H.R. 1256: No More "Light," "Low," or "Mild" Cigarettes

[PlumpRump]

I know the number of smokers on this board is pretty negligeble so I'm not sure how many people here have noticed this or even give a shit, but I hardly believe that this will directly impact the smoking populace. Also, with all of the other issues at hand nationally, does anyone actually think this is a proper use of our governmental resources?

I can see the members of the House discussing: "We can't agree on healthcare, immigration, crime/punishment, taxes, religion or even what to have for lunch, so let's just tell the cigarette manufacturers that they can't advertise medium, or light cigarettes so it looks like we're doing something productive. All agreed?"

Tobacco Regulation
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, signed into law in 2009, prohibits the use of the terms "light," "low," "mild," and other similar descriptors in tobacco product labels or advertising.

Starting June 22, 2010, the law prohibits manufacturers from producing any tobacco products labeled or advertised as "light," "low," "mild," or any other similar descriptor. However, manufacturers are permitted to distribute existing products until July 21.

On July 22, 2010, the law prohibits the tobacco industry from distributing or introducing into the U.S. market any tobacco products for which the labeling or advertising contains the descriptors "light," "low," "mild," or any similar descriptor, irrespective of the date of manufacture. However, consumers may continue to see some products with these descriptors for sale in stores after July 22 because retailers are permitted to sell off their inventory...

...Prohibiting the use of terms like "light," "low," and "mild" is an important step to help protect the public health. Many smokers mistakenly believe that cigarettes marketed with these descriptors cause fewer health problems than other cigarettes. Removing "light," "low," "mild," and other similar descriptors will help ensure that tobacco product labels and advertising are not misleading.

CDC Release Regarding H.R. 1256

Full Text of H.R. 1256

 

[1ManRevolution]

I don't smoke...but if you think that "lights" are more healty for you, well your a dumbass.

 

[Elwood70]

I am a smoker;and I did know about this,but you're right about one thing: I don't give a shit.

My sister is a smoker too,of the brand formerly known as Marlboro Lights,and here's a shocker for you:She doesn't give a shit,either.

More governmental bullshit.

Wait'll they get their hands on pot....

 

[PlumpRump]

I am a smoker;and I did know about this,but you're right about one thing: I don't give a shit.

My sister is a smoker too,of the brand formerly known as Marlboro Lights,and here's a shocker for you:She doesn't give a shit,either.

More governmental bullshit.

Wait'll they get their hands on pot....

Its fucking ridiculous. Marlboro Lights are now "Golds," Mediums are "Red Label," Ultra-Lights are now "Silver," and so on. I'm of the same opinion, "I don't give a shit." Let smokers smoke, and leave us alone please.

I'm not sure how many people have seen the movie "A Day Without a Mexican," pretty self-explanatory title I suppose... point being, I'd like to see a movie called "A Year Without Tax Revenues From Smokers," everyone would be begging us to smoke again. :2 cents:

the brand formerly known as Marlboro Lights

I wonder if the names of cigarettes will soon go the way of Prince? Eventually just a symbol...

 

[Elwood70]

Its fucking ridiculous.

You're right,it is fucking ridiculous,and the worst part is that smokers let it happen.They didn't stand up to be counted when in mattered (the beginning of all of this bullshit),and now we're being systematically fucked.

There's an undercurrent of shame amongst smokers-at least the ones that I've seen-so nothing gets challenged,like the contention about second-hand smoke.It's all based on one report by the EPA (a government agency,BTW ) and no one thought to question it. Now;I'm not saying that smoking cigarettes is harmless,but I have a really hard time believing that MY smoke is going to affect someone standing in an open space more than a certain distance away.

Stop treating me like the motherfuckin' Anti-Christ because I smoke cigarettes.

 

[LukeEl]

Aren't light cigaretts the worse cigaretts to smoke? All those additives and chemicals in them

 

[Member442]

I haven't smoked in a long as time but who the hell cares what they are called. Though wasting time and money on that seems insane to me.

 

[PlumpRump]

You're right,it is fucking ridiculous,and the worst part is that smokers let it happen.They didn't stand up to be counted when in mattered (the beginning of all of this bullshit),and now we're being systematically fucked.

There's an undercurrent of shame amongst smokers-at least the ones that I've seen-so nothing gets challenged,like the contention about second-hand smoke.It's all based on one report by the EPA (a government agency,BTW ) and no one thought to question it. Now;I'm not saying that smoking cigarettes is harmless,but I have a really hard time believing that MY smoke is going to affect someone standing in an open space more than a certain distance away.

Stop treating me like the motherfuckin' Anti-Christ because I smoke cigarettes.

I totally agree. Smokers, in the US at least, are treated as second class citizens mostly everywhere we go. I live in California, so its been ages since I could smoke within 20 feet of a business, let alone inside. From my understanding, the dangers of second-hand smoke are grossly exaggerated, and unless you are riding in a car, with the windows closed, with someone chain-smoking a pack of cigarettes every day for an extended period of time you face no real danger of contracting "smoking" diseases, as most of the carcinogens in exhaled smoke rise upwards, not laterally to begin with and completely dissipate within 2-3 feet of exhalation.

All of these articles and PSAs about second-hand, or as they have so "hiply" termed it: "passive smoking," are just a load of horse-shit. I've seen reports from toxicologists, and even cardiologists that claim that second-hand smoke is harmless apart from extreme, prolonged circumstances. There just aren't enough of thses studies, or enough financial backers that are willing to tackle the "taboo" subject from the "pro-smoker" angle, as competeing against the "anti-smoking" constituency is a death sentence of another kind. I still find it ironic that the funding for most of these anti-smoking campaigns comes from the lawsuits against big-tobacco. "Truth" is, by far the worst IMO, I can't stand their pretentious attitudes any more than I can stand their blatant exaggerations about smoking, second-hand and otherwise.

And it still makes me laugh that the same doctors and individuals that are so health-conscious that they villify smokers to no end seem to have no concern for the fact that Americans, while we "hate" smoking, love to be radiated. We as a country take more frequently, higher doses of "medically preventative" radiation than any other country in the world, which is leading to more and more radio-based illnesses, namely "ionizing radiation," which... wait for it... is a known cause of cancer! Why are we not hearing about this? We as a country are so blindly and ignorantly health-oriented that we're killing ourselves as a byproduct, and in the course of doing so, villifying those who do it by choice (i.e. smokers) and essentially brushing those under the rug who are continually allowing it to happen to individuals by "accident" (i.e. certain individuals in the medical field). Where's the "hands-across-America" report from the CDC on this one? They have 4 billion pages of things about not smoking, but only 1 passing mention of ionizing ratiaditon tucked into an article about lung cancer in general. Ridiculous.

 

[1ManRevolution]

Aren't light cigaretts the worse cigaretts to smoke? All those additives and chemicals in them

I was under the impression that Menthol was the worst. I think they put fiberglass in the filter to give it it's flavor.

 

[ThatRedWing]

Because so many people have went to the doctor and found out they are dying of lung cancer light?

 

[meesterperfect]

bored politicians, wasting time and money.

if you think about it its actually gonna do the opposite of what they say the law is for if anything.
cigarettes do come in different strengths, example marlborough normal and ultra lights.
theres a big difference between the two in terms of strength and health considerations.
Up until now they were labeled to reflect that, inform of that.
But now they cant even do that so its up to the consumer to figure out the strength of a cig based on words like silver and blue.
smoking is not illegal, at least let the companies give an accurate name for the products instead of having to dance around the subject with gay little words.

and why stop there, next go to medications , tylenol blue red yellow and pink.

 

[1ManRevolution]

bored politicians, wasting time and money.

if you think about it its actually gonna do the opposite of what they say the law is for if anything.
cigarettes do come in different strengths, example marlborough normal and ultra lights.
theres a big difference between the two in terms of strength and health considerations.
Up until now they were labeled to reflect that, inform of that.
But now they cant even do that so its up to the consumer to figure out the strength of a cig based on words like silver and blue.
smoking is not illegal, at least let the companies give an accurate name for the products instead of having to dance around the subject with gay little words.

and why stop there, next go to medications , tylenol blue red yellow and pink.

So Marlboro ultra lights are better for you that Reds?

 

[CurtJa]

Yeah -- you all are pretty much f'ed. Day to day, there are fewer and fewer places in public OR private where smoking is permitted. Meanwhile cigarette taxes will continue to climb, and the degree to which society shuns you as if you were lepers will increase. I'm only slightly exaggerating with that last point.

 

[meesterperfect]

oh boy, looks like i can add to my collection of people here that like to break my balls every chance they get.

yes sir they are better for your health.
a more precise way to say it is that they are less harmful for your health.
I guess i'll give you a class in this now:
the main ingredients for lack of a better word in tobacco that are harmful for your health are tar and nicotine.
so obviously if one has less of those things than the other it will be less dangerous for your health.
just like round has less fat than chuck therefore less harmful to you heart, beer has less alcohol than vodka, therefore less harmful to your liver.
get it or need more examples?

like i said at least words like light and medium gave an indication of tar and nicotine levels, therefore informing the consumer of that.
I can see a lawsuit in a few years now " i thought red meant light!" "now i've got emphasima because i misunderstood the gay color code"
and sue both the tobacco company and the GOV for it.
then this nonsense law will be repealed.

 

[1ManRevolution]

oh boy, looks like i can add to my collection of people here that like to break my balls every chance they get.

yes sir they are better for your health.
a more precise way to say it is that they are less harmful for your health.
I guess i'll give you a class in this now:
the main ingredients for lack of a better word in tobacco that are harmful for your health are tar and nicotine.
so obviously if one has less of those things than the other it will be less dangerous for your health.
just like round has less fat than chuck therefore less harmful to you heart, beer has less alcohol than vodka, therefore less harmful to your liver.
get it or need more examples?

like i said at least words like light and medium gave an indication of tar and nicotine levels, therefore informing the consumer of that.
I can see a lawsuit in a few years now " i thought red meant light!" "now i've got emphasima because i misunderstood the gay color code"
and sue both the tobacco company and the GOV for it.
then this nonsense law will be repealed.

So ultra light smokes are better for you that full flavor. That's the dumbest thing I have every heard.

There is only one form of lung cancer...there is not ultra light lung cancer, medium lung cancer, methnol lung cancer or full flavor lung cancer.

You sir, are a complete moron.

 

[LukeEl]

I was under the impression that Menthol was the worst. I think they put fiberglass in the filter to give it it's flavor.

Menthol's were the first cigaretts I smoked at 18, and I had to stop because I was coughing up blood, from the fiber glass. But I haven't smoked since Feb this year.

 

[1ManRevolution]

Menthol's were the first cigaretts I smoked at 18, and I had to stop because I was coughing up blood, from the fiber glass. But I haven't smoked since Feb this year.

Good for you, did you do it cold turkey?

I used to smoke Newports and the same shit happened to me, then it wsa Marlboro menthol, which tasted stale. Went to Marlboro lights and then eventually to Reds, which I smoke for like 5 years till I quit 2 years ago...best thing I ever did.

 

[meesterperfect]

i believe i was very clear about why and how ultra lights are less dangerous to ones health than full flavor.
its mainly the nicotine and tar content in each.
if these are the harmful ingredients than obviously less of those ingredients will be less harmful.
even a moron could figure that out.
so if you can't understand that its not problem

 

[Lucky7000]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

 

[bustybbwlover]

I was under the impression that Menthol was the worst. I think they put fiberglass in the filter to give it it's flavor.

menthols are bad cloves are worse but no ciggies are good for you in any way shape or form...as to the rebranding so it can't say lights on a pack...well it's just a waste of the paper the law was written on especially since everyone who smokes regularly knows exactly what each of the major brands packs look like...ah well i guess law makers making useless and ridiculous laws is nothing new