U.S. to Quit Inspecting Tobacco

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON Oct. 16, 2004 — Legislation just passed by Congress abolishes the requirement that the government inspect imported tobacco to ensure it is not laced with chemicals and pesticides banned in the United States but permitted elsewhere.

That means imported leaf, which U.S. tobacco companies are increasingly relying on, could make cigarettes even more harmful, said Tom Glynn, director of science and trends for the American Cancer Society.

Glynn said about 60 of the 4,000 or so chemicals in cigarette smoke are linked to cancer. "What this may do is just add to that number, making an already toxic product even more toxic," he said.

The Agriculture Department, the Homeland Security Department and the Food and Drug Administration all have authority to inspect other imported agricultural products to ensure they meet U.S. standards. Officials at those agencies said they did not know of another agricultural product that comes into this country without some kind of inspection.

U.S. farmers are unhappy about the end of foreign inspections on tobacco. The change was included in legislation that will pay tobacco growers $10 billion and end a Depression-era program that set price and production controls on American-grown leaf.

The tobacco plan is part of a major corporate tax bill that is awaiting President Bush's signature.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=172265

[iamjoy]

1. Who Cares?

cigarettes aren't safe. end of story. what does it matter if they have 45 or 50 toxins/carcinogens?

[MatrixEscape]

2. Oh no ...

Now I have to worry about finding terraists in my pack of Camels?

[7th_Sephiroth]

3. now THAT is a good piece of legislation to end smoking

(but encourages terrorisim like nobodys buisness)

[truthisfreedom]

18. no kidding! i just sent this to the Kerry people. excellent point. if

bush signs this, he is encouraging terrorists.

[aquart]

4. Now we've outsourced agriculture. Good show, fellas.

[Gman]

5. So people think this is a good thing simply because you don't like

smoking. Well, if you would look beyond your own personal space, you might notice that what the right wing has accomplished is setting the precedent of not inspecting an agricultural product from another country. So, what's next? Lettuce? Tomatoes? Peaches? Plums? What? Some will say, "Oh! They can't do that!" Yeah, right. Just keep thinking that and see what happens. The fact is, they just did it.

Oh, but some people don't care because all they're interested in is something that doesn't affect them. That's how we got to where we are right now with a helluva lot of things.

[LiviaOlivia]

7. I couldn't have said it any better.

Thank you Gman.

[DustMolecule]

8. Yes, very well said !! Thank you. n/t

[Maddy McCall]

9. Exactly! The slippery slope.

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. Werd.

"So I don't worry about, and people shouldn't
worry about a draft. . . I think we're in good
shape, I really do. And, if not, we'll -- I'll address
the nation. But I don't see any need to right now."
- G. W. Bush (Source: The Whitehouse)

http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[alfredo]

12. This will make American tobacco less competitive. Many farmers

subsidize their food crops with the tobacco crop. No tobacco, no money for other products. No farmer. At least that is the way it plays out in Kentucky.

Notice this law was passed within days of the ending of tobacco price supports.

[wuushew]

13. So what

ending agricultural subsides improves market efficiency and eliminates yet another corrupting special interest. From what I have read in the media many of these tobacco farmers are looking forward to this buy out.

[sandnsea]

16. It's the inspections

What is it about allowing uninspected agricultural products into the country that people can't comprehend? First tobacco, then what's next?

[alfredo]

25. those are the ones who have enough tillable land to

grow other crops. Those in marginal areas will not succeed.

We need local farms. If a disaster cuts our off shore supply of food, or if the shipping food thousands of miles gets too expensive, then we will be up a shit creek because we will not have a local supply of food.

Depending on imported food is just as bad as depending on foreign oil.

[sandnsea]

15. Exactly

And paid the tobacco farmers a bundle of hush money in the process. I'm a little nervous, I'm not even getting outraged by what these bastards do anymore.

[leQ]

26. well said!

i'm a smoker, and i wish to hell i could quit. and this just may do the trick. but think of what's on their agenda. they're not out to make me quit smoking.

[tom_paine]

27. Well said, sir!

:toast:

[Wind Dancer]

33. Gman,

well said! It's now the norm for people to ignore anything or everything that doesn't personally affect them. It makes me wonder what our society will be like in a few years.

This couldn't be more obvious when talking to others about our soldiers and innocent Iraqis since the invasion. Why does it have to take a personal tragedy for some people to wake up? It saddens me more than words can describe.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

6. It would be hard to make them more unhealthy

If anything, maybe this will inspire a few people to quit. One can only hope.

[Rose Siding]

20. Capital punishment doesn't deter murderers

This is just an additional risk to addicts. But hey, that'll show 'em. Thank you, repub Congress.

[VegasWolf]

10. No more subsidies huh, time for us to follow the Afghan farmers and

grow a new addictive product, poppies!


New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. ha ha I was just wondering

what we might find in our cigarettes now. Maybe some BC bud or Afghan hash or a little bit of Thai stick?

[truthisfreedom]

17. do it george! the first ones affected will be Laura and Jenna.

[Piperay]

19. That alone should be incentive

enough to quit! x(

[Rose Siding]

21. Won't this invalidate all previous second hand smoke studies?

as well as effects of smoking studies? New testing will have to be done. Who pays? Will there be newly prevalent forms of cancer or other health risks?

[bleedingheart]

22. outsourcing tobacco growth...hahahahah

and the end of subsidies to farmers....what will they grow now...subdivisions with no jobs to pay for the mortgages????

[Fleshdancer]

23. Polluted tobacco is OK, but Canadian prescription drugs aren't?

Canadian flu vaccine is OK, but not their heart medicine? And while we're talking about drugs and safety, it wasn't too long ago that the FDA decided they weren't going to approve the morning after pill to be sold over the counter out of fear of young women getting hurt...nevermind the research didn't support THAT fear. But OK, more chemicals and pesticides in tobacco sounds just great. It hurts American growers, increases the health risk...perfect! :eyes:

[bleedingheart]

24. well it may be part of a plan...

polluted tobacco in cheap cigarettes that are peddled to the poor may help "advance" their demise...and thus reduce healthcare costs by eliminating people that are "unwanted" by the
GOP.

[tom_paine]

28. Consistent with the values of a Totalitarian Nation

Right here where we live.

Only Free Societies try to take care of their citizens.

Totalitarian Nations like Imperial Amerika or BushPutin's Russia view their citizens as Shit Repositories, and will sacrifice thousands to make a few bucks (ok, a BILLION bucks).

Backwards we go to the Middle Ages. Fundamentalism triumphant. Reason Crushed. Orwell's vision come true.

[Flammable Materials]

29. I hear al-Qaeda is thinking about poisoning tobacco imported to US ...

... since Bush twarted their devious plan to poison Canadian drugs.

[wolfgirl]

30. Imported, untested Tobacco good...

generic, low cost drugs..bad.

I feel so secure and protected


(gag)

[Corkey Mineola]

31. High-Nicotine Yields May Slip by ... That's probably the deal

A 1994 Frontline special detailed a problem wherein overseas tobacco was imported to the U.S. with 'high yields' of nicotine. Of course, the tobacco companies denied it, but it turned out to be true.

I think that's probably what's going on here. Pesticides are a front for the deeper more disturbing issue of doping these products for increased potency.

[leesa]

32. Typical GOP flip-flop. We care so much about the safety of

Canadian drugs, but don't care about the safety of tobacco? Or is it to our drug-running government's advantage to sneak some heroin or coke in this way. Create a few more customers.

[StupidFOX]

34. Why inspect produce?

It's ONLY the very matter that sustains our life! :crazy: