Death and the Tyranny of the Nanny State

While the usual suspects are having a conniption over no charges being brought against the officers who used a choke hold on Eric Gardner resulting in his death, most of the media ignore the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Lessons from Eric Garner’s death and cigarette taxes

 Many people say his death is another case of white police brutality against black citizens. Lost in this public debate, though, is a key question: Why were police arresting Garner in the first place?

    Was he robbing a store or attacking innocent citizens? No, police arrested Garner supposedly for selling untaxed cigarettes. The strong-arm arresting process claimed Garner’s life, all over the sale of 75-cent loose cigarettes or “loosies.”

    High taxes produce underground markets for goods and services, and when these taxes are hiked, smuggling increases. Nowhere is this illustrated more clearly than in New York City.

    In the name of cutting smoking rates, New York has the highest state cigarette tax at $4.35 per pack. New York City piles on an additional local cigarette tax of $1.50 per pack. Since 2006, the cigarette tax in New York state has been raised 190 percent. In response, cigarette smuggling there increased 59 percent. More than half of all cigarettes consumed in New York state are smuggled, according to a 2014 report by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.~snip~

Eric Gardners death is the result of nanny state meddling in the private decisions of individuals.
The leftist busybodies that now inhabit political offices have decided to rule by "let it be written,let it be done" decree without actually thinking about or being responsible for these decisions.
The question really isn't about whether smoking cigarettes is bad for you (it is) it's really about whether the government should be the ones to oppressively regulate it through taxation resulting in a black market situation where the police basically become tax enforcers.
Then enforce the tax with force.
Instead of condemning "white cops" killing a black man people should be wondering why the nanny state busy bodies created the circumstances that led to Eric Gardner's death in the first place.

You also have to wonder what's next, will NYC police officers be wrestling people to the ground who are in possession of 32 ounce sodas?

It's not as absurd as you think.

Some AG's Go After E-Cigs

Government just doesn't know when to give up when it comes to inserting itself into our lives.

Although I gotta say selling nicotine products to minors should be illegal but any other interference directed at adults is really just nanny statism.

 AR Atty General: E-Cigs Need to be Regulated Immediately

LITTLE ROCK, AR-- Forty attorneys general from around the U.S. are urging the FDA to impose more regulatory controls on the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes
Namely, restrict advertising and ban the sale of of the product to minors.  In a letter to the Food and Drug Administration, they've ask for an immediate action to treat the electronic cigarettes the same as all "tobacco products" under the Federal Tobacco Control Act.
According to a press release, e-cigarette have been doubling every year since 2008 and, unlike with traditional tobacco products, there are no federal age restrictions to prevent children from obtaining e-cigarettes.
Earlier this year, the Arkansas Legislature enacted Act 1451, which prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to minors in the State but there is no such federal prohibition.
The letter calls into question the practice of advertising the electronic cigarette with primetime commercials and celebrity endorsements.~snip~

You know they've already taxed traditional cigarettes pretty much out of reach of most low income Americans. The cheapest per pack in this area is around $4.12. Thirty days of that and you're looking at around 124 bucks a month.
Then you got the complaints of second hand smoke and the stale tobacco smell, neither of which e-cigarettes have.
So a lot of people who picked up smoking in the past have switched and the various nicotine "juices" are a lot cheaper than a pack of cigarettes. People can pay around 7 to 8 dollars to supply their habit for around a month.
Quite the cut and it's even cheaper than a ounce of pot where it's legal. But then again the politicians want to tax the hell out that also.
Which is really what it's all about.......taxes.
All stages of government, federal on down, seem to think that they have a right to confiscate as much money has possible from the citizens to do whatever they want with it. Because they're so much smarter than the rest of us.
Maybe e-cigs aren't the best place to draw a line against government taxation and intrusion but there has to come a time when we need to push back.
Because when they're done with what is easy they'll come for other things until they can penalize us all for anything they choose.

Turning Our Lives Over to Others

Well lets see... nanny Bloomberg says we can't buy sugary drinks over 32 ounces and we can't buy king size Snickers Bars or decide for ourselves if we can own fire arms or not without being grilled by our family doctors.
It seems the next thing the nosy busy bodies want to do is to make us beg a doctor to get a prescription for a pack of cigarettes.

Bill proposed in Oregon would make cigarettes prescription-only drugs

SALEM, OR (KPTV) - If you're a regular smoker, you may want to keep an eye on a new bill in the Oregon Legislature.

Rep. Mitch Greenlick, from Portland, is sponsoring a bill that makes cigarettes a Schedule III controlled substance, meaning it would be illegal to possess or distribute cigarettes without a doctor's prescription.

Under the proposal, offenders would face maximum punishments of one year in prison, a $6,250 fine or both.

Other drugs and substances that are considered Schedule III controlled substances are ketamine, lysergic acid and anabolic steroids.

"The State Board of Pharmacy may adopt rules placing requirements and limitations on the sale or transfer of products containing nicotine,"

You know no matter how you feel about smoking you have to wonder when they will come after your particular vice. Like coffee or chocolate.
At any time these busy body's can come along and quote some study that will find something bad about nearly anything.
While smoking maybe an easy example to hate on it is just a gateway vice to go after many others.
Be silent on this one and you shouldn't expect others to defend your freedoms to decide for yourself later.