the prohibitions placed on tobacco in the eighteen nineties, by the first World War, negativity towards tobacco began to fade. The lack of scientific evidence that smoking was harmful at the beginning of the century, and the war effort increased the demand for cigarettes. People only suspected the addictiveness of Nicotine, but could not prove it. It was not until the mid nineteen fifties that smoking was linked to lung cancer and other illnesses. Also at this time, the Tobacco Institute was created. The Tobacco Institute is a lobby, or organization that seeks to influence lawmakers for their own benefit. Today in the nineties, tobacco is legal but restricted depending on where you go. Tobacco sales are restricted to minors, some places have banned vending machines, most have banned sale and use of tobacco in schools, and even more have prohibited the sale of single cigarettes, or free samples of cigarettes.Arguments for tobaccoSince our nation was founded we have prided ourselves in the right and ability of our people to make their own decisions and be responsible for their own actions. There are those in our nation that believe tobacco should be prohibited. These people feel that the free use and sale of tobacco infringes on their rights in some way. Others, smokers and non-smokers alike, feel that trying to stop every dangerous and addictive activity is futile, especially with a direct attack such as prohibition. In the nineteen twenties, our government prohibited the sale and possession of all alcoholic beverages. It started out as a popular idea, but ended in much public resentment. Not only was prohibition a failure, but it made matters worse. It made criminals out of law abiding citizens. It brought large amounts of cash out of our economic flow and into illegal markets. It did not cause consumption of alcohol to decrease. It increased consumption, disrespect for the law, and law enforcement corruption. What prohibition is most ...
