Stop Big Potato

The California Assembly has passed Senate Bill 7, which would forbid selling tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. News outlets are describing the bill's passage as having raised the smoking age to 21. I wonder if these esteemed purveyors of news and information understand the difference between purchasing a product and consuming it.

The progressive media reaction to the bill aligns with that of Los Angeles Times' resident nut job George Skelton. His article headline? Lawmakers show surprising courage against Big Tobacco.

According to Assemblyman Jim Wood, the bill would save the medical system millions of dollars. Thus, it would save thousands of lives.

"Adolescent brains are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of nicotine and nicotine addiction. 18-year-olds are much more likely to buy tobacco products for their 14-, 15-, 16-year-old friends," said Wood.

Underscoring the schizophrenic nature of this legal reasoning, members of the military are exempt. It wouldn't be fair that someone under 21 could die for their country but couldn't smoke. We love people who serve in the military, so it wouldn't be fair to deny them this tiny liberty that will kill them?

SB 7 deprives adults of a liberty, and probably won't work. Minors will still be able to get cigarettes. The way to reduce tobacco consumption is to tax it to death. But lawmakers are reluctant to do that, because tobacco taxes fall disproportionately on low- income people. It's a regressive tax.

SB 7 seems even sillier when you realize that you only need to be 18 to qualify for a medical marijuana card. Smoking cigarettes is harmful but smoking marijuana is not?

A government that is big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have. In this case, citizens receive healthcare from the government, therefore, the government is allowed to take away certain liberties. And make no mistake. These modern day Carrie Nation progressives want to outlaw tobacco use altogether. But why stop there?

Adolescent brains are also uniquely vulnerable to the effects of simple carbohydrates and sugar addiction. Is there anyone who believes underage smoking is a bigger health crisis than underage obesity? Adolescent obesity is what drives Michelle Obama's "Lets Move" campaign, which has even reached into our children's lunchrooms.

If we truly want to prevent obesity in our young people, we should be outlawing potatoes, and encouraging smoking. A pack-a-day habit of Marlboros will keep a 14-year old thin and thinking more clearly.

I can't wait for George Skelton to write an article praising lawmakers' "courage" in standing up to Big Potato.

All hyperbole aside, legislating to save "the medical system millions of dollars" is a dangerous precedent for liberty. If and when Obamacare collapses, America will be persuaded to institute single-payer. The "medical system" will be treating thousands of gunshot victims every year, all at taxpayer expense. Prohibition of firearms can thus be justified as reducing a public health hazard.

And it won't be just guns that will go away. The progressive marxist alliance is trying to classify argumentative speech as "cyberviolence" and "psychological violence." Public resources are squandered responding to allegations of hateful speech and the violence it "incites." Expect the dissolution of the First Amendment as well as the Second.