Obama, recovering smoker, praises regulation of tobacco

Reformed smokers like to say that the hardest thing they ever did was to break their nicotine habit. That may not apply to President Obama, a one-time puffer who today said he would sign legislation to regulate tobacco.

“This bill has obviously been a long time coming,” the president said in the Rose Garden.

“We've known for years, even decades, about the harmful, addictive, and often deadly effects of tobacco products.  Each year Americans pay nearly $100 billion in added healthcare costs due to smoking.

Each day about a thousand young people under the age of 18 become regular smokers.”

During the campaign, Obama had the usual love-hate relationship with Sot-Weed (the American Colonial term for the killer leaf). He was seen chomping on Nicorette gum to ease the withdrawal cravings and often said he would stop smoking to set a better example.  

When Obama appeared on NBC’s "Meet the Press" program in December, interviewer Tom Brokaw noted that the White House was a no-smoking zone.

"Have you stopped smoking," Brokaw asked.

"I have," Obama said. "What I said was that there are times where I have fallen off the wagon."

"Wait a minute," Brokaw interjected, "that means you haven’t stopped."

"Fair enough," Obama said. "What I would say is that I have done a terrific job under the circumstances of making myself much healthier. You will not see any violations of these rules in the White House."

The White House had no immediate comment today on Obama’s smoking. For those keeping track, the no-smoking rule was imposed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton back when she was first lady. 

In his televised comments, Obama stressed the bipartisan support for the anti-tobacco bill, which allows the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the making and marketing of tobacco products.

For the president, the political cooperation was important, especially as Congress heads into the healthcare reform debate, which is expected to be far more contentious than approving a bill dealing with tobacco – which was declared a health hazard four decades ago.

“Leaders of both parties have fought to prevent tobacco companies from marketing their products to children, and provide the public with the information they need to understand what a dangerous habit this is,” Obama said.  “And after a decade of opposition, all of us are finally about to achieve the victory with this bill, a bill that truly defines change in Washington.” 

-- Michael Muskal

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Cigarette packs are on display for sale in a shop April 1, 2009 in New York City. Today the federal tax on packs of cigarettes climbed from 39 cents to $1.01, the largest tobacco tax increase ever and affecting all tobacco products. (Photo by Mario Tama / Getty Images)

Comments

[Jerrold Abraham, MD]

Re the new FDA regulations on tobacco

It was shown in scientifc studies many years ago that smokers who switched to 'low tar/nicotine' cigarettes simply inhaled more or smoked more cigarettes in order to maintain their nicotine levels to which they were addicted.
So, aren't the new regulations actually going to be a (diabolically clever) boon to the cigarette manufacturers if they lower the nicotine content per cigarette, as addicted smokers will probably just buy and smoke MORE cigarettes to maintain their nicotine levels?

[truthandconsequences]

Now that the federal government is further regulating and taxing tobacco, which kills hundreds of thousands of americans each year, isnt it about time that we also regulate (i.e. legalize) and tax marijuana, which has been in use for thousands of years, and which to date has not caused one single death?

Mr. Obama said during his campaign that government policy should be based on truth and science. Those were his words, now we need some action.

[Aunt Y Gravity]

Well, Barry is probably still a smoker, but he won't have to buy them, but, we, as taxpayers will, as we did with his date night in NY. 04/01/2009-The federal tax on packs of cigarettes climbed from 39 cents to $1.01, the largest tobacco tax increase ever and affecting all tobacco products. The revenue accumulated is intended to pay for expanded healthcare coverage for uninsured children as part of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act -(uninsured children=illegals)

[occasional cigar]

based on my understanding of obama's smoking habits, the headline isn't accurate. he's trying to quit -- that doesn't make him a "former smoker" -- it makes him a smoker who is trying to quit...

[deBeer]

Not only will the smokers buy more, that is part of the plan. Look at the taxes raised by taxing cigarettes. Easy money for all governments. Anyone really believe this is being done for the good of the people? LOL

If smoking tails off to nothing look at the revenue holes left in so many programs funded by tobacco taxes. Then the lib's will have to find more devious ways to get your money until they have to straight up raise taxes on income. Coming soon to a neighborhood by you.

BTW Barry O still smokes so the headline as usual LA Times headline writers, is incorrect.

[Mo Lockhart]

i believe we should tax fast food chains..all those extra fat people are going to impact our health services as well. And tax the fast food chains for of their crappy waste that ends up in the parking lots around town. And fine those fatty's that just throw the paper and EXTRA packets for litering..give a hoot...don't pollute. At the least, smoker's understant that tobacco is bad for them. Junk food people think what they do is okay, because they see it on TV. which always presents us with the truth. Mo

[nerdovision]

NEWS FLASH - YOUR GOVERNMENT WANTS YOU DEAD! POPULATION CONTROL! THEY WANT YOU TO SMOKE TOBACCO, NOT E-CIGARETTES OR LIGHT CIGARETTES! THEY WANT YOU TO SMOKE THE FULL FLAVOR "FLAME RETARDED" TOBACCO CIGARETTE SO YOU DIE FASTER!

[BREAL]

Is Obama setting a good example for HIS CHILDREN? Is being unable to quit smoking a sign of weakness? Is that why Obama does not smoke in public? Obama is lying about quitting smoking as well as MOST OTHER THINGS ;)

BREAL

[Emily]

This is a good article, very informative. Hopefully we can see our president quit and maybe inspire others to as well.

[Joe]

Everyone seems to be missing the point. This bill has been put in place to help the overall health of Americans. It is good intentioned. Congrats to Obama for a job well done and his effort to fix his own bad habbit.

[Yannick Bravo]

I completely agree with making hurdles for people to smoke, yet financial hurdles is not the way. Most smokers are in the lower economic rings, and taxing them is not going to help. Besides, Big Tobacco, will make cheaper cigarettes with more additives to keep the cost down.

[Phil]

It's so lame that people still think it has to be hard to quit smoking. There is an easy way, too bad most smokers live in such fear of quitting that they can't even commit to reading a simple 150 page book for fear that it will work (which it does) and they will then be non-smokers.

I'm talking of course about Allen Carr's "Easy way to stop smoking". If you are a smoker who WANTS to quit, ALL you have to do is read the book with an open mind. Worked for me and MILLIONS of other people.

As for the legislation, when the FDA starts monitoring and regulating the way cigs are manufactured, there are bound to be some interesting results. How can the FDA approve any cig based on their current stringent requirements for approving anything for human consumption?