across the country. Why would more people pay twice as much as before for these products you ask? It’s Simple. The Government is trying to disguise it’s hopes to outlaw tobacco products all together in the U.S and American’s won’t put up with it.

It was a bit like all of the talk of the harm posed by the common hamburger we have been hearing about for years. It simply drives more customers to enjoy them. This was evidenced by the report this week that McDonalds is planning on opening up 1,000 new restaurants in 2010.

Let’s hope that the “Nanny State” politicians of today will be replaced with leaders that respect an individual’s right to making their own decisions and not attempt to force individuals to conform with laws and restrictions that takes away those basic human rights we all enjoy as Americans.

It does not surprise many of us in the tobacco business as our industry has been bogged down in taxes and attacks on our products. The proposed new taxes on sodas and fruit drinks is just one in many proposed taxes that are unfair to both the producer and the public. In our March 2009 newsletter we warned our customers that the new SCHIPS tax on tobacco products was only the beginning. Recently we have also heard of more taxes in the works for such things as hamburgers, pre-packaged foods and other fast foods. Let’s get real. Are we just going to sit back and take the actions of a few with a clear cut vengeance on products we CHOOSE to buy? We think not. Don’t just sit back and let these NANNY taxes become law - do something about it. If you have not taken the time to write your representatives in Washington DC it’s time to get off your back side and write them.

Isn’t it funny that there is no taxes on medical marijuana or pornography? Economists around the world have told Congress that taxes on these things would pull the country’s budget much closer to reality. But, NO, it seems like Washington has it’s own likes and dislikes and if these new proposed taxes will effect you then let them know how you feel.

If you are over 18 years of age chances are you are not being told what to eat, drink or smoke by your mother any more. Why will you allow those in Washington to act as your mother. We are all grown up and it’s time our politicians respect our right to choose without those in Congress to tell us what is right and what is wrong. Write Your Representatives Now.