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The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

Flavored cigarette ban discriminates against smokers

“Students who enjoy clove cigarettes are going to be out of luck by the end of September. Unfortunately for them, their favorite smokes have been banned by the FDA, after President Obama signed a bill giving them wide-ranging authority to regulate tobacco products.”

Students who enjoy clove cigarettes are going to be out of luck by the end of September.

Unfortunately for them, their favorite smokes have been banned by the FDA, after President Obama signed a bill giving them wide-ranging authority to regulate tobacco products.

It’s not limited to just cloves, however, and all flavored cigarettes are included.

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The ban doesn’t include cigars, and Djarum, the most popular maker of clove tobacco products in the United States, has created new filtered cigars to replace the cigarette.

The problem is, they aren’t as good as the cigarette. And why should the cigarettes be illegal? The argument is that these flavored cigarettes are more attractive to young people, and that kids will start with flavored products and then eventually become full-time smokers.

Banning them won’t stop kids from smoking cigarettes, though.

It hasn’t stopped high-school kids from smoking marijuana, has it?

Not that there is going to be a clove-cigarette underground market or anything, but the point is that if an 18 year-old or a 25 year-old or a 50 year-old wants to enjoy a clove cigarette, they should be able to. It’s tobacco.

Why are we discriminating against those that enjoy a certain kind?

This ban would be similar to banning flavored alcohol products, like Mike’s Hard Lemonade or Smirnoff’s flavored malt beverages. But that would never happen, would it? It’s quite hard to imagine those who enjoy drinking alcohol being discriminated against.

Those drinks are attractive to teenagers without experience with alcohol … so why are they any different?

In any case, distribution of clove cigarettes will cease at the end of September, however tobacco shops are allowed to sell their remaining stock.

It’s probably a good idea to buy a pack or two and stick them in the freezer.

Just don’t go around giving them to kids.

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