Clove and other flavored cigarettes

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Last Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enacted a ban on all clove, fruit or candy flavored cigarettes in the U.S. The reason they've given is that it is a "gateway" cigarette for teenagers. Never mind that it is already illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to purchase, possess or smoke cigarettes of any kind. No, the FDA feels they need to slap the hand of law-abiding adults who choose to be consumers of these products. So let's take a look at what other "gateway" products lead to danger for teenagers. I remember many a Friday night with my high school friends where on or all of use were able to obtain a couple of bottles of beer or wine coolers for our gatherings. These are certainly gateway alcohols because they're so much easier to obtain than other spirits. Those should be banned. Marijuana, while still officially illegal, can be obtained by prescription for those who have glaucoma, cancer or any other legitimate reason for using the substance. This is the ORIGINAL gateway drug. Close up shop on Ventura Beach - it's dangerous for teenagers. Driving is also a dangerous activity for teenagers. Just Saturday night, the lives of four young people, all under the age of 19, were tragically ended not more than five miles from my home. The preliminary investigation reveals that they were on their way to a party, travelling at speed inexcess of 100 mph and blew through a stop sign. The car was broadsided, both vehicles flipped over several times. Clearly teenage driving is dangerous. It starts with bikes -- ban tricycles. And of course, we all know the statistiics on teen pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases. Perhaps it's time for the FDA to mandate at-birth castration to avoid issues later in life. I hope that my examples are ludicrous to everyone reading this. But I do believe we are on a slippery slope. I do not believe our founding fathers would be pleased with the latest developments in our democracy. The power of the government is spiraling out of control (and I'm a REPUBLICAN saying that!) So now that the FDA's ban has been in effect one week now, if you are a connoisseur of these cigarettes - how has it affected you? And at what point will YOU stand up and say, "ENOUGH!"?