Banning Cigarette Smoking

ENG215-034 Research and Writing |
Banning Cigarette Smoking |
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Christine Dominique
10/21/2010
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The question of whether or not the government should ban cigarette smoking has been up for a long time. Is cigarette smoking that bad for your health that they should warrant a ban? Yes.   Is it questionably unfair? Depends. Should they, or will they change it? Probably not. A ban on cigarette smoking could go one of two ways: Successfully or go the way of the Prohibition. Forget the questions and what-if’s. We as Americans should lead the way in banning of cigarette smoking to start a chain which would slowly clean up the streets and move towards greater progress all around the world.
The prohibition happened in the United States between the period of 1919 and 1933. During which time the manufacturing, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages was forbidden by the 18th amendment. It failed to stop people from bootlegging and making their own speakeasy clubs to continue selling and making alcoholic beverages.   As crime increased the popularity of the prohibition went down. It eventually led to the ratification of the 21st amendment which repealed the 18th amendment. Many people blame the fact that even though it was a good idea and supported by a lot of people it was just too hard at the time for the government to enforce the law. A ban on cigarette smoking could go the same way.
There is no question as to whether or not the government can ban cigarette smoking like they did alcohol. The federal drug regulations operate under the authority of the Commerce Clause which is in Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution.   A recent example of the government getting the last say on drugs would be the Gonzales v. Raich case. The Gonzales v. Raich case was one in which the United States Supreme Court ruled that under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, which allows the United States Congress " To regulate commerce with...