Reply #61: What, they don't think organized crime is rich enough?

[jmowreader]

Folks, if you thought prohibition on Alcohol (which can be used without addicting the drinker) was impossible, and prohibition on Marijuana (which isn't physically addicting) was impossible, try imposing prohibition on a drug that not only is nearly impossible to break addiction from but addicts you pretty much as soon as you've conditioned your body to consume it--and that addicts almost everyone who uses it. This drug is worse than Smack.

There are smokers here. There are ex-smokers here. Try to think back to when you started smoking. I remember the kids smoking on the goat path at school--pretty much as soon as they were able to inhale without coughing, they craved cigarettes. And these things taste fucking nasty when you start, so it's not like they're all "oh these are super tasting, I MUST have this wonderful flavor." No, the nicotine grabs your ass early and keeps it.

http://groups.msn.com/FreedomFromTobaccoQuitSmokingNow/addiction.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=125421&LastModified=4675585153205861646 is a kinda decent article...they tracked a group of kids who started smoking, and it seems that it only takes a few weeks to become hooked on cigarettes and about six months to become firmly addicted.

As much as we'd like to, there's no way to eliminate this product through legislation. Increase taxes and people will stop buying other luxuries--and, in some cases, minor necessities--so they can afford cigarettes. (Some people will quit smoking. Many won't.) Put restrictions on where they can be smoked, and people will figure out ways around these restrictions. Ban them, and the black market will be awash in tobacco products.