Save the Children from Tobacco!

It boggles the mind when the injustice of tobacco shipping bans or high taxes is mentioned not far behind is the excuse that it is "for the children". Assuming that the high minded individuals in government are making these decisions for the children, it begs the question. "Where are the parents?" And since when was the purpose of elected government to be surrogate parents to the nation’s children? Don't get me wrong, I am the father of a 3 year old girl and a 7 month old boy and I would move heaven and earth to protect my babies.

There is a legitimate place for government and that is to protect our communities and in turn our families from harm - criminal harm by individuals that would seek to rob our homes and harm our children in the physical sense. There are a multitude of laws in place to prevent minors from buying tobacco and thus help parents in keeping a product meant for adults out of their hands. When someone violates those laws there are fines and even prison time.

I am going somewhere with this.

The raising of the cost of tobacco through taxation and shipping bans ends up keeping the product away from adults. In a recent hearing for a proposed bill to exempt pipe tobacco from a shipping ban the reason for the ban was - drum roll - for the children. 30,000 pipe smoking children to be exact.

Wow! 30,000! That is quite a large number of children to protect. With such a large number of pipe smoking children you would think that I would at least see a few walking down the street puffing on a nice $50 briar pipe. Of course we should ask for clarification on how many of that 30,000 are pot pipe smokers. We are talking about a tobacco shipping ban after all. Don't get me started on the proposed legalization of pot. How would that be good for the children?

Yes, another day, another rant. Message to all elected officials and individuals that collect a pay check from BIG anti-tobacco, please let parents raise their own children. It is my job to ensure that my children stay away from liquor, tobacco and other substances not meant for them. It is the job of our government and local authorities to keep criminals off the streets and our communities safe from those wishing to do us harm.

You do your job and I'll do mine.