US government thinking about requiring reduction of nicotine in cigarettes by 95% to combat addiction

[LadyStanley]

Breaking Nicotine's Powerful Draw

At some point in the next few years, the 30 million smokers in the United States could wake up one day to find that cigarettes sold at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops contain such minuscule amounts of nicotine that they cannot get their usual fix when lighting up. Would the...

news.yahoo.com

Would be accomplished by using genetically modified tobacco.

Click to read more...

 

[Seedtype]

Just keep reducing nicotine in tobacco gradually to the point where there is none(and don't allow them to use another addicting substance).

I'm in my mid-30's and I can't believe how popular tobacco stuff still is with people younger than me at work.

And yeah yeah, I'm a big jerk blah blah.

 

[Stylizer1]

Just keep reducing nicotine in tobacco gradually to the point where there is none(and don't allow them to use another addicting substance).

I'm in my mid-30's and I can't believe how popular tobacco stuff still is with people younger than me at work.

And yeah yeah, I'm a big jerk blah blah.

What about just getting rid of all of the chemicals they put in and just use pure tobacco?

 

[beowulf]

What about just getting rid of all of the chemicals they put in and just use pure tobacco?

Pure tobacco has nicotine, it's present in the plant naturally. so they would actually have to find a way to remove it then, like decaffeinated coffee I guess?

Nicotine Is Why Tobacco Products Are Addictive

Nicotine keeps people using tobacco products, even when they want to stop. Learn more about nicotine and its effects from CTP.

www.fda.gov

Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical compound present in a tobacco plant. All tobacco products contain nicotine, including cigarettes, non-combusted cigarettes (commonly referred to as “heat-not-burn tobacco products” or “heated tobacco products”), cigars, smokeless tobacco (such as dip, snuff, snus, and chewing tobacco), hookah tobacco, and most e-cigarettes.

 

[Stylizer1]

Pure tobacco has nicotine, it's present in the plant naturally. so they would actually have to find a way to remove it then, like decaffeinated coffee I guess?

Nicotine Is Why Tobacco Products Are Addictive

Nicotine keeps people using tobacco products, even when they want to stop. Learn more about nicotine and its effects from CTP.

www.fda.gov

Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical compound present in a tobacco plant. All tobacco products contain nicotine, including cigarettes, non-combusted cigarettes (commonly referred to as “heat-not-burn tobacco products” or “heated tobacco products”), cigars, smokeless tobacco (such as dip, snuff, snus, and chewing tobacco), hookah tobacco, and most e-cigarettes.

Would cigarettes be as addictive if it were pure tobacco? Also, the habit of smoking contributes to the addiction.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I'm conflicted between thinking this move is way overdue, and thinking that this move is just kicking the can down the road needlessly.

Either way, the fact that we still allow multinational corporations to sell a commercial product that's deliberately designed to addict its consumers, knowing that it will ultimately harm or kill them, is totally insane in the year 2022.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I’m more concerned about Posh and Jewel pens than cigarettes for young people. Lots of teens use them and they have literal thousands of unknown chemicals in them

 

[JMCx4]

I’m more concerned about Posh and Jewel pens than cigarettes for young people. Lots of teens use them and they have literal thousands of unknown chemicals in them

I thought you were literally exaggerating, but you were literally (and mathematically) correct instead ... JHU Hub: JOHNS HOPKINS RESEARCHERS FIND THOUSANDS OF UNKNOWN CHEMICALS IN ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

 

[x Tame Impala]

I thought you were literally exaggerating, but you were literally (and mathematically) correct instead ... JHU Hub: JOHNS HOPKINS RESEARCHERS FIND THOUSANDS OF UNKNOWN CHEMICALS IN ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

Yeah it’s f***in gross and all these teenagers are puffing on them all the time thinking they’re safe

 

[RyderRocks73]

Would cigarettes be as addictive if it were pure tobacco? Also, the habit of smoking contributes to the addiction.

They would be the same or more so but with less carcinogens. So it would give a lot of people a reason to keep smoking and a lot more a reason to start. The habit is also a large portion of it because a lot of smokers feel restless just doing nothing (like occupying one's hands,) and it satisfies an oral fixation (like when we say of babies 'I could just eat you right up'.)

 

[JMCx4]

Point of Reference: When the U.S. Government starts "thinking" it's cause for alarm.

 

[MuckOG]

Yes, because prohibiting substances has proven to work every other time its been tried in this country. /s

All this will do is push smokers to buy raw tobacco and roll their own cigarettes and/or create a black market for imported ones.

 

[JMCx4]

There won't be any significant changes made by the Federal government in this matter of public health unless/until the U.S. states who all benefit from tobacco product sales taxes each establish substitute sure-fire revenue streams.

 

[beowulf]

Yeah it’s f***in gross and all these teenagers are puffing on them all the time thinking they’re safe

And causes so much lung damage they are just as bad as cigs and much easier to "market" to kids with the flavors etc.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Yes, because prohibiting substances has proven to work every other time its been tried in this country. /s

All this will do is push smokers to buy raw tobacco and roll their own cigarettes and/or create a black market for imported ones.

That's actually safer than the status quo. There's a natural logistical and economical limit to how many cigs you can personally create or buy on the black market.

 

[beowulf]

As someone who has never smoked in my 46 years I still don't get the attraction.

 

[MuckOG]

That's actually safer than the status quo. There's a natural logistical and economical limit to how many cigs you can personally create or buy on the black market.

It's cheaper to roll your own than to buy pre-rolled cigs.

 

[tarheelhockey]

It's cheaper to roll your own than to buy pre-rolled cigs.

It's not realistic that you're going to sit around rolling cigs all day. I've known smokers who bought loose tobacco and rolled their own, and they smoke way slower. You're not going to see someone roll 40 cigs a day (same as 2 packs).

 

[MuckOG]

It's not realistic that you're going to sit around rolling cigs all day. I've known smokers who bought loose tobacco and rolled their own, and they smoke way slower. You're not going to see someone roll 40 cigs a day (same as 2 packs).

Rolling machines are cheap and easy to use. Rolling 40 cigs a day would be no problem.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Rolling machines are cheap and easy to use. Rolling 40 cigs a day would be no problem.

Some people would absolutely do that, but that is a subset of overall smokers. The vast, vast majority would reduce or discontinue the habit rather than go to the trouble.

 

[MuckOG]

Some people would absolutely do that, but that is a subset of overall smokers. The vast, vast majority would reduce or discontinue the habit rather than go to the trouble.

Disputable. Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm not sure the vast, vast majority would reduce their habit if this came to pass. They would just look for different ways of getting their nic fix.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Disputable. Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm not sure the vast, vast majority would reduce their habit if this came to pass. They would just look for different ways of getting their nic fix.

I mean, it's basic marketing/economics 101. Make the product harder to consume, and people will reduce their consumption. Make it more expensive, and people will reduce their purchases. The group which will find a way to get their fix is a subset of the whole -- many people will simply find it too inconvenient/expensive to continue, and of the group which find a way to continue, many will consume it at a sub-addictive level. If you're only smoking once or twice a month, getting your nic fix stops being a thing.

Truth is, prohibiting substances absolutely does reduce consumption. People absolutely drank less alcohol during Prohibition than they did before or after. People absolutely consume more THC today than they did 20 years ago. The question isn't about that, it's one of unintended consequences of prohibition (e.g. drug wars, impure product hurting people) versus unintended consequences of legalization (e.g. lives ruined by addiction and cancer at a much higher rate).