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Comment: These physicians might want to stick to medicine instead of dabbling in psychology. Even prohibition, which is the real goal of the BMA, will not stop smoking, especially by young people; whatever is banned, people simply want more (see below for more proof). The BMA doesn’t seem to understand this . . . yet. The BBC, to its credit, did ask the pro-smoking group FOREST for a reply. A spokesman told the network that removing cigarettes from public display (as has been done in Canada) would make “absolutely no difference” in consumption levels and noted that these additional restrictions could make smoking “seem more taboo and attractive to rebellious teenagers.” Graphic tobacco warnings haven’t had expected impact Health Canada reported that the “graphic” health warnings on cigarettes have been less and less effective in deterring smokers over the past five years. The government said that 57 percent of smokers polled said the warnings are not persuasive in getting them to consider quitting smoking. That’s up by five percent from 2003. Even among those smokers who say they are “seriously” thinking of quitting, 43 percent said the graphical warnings were ineffective, up from 40 percent five years prior. The total of those who thought the warnings were “very effective” is now down to 14 percent, compared to 18 percent five years ago. Freed from quotas, U.S. tobacco growing surges Anti-tobacco advocates were predicting the end of tobacco as a cash crop with the U.S. system of quotas and payments was ended in 2004. It hasn’t worked out that way. The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that government figures show that in 2005, American farmers grew tobacco on just 297,000 acres, down from more than a million acres in 1974. But the reports for each year since show increasing acreage and harvests for tobacco. In 2007, 356,000 acres were planted and the harvest of 780 million pounds is up 21 percent over the 2005 total of 645 million pounds. “Now, all of a sudden, there is demand for tobacco here again,” said North Carolina farmer Mark Ryan in an interview. “Now that there is greater demand, we can grow more.” Demand is apparently being fed by increased interest in cigarettes in developing countries, along with China. U.S. demand for cigarettes is said to be declining by 2-3 percent per year. U.S. named world’s biggest drug users! Despite having plenty of laws on the books making drug use illegal, a World Health Organization survey of legal and illegal drug use in 17 countries showed the U.S. leading the world in the consumption of cocaine and marijuana! The study found the U.S. with the highest level of tobacco use (74% of American respondents said they had smoked some form of tobacco), with Lebanon (67%) and Mexico (60%) third. Equally alarming was the finding that the American use of cocaine was four times greater – 16 percent to four percent – than New Zealand, which ranked no. 2 in cocaine use. For marijuana, some 42.4 percent of the U.S. sample reported trying marijuana, but the New Zealanders were close behind at 41.9 percent. What does this have to do with cigars? Considering the push for prohibition which is the actual aim of the anti-tobacco set, can you imagine the usage, pricing and violence which would accompany making cigarettes, cigars and pipe smoking illegal? The moral of this survey is that anyone who even thinks about making tobacco illegal, given these findings about Americans and drugs, should be having second thoughts. ~ Rich Perelman CLASSIFIED ADVERTISINGCigar Humidors and Cigar Accessories at Humidor Vault! Your online cigar humidor source, with rock-bottom pricing and fantastic customer support!Like sports? Get news and commentary you won’t see in your morning newspaper at TheSportsExaminer.com! Join the examination! A limited amount of classified advertising is available in this space on a weekly basis. For details, call Pat Harris at (213) 365-7965 or inquire by email by clicking here. Have an opinion? You can send it using the “Comment” button below! Don’t forget to register for our drawing for free cigars and accessories! Just click on the “Register & Win” button above; enter today! Looking for a cigar party? Take a look at our exclusive list of hundreds of cigar events across the country, listed by state and date, only on CigarCyclopedia.com!
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Did you know?
“"If the birth of a genius resembles that of an idiot, the end of a Havana Corona resembles that of a 5-cent cigar" - Sacha Guitry.
