Tobacco has been controversial in the US for about as long as it has existed. But a ban on it at this point, as Biden’s administration suggests, would only create more problems, including arming Mexican drug cartels with a massive influx in business.
Yes, if you haven’t heard, the US Food and Drug Administration under Democratic President Joe Biden is getting ready to ban all cigarettes nationwide, starting with menthol-flavored cigarettes and flavored cigars. Naturally, they claim studies prove them to be too dangerous, which we’ve known for decades.
But at this point, banning them would undoubtedly do more harm than good.
For starters, it would make cigarette smokers into criminals overnight. Local law enforcement would be required to make these regulations stick, going after people smoking on their breaks instead of chasing down real criminals.
And border patrol agents would essentially be called “menthol cigarette police.” Of course, that doesn’t mean Biden will be providing the necessary resources to get that job done, either.
Secondly, it would encourage drug cartels to begin providing these soon-to-be illicit products, creating billions in new revenue for themselves. In fact, some as the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, known as a “Tobacco Cartel,” are already gearing up to increase the production of illicit and flavored cigarettes.
According to the Mexican newspaper Milenio, the cartel sees this new policy as a massive good fortune for them.
Data shows that about one-third of America’s 30 million smokers prefer menthol-flavored cigarettes, adding up to about $25 billion for the US economy. Flavored cigars make up about half the cigar market, amounting to about $10 billion.
So that’s roughly $35 billion that Biden is cutting out of the US economy and essentially giving to Mexican drug cartels, many of whom traffic in much more dangerous things than menthol cigarettes.
Let’s make sure Congress knows this is a bad idea – send a letter to your congressman today!
