Dismantle Tobacco Marketing - Prohibit `Commercial' Cigarettes - Save Billions In Healthcare - Employ 10's Of Thousands As `Tobacco Rollers'

I know, I know, it would never happen - but, just for a minute, think of the premise: overnight, the government makes `commercial cigarettes' illegal, seizes the production lines and orders the tobacco companies to destroy their production factories. Indeed, the tobacco companies are told that they can now only sell real tobacco - unaltered with chemicals to keep the product burning in cigarettes when not puffed enough. Real tobacco. And, that they can only sell it in quantities of 5 pounds or more - processing it no more than grinding the leaf in preparation for rolling or pipe smoking - and, the tobacco can be sold only in recyclable tin cans.

If the government did something this bold; - immediately, consumption would decrease - resulting in healthcare savings of significant amounts over time (lowering everyone's bill?); - immediately, there would be a huge demand for `rollers', employing thousands and raising the price on hand rolled Tobacco Cigarettes to connoisseur levels (comparable to pot), resulting in even less consumption; and, immediately, there would be a significant decrease in housefires and possibly even car accidents as usage behaviour becomes less.

With the machines destroyed that turned out billions of cigarettes while employing just a handful of people, small businesses could form to supply the remaining 60% reduced demand of true tobacco lovers with `legal hand-rolled cigarettes' - tobacco shops could open or expand within headshops to supply bulk tobacco. Small, artsy, pipe shops could open - with thousands of hand skilled artists joining the wood carving niche now opened. (Bringing REAL jobs down to `the people' is one way Japan keeps its unemployment low - jobs such as elevator operators pushing the desired floor.)

Growers of connoisseur tobaccos would be encouraged and rewarded by the marketplace. After all, is there ANY reason that the plant that produces tobacco should virtually only be marketed by big business? Isn't this the kind of `manufacturing job' that the US needs to bring back to this country?

Do politicians ever do thought exercises like this?


More Links To Enjoy:

http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/state/story/Oregon-to-allow-farmers-to-grow-hemp/4LxWy-FgYESFFtcgtLrKRw.cspx "Oregon to allow farmers to grow hemp"

Active Ingredient In Cannabis Eliminates Morphine Dependence In Rats - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706090440.htm

And for Today's Fun Link: (use if video doesn't work) - Magic, with Lasers. - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706090440.htm