The Nanny State: Big Government knows best?

Recently, I have noticed an increase in anti-tobacco ads in addition to more Big Pharmacology quit smoking product ads. The CDC have also stepped up their efforts to produce more “graphic ads” in an attempt to “help” Americans to quit smoking. Yet they continue to deny some of the more effective ways to quit smoking such as Swedish snus.

They push their Big Pharmaceutical ways with drugs such as Nicorette gum, Bupropion, Chantix, Welburteron, Nico-Derm patches, and half a dozen other anti-smoking programs. Many of these drugs come with more issues than that of tobacco.

In a recent news cast a spokesperson for the CDC said, “Tobacco continues to kill 443,000 people a year in this country. And for every smoker who dies, there are two teens stepping up to take their place.”;this in the hope that it will make young people either quit cigarettes or not start in the first place. Yet in their same news release they say that the number of smokers in the past seven years has dropped from 42% to about 19% of the population.

I am not sure about you but I don’t think I need much help in understanding if two take up smoking when one dies, that would mean an increase in the number of smokers not a decrease. They say they started this campaign because it showed an increase of taxes on tobacco, and recent new laws (Oh but not the congress critter’s cigars) have shown little to no effect on people quitting tobacco use.

In an Associated Press release recently, says, “Many smokers have turned away from these ads.” These new ads show people with tracheotomy in their neck, a young man with both his legs amputated and a woman who is paralyzed due to “smoking.” If the truth is not enough then scare tactics should work, right?  How many times has a congress critter (or candidate) used scare tactics over the years about loss of Social Security in an attempt to scare seniors into voting for them? “I promise not to raise taxes and cut Social Security!”

I don’t know about you but when I see these ads… I light up or pop in a snus. I like to think of it as my personal way of flipping them the bird. And I have noticed I have been using MORE tobacco products because of these ads.

Fine if you want to tell me accurate information about tobacco products,  but in the end allow me to choose freely how I want to “ruin” my life. Give me ALL of my options and allow me, as an adult, to decide how I want to live and die. Have you ever really listened to the disclaimer when one of these anti-smoking drugs are advertised? Right on the Chantix web site it says:

Important Safety Information

Some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions while using CHANTIX to help them quit smoking. Some people had these symptoms when they began taking CHANTIX, and others developed them after several weeks of treatment or after stopping CHANTIX. If you, your family, or caregiver notice agitation, hostility, depression, or changes in behavior, thinking, or mood that are not typical for you, or you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, anxiety, panic, aggression, anger, mania, abnormal sensations, hallucinations, paranoia, or confusion, stop taking CHANTIX and call your doctor right away. Also tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems before taking CHANTIX, as these symptoms may worsen while taking CHANTIX.

Do not take CHANTIX if you have had a serious allergic or skin reaction to CHANTIX. Some people can have serious skin reactions while taking CHANTIX, some of which can become life-threatening. These can include rash, swelling, redness, and peeling of the skin. Some people can have allergic reactions to CHANTIX, some of which can be life-threatening and include: swelling of the face, mouth, and throat that can cause trouble breathing. If you have these symptoms or have a rash with peeling skin or blisters in your mouth, stop taking CHANTIX and get medical attention right away.

Tell your doctor if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems before starting CHANTIX, or if you have a history of these problems and have any new or worse symptoms during treatment with CHANTIX. Get emergency medical help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack.

The most common side effects of CHANTIX include nausea (30%), sleep problems, constipation, gas and/or vomiting. If you have side effects that bother you or don’t go away, tell your doctor. You may have trouble sleeping, vivid, unusual or strange dreams while taking CHANTIX. Use caution driving or operating machinery until you know how CHANTIX may affect you.

I don’t know about you, but I think I will take my chances with tobacco.  Where does it end? And I don’t think a spoon full of sugar is going to get this down.

I have seen so much “research” on so many things that are good for us or bad for us… they are coming out with new studies almost every other day about this that and the other thing which is or was the miracle cure or prevention for cancer, or is going to be the death of us. It should be a choice and probably 80% of Americans are completely unaware of half the crap the “government” does for the “betterment of the people.” For the people, under the table, and behind closed doors, because “the people” are not people but “sheeple” and not only do not understand what is “best” for them but need to be taken care of for their own good.

Remember the government thinks in terms of the masses, not you and me. If Joe Blow down the street is not smart enough to take care of himself then there must be a law to prevent him from hurting himself, which in turn is forced on you and me.

If he breaks into a house with a joint hanging out of his mouth, a gun in his hand and is high on whatever drug happens to be this week’s addiction then there has to be a law to prevent you, me and any intelligent person from possibly abusing those things as well.

It is like the law that says the people who make hairdryers must put labels on them that says, “Do not use this product in the shower.” Or my recent favorite, the new labels on carry out coffee cup, “THIS PRODUCT MAYBE ETREMELY HOT.” Years ago, a lady ordered a hot cup of coffee, in a McDonalds DRIVE THRU with cream and sugar.   And then wonders why when she slammed on the brakes, she is burned by that coffee which she had sitting BETWEEN her legs, instead of a cup holder. Double DUH? And the sheeple laws strike again.

Yet this same woman sues, and wins, a multi-million dollar lawsuit against McDonalds for giving her what she ordered and her own stupidity of burning herself.  The decision was reversed on appeal but how much time and money did this lawsuit waste?

Yes, the tobacco companies were not telling the whole truth, so the government sues them on our behalf and wins. But funny thing is what are they doing with the money? In court it was said if… IF the government won the case the money would be used to for X, Y, and Z, in an effort to help the people. But as we have seen our government is so good at playing the shell game, and taking this money and paying for that… who knows if it will be used for the project it was intended. (see Nanny States Part Three)

We as a people; not a sheeple, must take back our government and start weeding out the DUH parade of congress critters. Things are not going to get any better, and will continue in the same half sloppy manner it has.

Welcome to America, land of the brave, and confused… please keep all arms and legs INSIDE the vehicle at all times, please leave all self-preservation or self-thinking at the door, as there is no need to think for yourself… the government hates competition , the government knows what is best for EVERYONE… from the cradle to the grave.

It is a matter of pick your poison. I mean even if you eat right, exercise daily, and live the “perfect” lifestyle… we all end up dying in the end. It is a matter of dying as the “perfect” human specimen or dying happy, on your own terms? The way I see it, “If The Lord meant for me to be skinny, He would have made Sara Lee a brick layer, instead of a pastry cook.”

I will get down off my soap box now… our forefathers gave us three boxes… the soapbox to talk to each other, the ballot box to have a voice in our government and the ammo box to defend the first two boxes.

May they never figure out how to take our boxes away…

CATHERINE DeMARSH-HELLWIG

A Proud American, Tobacco User, and Gun Owner
Reporting for SnusCENTRAL.org

Works cited:

Associated Press:

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2012-03-30/CDC-Ads-spark-huge-increase-to-quit-smoking-line/53896854/1

Chantix website: http://www.chantix.com/index.aspx?source=google&HBX_PK=s_chantix&HBX_OU=50&o=23119569|166373525|0&skwid=43700003016618103

Personal interviews and surveys with about 300 college students who use tobacco products at Ohio State University, Columbus State Community College and Ohio Dominican University.