City councilor Margaret Rice, one of the few sane voices on this issue, speaks out in favor of self-ownership.
Just one day after the 85th anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition, the Keene City Council voted 10-4 to publicly express their ignorance on the matter and increase nicotine prohibition within the city limits. All of the testimony on the matter given on at least three separate occasions didn’t matter, despite most testifying against the idea.
Reminding the councilors of the lessons of history didn’t work. Though alcohol prohibition was a tragic, predictable failure, apparently they councilors think that banning the sale to and possession of nicotine by those under the age of 21 is going to somehow keep it out of the hands of middle schoolers. The councilors who voted in favor never addressed the fact that middle schoolers are already able to acquire nicotine despite it being illegal for them to do so. They also didn’t explain how increasing the legal age to 21 from 18 would have any effect on underage possession.
That’s because prohibition is an authoritarian fantasy that never works and always has predictable, destructive, unintended consequences. All they are doing is punishing innocent store owners’ bottom line and increasing the likelihood that more college students will be harassed by the police for simply walking down the street with a vaporizer or cigarette and “looking under 21”.
They’ve ramped up the futile, pointless, counterproductive war on drugs in Keene and we’re all going to be worse off for it. The ban has also sparked a political fire in Dan Cavallero, the owner of Monadnock Vapor, who has announced he’s planning to run for Keene city council in 2019 as a result of this stupid move by the council.
Cavallero has been the most active opponent of the measure, having attended every public hearing and testified, even while on crutches from a recent injury. Here’s the last public hearing video from the city’s MSFI committee which features Cavallero, me, and others testifying against the insanity of prohibition. Sadly, it fell on deaf ears:
Good. We need new blood on the council.
It seems that from the commentary provided by the people representing the city, it’s the city’s position that it’s a privilege to be able to choose what you put into your own body and that the city simply allows this agency in most areas but has the RIGHT to revoke this at any point. All of this in an age where we seem to be realizing that it’s also more humane to allow someone to take their own life. Would these same councilors suggest that’s it immoral and wrong to commit suicide when the quality of life has diminished to… Read more »
Some prohibit nicotine and some prohibit Jews. Prohibitionists = Nazis.
Indeed Lester. These city council guys sure care a lot about scoring moral character points with the busybody demographic, don’t they? You’d best vote them out sooner than later.
Ian, you said middle school children are already obtaining nicotine products. Just what are those products? People are more educated about the effects of smoking and nicotine. Vaping has just as much nicotine as cigarettes. Smoking is everyone’s problem. One person lights up and those around him/her are also inhaling second hand smoke and being exposed to dangerous carcinogens. A smoker doesn’t have the right to put my health in jeopardy. Children do not need nicotine products. Restrictions on these products are a good thing and soon more and more restrictions will be placed on nicotine products. Running for city… Read more »
Jacks my sweets, in what way are the smokers of Keene, NH putting YOUR health at risk? After all, you live far, far away from here, now don’t you pookums?
Oh, and Jacks? I see you’re one of those sorts who still believes in all of that nonsense about secondhand smoke. I wonder why you haven’t bothered to keep up on all of the scientific studies pertaining to this topic? Why even some of the lefties over at Slate have given up on this ridiculous notion!
By the way, Jacks, there are lots of benefits to using nicotine. Even those fine lads at over at Harvard Medical School seem to think so!
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Nicotine_It_may_have_a_good_side
And it’s not just them! There are others who understand that nicotine use has its benefits as well! Boy, it’s a good thing there are still honest folks around to tell us the truth about these sorts of things, right Jacks?
https://tonic.vice.com/en_us/article/xw7agz/four-surprising-potential-health-benefits-of-nicotine
https://www.nootropedia.com/benefits-of-nicotine/
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/opinion/sunday/can-nicotine-be-good-for-you.html
They didn’t come for the trade unionists yet so I don’t give a flying flip
Jacks: There are major differences between products with nicotine. Being pro freesom does not make one pro smoking. I reconize the dangers and still reconize that vape products are better in some ways than cigarettes even if both have nicotine. The danger is not in the nicotine, but other carcinogens in the cigarettes more or less. That isn’t to say that vape might not be more addictive etc. There is also no such thing as second hand smoke from vaping. You are not putting anybody in danger and yet you still argue against something you are ignorant about. Vape products… Read more »
The key element to Jacks’s thinking is that his ambitions are much more important than anyone else’s. You see Kk, Jacks here knows best how to live our lives and he’s absolutely unwavering in his commitment to live it for us no matter what anyone says to the contrary. Isn’t he just the best, Kk?
Did you all see Graham vaping in the front row of a Keene court?.. It was funny… Them days ain’t coming back lol… It was in a pic or video
Kk – There is dangers from second hand smoke while vaping. Vaping has just as many carcinogens as smoking cigarettes Vaping is the same as smoking twice as many cigarettes. The info is out there. I suggest you educate yourself. Vaping is just another way to get nicotine in your system and continue to keep the same bad habits while trying to convince yourself that it is better then smoking cigarettes. This is what’s in the vapors you inhale and the second hand smoke. Acrolein damages lungs by attacking the molecules that hold endothelial cells together. [1,2] Diethylene glycol, which… Read more »
That was a first-rate cut and paste you did there, Jacks. Kudos! But you really do need to start putting more effort into keeping up with this science stuff. It’s not 1982 anymore, pookums!
https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/105/24/1844/2517805
Jacks your talking bullshit all the science on vaping says it’s relatively safe equivalent to to drinking coffee
Considering what an anti drug zealot you happen to you’d probably have caffiene banned you’ve probably already gathered articles & other data to already confirm your anti drug bias ad you’ve done on all other substances.
Here’s an idea why don’t you cease telling peeps how to live their lives & FUCK OFF! What the fuck are you doing posting here anyways I mean you ain’t going to convince anybody of you bullshit peeps just think you a nuisance.
But ZX81, can’t you see how “educated” Jacks is about these matters? That alone makes him eminently qualified to tell the rest of us how to live our lives, don’t you think?
ZX81 – you are just talking out of your ass. There is no positive data for any kind of smoking or vaping. The people I take care of cannot smoke or vape in my facilities. Where or not I approve of caffeine has nothing to do with this post. Your ants and raves fall on deaf ears. You refuse to educate yourself even though you know you are wrong. Posting a couple of articles you think would argue your case means nothing. they are all conjecture and what if’s. I get the real medical journals you couldn’t afford or come… Read more »
Federal courts have upheld the right of a terminally ill 18 year old man to have a lethal cocktail of chemicals injected into his bloodstream administered by a physician but the people representing the city of keene, and their attorney, intend to prevent him from vaping.
You know Jacks, a peer-reviewed study on second-hand smoke is hardly something to consider as conjecture. Frankly my dear, I think you’ve been granting those people you’re heroically taking care of a huge disservice by refusing to expand that narrow education of yours beyond what you learned in nursing school. Don’t you think you owe it to your patients to remain up to date with current medical literature, pookums?
Jacks loves to twist peoples words. Nobody said vaping was good for you. It’s just not harmful to people near you the same way second hand smoke from cigarettes have at least at one point or another been argued to be. Nicotine is addictive and in that sense vaping is no better, but that isn’t the part that kills. The part that kills doesn’t get exhausted when vaping so the entire argument that we should ban it is utter propaganda by nut jobs like yourself that want to control everyone. Your a violent lunatic that I’d argue somebody would be… Read more »
kk – Show me where I am twisting words? You are wrong about the second hand smoke from vaping. Nicotine ingestion causes high blood pressure, increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke. I already posted the carcinogens associated with vaping. You chose not to listen to reason regarding your health and the health of others. Prove I’m a violent “lunatic” Those are your words and very stupid words at that. Making a statement that you would shoot me just shows the infantile thoughts rolling around in the space between your ears. Your violent remarks clearly show you are… Read more »
Vaping did not exist in 1982. There wasn’t any “science stuff” on the matter. Why don’t you do us all a favor and breathe deeply over a campfire.
Jacks my sweets, how is it possible to have a civilized conversation with you when you keep insisting upon poking a gun into everyone’s back and insisting that we live our lives the way YOU want us to?
Oh, and Jacks? Did you know that caffeine, sugar, and salt are also known to elevate blood pressure? Once you violent lunatics have successfully banned all nicotine products for public consumption, will banning those things be next on your list? I’m sure they will be. You busybodying types can never, ever leave people to live their lives as they see fit, now can you pookie bear?
My goodness, NNH! Aren’t you a little rapscallion! But I wasn’t referring to vaping, sweet pea. I was commenting on the fanciful notion of “passive smoking.” That idea was all the rage in the 1980s, now wasn’t it dearest?
Jacks: “Show me where I am twisting words? ” I already pointed one example out. ie “Nobody said vaping was good for you.” ” Nicotine ingestion causes high blood pressure, increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.” Again- that has nothing to do with second hand smoke from vaping because the exhaust is water vapor. What you are referring to is the direct ingest by persons vaping and not second hand smoke. “I already posted the carcinogens associated with vaping.” Nobody disagrees that vaping has carcinogens- but that doesn’t mean there is second hand smoke that is endangering… Read more »
Again, your pathetic rants and raves fall on deaf ears. I You have proven yourself to be a hypocrite and stupid. I can’t lower myself down to your level of stupidity.
Say Jacks, I have a capital idea! Instead of lowering yourself to kk’s level of stupidity, maybe you could persuade him to see things your way by giving him access to some of those “real medical journals” you’ve been telling us all about? You know, the ones that the rest of us ordinary folks can’t afford or otherwise could ever hope to come by? I’ll bet that stuff would convince the rest of us that you’re right! So what do you say, Jacks? Care to put your money where your mouth is?
Hey jacks it’s Xmas the season of giving so stop being an utter cunt & fuck off
ZX81 – I was just going to say that to you. Yawn……………zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
My goodness Jacks, you’re better than this, aren’t you? Instead sinking down to ZX81’s level, why don’t you one-up him instead by posting one of those “real medical journals” you mentioned earlier? Come on Jacks, show us what you’re really made of!
Jacks lacks an ability to reason and think logically which is why he is responding the way he is. Its 3 year old mentality.
Jacks has no need to learn how to reason or think logically, Kk! After all, he has access to all of those “real medical journals” that are completely out of our reach! We can’t be expected to stand up against that sort of scholarship, now can we?
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LOLOLOLOL
Lemme ask: y’all ever get tired sucking each other off over in your “Shire”?
Though I *am* legitimately sorry to hear of Hampton’s demise — he was the sanest of your lot; probably why he gave you the boot. But the rest of you are marvels of misanthropy, icons of idiocy, and just in general give a bad name to people trying to do good things that you, yourselves, seem to find issue with.