Smoking

Smoking, particularly of cigarettes, is a major cause of death and therefore loss of income. Nicotine is known to be as or more addictive than the hard drugs that come across the border from Mexico, the drugs that hundreds of people lose their lives for. Why is it legal then? Tradition is the key reason that tobacco is legal, while it is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. The banning of tobacco would have far reaching effects; people would suddenly be more productive, people would live longer, and people would have more money in their pockets. This is also a place where the United States could prove that it still has some leadership value in world politics. The United States has the highest minimum age of all the worlds countries (except Bhutan, a small Himalayan nation who has banned tobacco with the exception of foreigners and diplomats) (The vaults of Erowid-tobacco). If our politicians can step up to the plate, quit bickering, and ban tobacco, the U.S. could gain immense political face on the world stage. Not only would our government be better respected, our workforce would find ways to drive the economy forward and put us far beyond that of China, despite our severe population disadvantage. Savings rates would jump, and retirees could live their lives in relative luxury. Banning tobacco is an excellent option for boosting our slipping country out of recession and into leadership.