Boston forum: topic
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Cigarette regulation
Anna Kushnir
Monday, 09 February 2009 21:27 UTC
The anti-smoking campaign in Mass has taken another firm step toward controlling the distribution of cigarettes in Boston. As reported on White Coat Notes, many drug stores are now displaying little signs that say:
“Effective February 9, 2009, the Boston Public Health Commission has banned the sale of tobacco products at pharmacies located in Boston. We apologize for any inconvenience resulting from our compliance with this regulation.”
I am no fan of cigarettes nor smoking in public spaces, and I know very well the harm cigarette smoke causes to the smoker and all those in the immediate area, but is this regulation taking it too far? I would like to play devil’s advocate for a second. Cigarettes are not illegal, yet drug stores have been prohibited from selling them. Do people deserve the opportunity to choose smoking? Is Boston perilously close to a smoker’s civil rights issue?
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Replies
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Pharmacists choose to sell cancer sticks and actually have to be told to stop?!
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Yea, I understand what you are getting at. My question was a legal one, not one on ethics or morals. Any thoughts?
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1. How is smoking a civil right?
2. Guns are covered in the 2nd ammendment but pharmacies still are not allowed to (or perhaps have the good taste not to) sell them.
3. What do I know about American Civil Rights Law?
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I don’t know what you know about civil rights law. That’s why I am asking. I think that cigarette regulation brings up a lot of really interesting legal issues and I wanted to have a discussion of them here. I think that the slippery slope argument could be applied to alcohol after cigarettes. Where does one draw the line? What are the legal issues that distinguish cigarettes from either guns or alcohol?
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Oooh, sorry. Got tangled up in my screen names. That last comment was mine.
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The “What do I know” comment is an indication that I know nothing.
Sorry.
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Anonymous
Dear Anna,
I beg to disagree on this topic. I have seen people ruin their & family lives with tobacco (used for cigarettes ).
The nicotine in these cigarettes is harmful to lungs,which you know well.
Even passive smoking causes problems to people standing near smokers.
Any step taken in this direction(ban of cigarettes ) is welcome in my opinion. However, I do agree that implementation is not ea y but the rewards are very good for Boston (or any region).Regards,
Jitesh Dundas -
Anonymous
Dear Anna,
I beg to disagree on this topic. I have seen people ruin their & family lives with tobacco (used for cigarettes ).
The nicotine in these cigarettes is harmful to lungs,which you know well.
Even passive smoking causes problems to people standing near smokers.
Any step taken in this direction(ban of cigarettes ) is welcome in my opinion. However, I do agree that implementation is not ea y but the rewards are very good for Boston (or any region).Again, thinking from legal point of view, lets us define legal and illegal. Anything that is harmful to your health is better illegal, especially when there is no constructive outcome or reason for its implementation .
I hope you don’t mind my opposition to this comment.I speak with a scientific viewpoint in this case.Regards,
Jitesh Dundas -
Anonymous
Dear Anna,
I beg to disagree on this topic. I have seen people ruin their & family lives with tobacco (used for cigarettes ).
The nicotine in these cigarettes is harmful to lungs,which you know well.
Even passive smoking causes problems to people standing near smokers.
Any step taken in this direction(ban of cigarettes ) is welcome in my opinion. However, I do agree that implementation is not ea y but the rewards are very good for Boston (or any region).Again, thinking from legal point of view, lets us define legal and illegal. Anything that is harmful to your health is better illegal, especially when there is no constructive outcome or reason for its implementation .
I hope you don’t mind my opposition to this comment.I speak with a scientific viewpoint in this case.Regards,
Jitesh Dundas
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