The time has come…

The time has come, the Walrus said….It is time for smokers of the world to step to the plate and come out swinging. I have an idea for a plan that I think would work. I will try to be brief so that those who might be able to give this idea some legs can step into the batter’s box. I am not the one to lead this or be a spokesman because I am not nor wish to be the “main man.” But, there are those out there who could champion this with the muscle and vigor it will require. To begin the process, I will forward this link to those spokesmen I have been following on a daily basis for the last several years.

This idea will require a merging of a number of individuals and groups, who may differ on some issues but who all see the hypocrisy and folly in the present “state of the nation”.
To name a few of the people and groups of power, the list should include FORCES, The Smoker’s Club. Reason Magazine, Rush Limbaugh, John Stossel, John Boehner, Sean Penn, Johnny Depp, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Frank Davis, Michael McFadden, Leg-Iron, Dick Puddlecote, Michael Siegel, Rich White and Jacob Sullom. I’m sure that I’ve failed to mention many who carry clout. It will take clout and money and organization to do battle with the anti- Tobacco zealots.

Simply, I propose an offensive which concentrates on TWO issues. The first is what the outcome would be if Tobacco is banned. It is my contention that most non-smokers have little if any understanding of how Tobacco prohibtion would effect them. In addition to the Master Settlement payments being made by the Tobacco companies, the Taxes collected at the State and Federal levels are enormous and greatly assist government to keep their heads above water without rasing other taxes. Imagine the impact if this steady stream of revenue no longer existed. Given the rugged financial times we are in, this loss of funds would lead to major chaos. This message needs to be hammered in to a public which has little idea of how 2 + 2 equals 4. Just one example is how the Obama Tax Increase on Tobacco funds children’s health programs. It must be stated loud and clear and often through major media sources what would happen if Tobacco was banned.

The second major point is how the pseudo science of SHS has led to major bans at the state and federal levels. The goal here is to RESTORE reason and individual freedom to the landscape. You all know how the research on SHS has been cherry picked and how Big Pharma money has infected the perception of what is really true. Again, loud and clear, this propoganda needs to be brought to light especially the major studies showing that SHS is an illusion.
This is no time, however, to address or question the actual impact of smoking on a smoker’s health. I know there is disagreement on this topic but it is NOT an issue that should be addressed at all at this time. It only confuses the end goal.

And, the end goal, in my opinion, is restore reason and freedom. We need to give the people who run businesses the right to decide whether they will allow smoking or not rise or fall without the intervention of any goverment intereference. Since all of these bans are essentially based on the lies and half truths and propoganda spread about SHS, a presendential declaration, that all these bans whether local or federal are unconstitional, is needed and that it is up to the individual business to decide want they want to do. Not just Americans, but people of the World, are sick of nanny government. Properly presented, it should be universally popular.

Well, there you are. Brief. Does it raise questions about how to implement it? You bet. But, that Tobacco is ESSENTIAL to economy and that it is not government’s job to tread on freedoms are strong messages.