A.G. Gancarski
Florida’s Governor is grumbling about moves from the Joe Biden administration that could prohibit the sale of menthol cigarettes.
“I would reverse that policy. I think it’s ridiculous what Biden’s doing,” Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday’s WFEA’s Morning Update with Drew Cline.
The White House hasn’t yet committed to the menthol ban, it should be noted, but it’s a priority of the Food and Drug Administration.
The Florida Governor cast aspersions at prohibition, saying that “things that have been legal for a long time, when you try to take it out, then there ends up just being a black market.”
A few years back, DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have raised the age to buy tobacco to 21 that would have also banned “liquid nicotine” products, contending at the time that would have empowered the “hazardous black market.”
During Wednesday’s interview, he made similar points about that bill, using the menthol moment to defend the rights of people to embrace vapes for smoking cessation purposes.
“If somebody goes from cigarettes to vape, it actually is much less damaging than doing the normal cigarettes. So these people were addicted to nicotine, this is what they had. And if you would have allowed that bill to go in, a lot of them probably would have gone back to cigarettes. That would have been totally counterproductive,” DeSantis said, eliding the fact that in this case, menthol is primarily used for the cigarettes he calls “damaging.”
The Governor’s main beef is with “an administrative bureaucracy deciding it wants to ban something … a runaway bureaucracy that decides it does like this or doesn’t like that and you can’t vote those bureaucrats out of office.”
The Governor isn’t alone among Florida politicians in his position. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio wrote a letter to the FDA in July warning that banning these products from being sold legally could lead to the black market filling in the holes. U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz argues that a menthol ban could lead to Hamas and Hezbollah filling the market void by trafficking the banned product.
Though DeSantis’ enthusiasm for menthol cigarettes is now on the record, it arguably contradicts his belief that cannabis should be banned, in part because he doesn’t like the “stench.”
“What I don’t like about it is if you go to some of these places that have done it, the stench when you’re out there, I mean, it smells so putrid,” he told reporters in 2022. “I could not believe the pungent odor that you would see in some of these places. I don’t want to see that here. I want people to be able to breathe freely.”
30 comments
Florida GOP. Adopts Nazi ideology
November 29, 2023 at 12:33 pm
The question is why don’t. The republicans want Americans to be healthy! Reduce health care costs and allow for people to live better lives.
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Prognostager" American
December 6, 2023 at 10:21 am
Good Mornting American Patriots,
EARL SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO WHITE DOOK 4 BRAINS LEFTY’s:
Good Mornting White Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s,
Lunch Box Joe and the rest of y’all White Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s dont care that menthol ciggs are 83% an American Black People thing.
We dont appriciate your better than thou attitude. We enjoy our Menthol Ciggs. We were already leaving your plantation and voting Republican this Presidental election.
Now the menthol thing makes us hate you White Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s even more. Y’all triffaling freaks have gotten on our last nerve.
Thank you Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s,
Earl Pitts American
rick whitaker
December 6, 2023 at 11:13 am
WARNING ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL DOOK
Dale A Arnold
November 29, 2023 at 12:47 pm
The Florida Governor cast aspersions at prohibition, saying that “things that have been legal for a long time, when you try to take it out, then there ends up just being a black market.”
You mean like a woman’s right to choose?
ScienceBLVR
November 29, 2023 at 1:20 pm
The exact comment I was going to make after reading the post! I guess ya beat me to it.
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Prognostager" American
December 6, 2023 at 10:25 am
White Dook 4 Brains Lefty’
rick whitaker
December 6, 2023 at 11:10 am
CAUTION ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL SHITTS
Robin Walker
November 30, 2023 at 11:59 am
That’s exactly what I thought as I read his high-nesses words.
The Florida Governor picks and chooses which issues to go Nazi dictator on according to His personal beliefs … or perhaps his mood.
In any event, that’s not how a democracy works.
Despite the fact that he’s correct about the impending menthol cigarette ban, Ron DeSantis needs to be out of political power before he does any further damage to the Rights of the people.
Personally , I truly dislike cigarettes but it’s not my choice … or any lawmaker’s choice to dictate what people can or can not smoke.
… or what they can or can not do with their own body.
Robin Galvin
November 30, 2023 at 9:57 pm
A baby is a baby not a woman’s body. It’s a life. Yes dependent on a woman’s body but so is a newborn.
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Prognostager" American
December 6, 2023 at 10:26 am
White Dook 4 Brains Lefty’
rick whitaker
December 6, 2023 at 11:05 am
WARNING ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL DOOK SHITTS
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Prognostager" American
December 6, 2023 at 10:25 am
White Dook 4 Brains Lefty’
rick whitaker
December 6, 2023 at 10:28 am
CAUTION ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL SHITTS
PeterH
November 29, 2023 at 1:03 pm
This whine needs a bit of cheese!
Republicans are America’s worst enemy!
Vote all Republicans out of office!
Debra
November 30, 2023 at 12:11 am
Yes yes yes…
LET’S START WITH DESANTIS
Jo Henrion
November 30, 2023 at 12:07 pm
He’s the first on my list. His military force for fair elections, do they make sure everyone votes Republican ? Book burning? Knowledge is power. Didn’t Yale teach that?
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Prognostager" American
December 6, 2023 at 10:26 am
White Dook 4 Brains Lefty’
rick whitaker
December 6, 2023 at 10:46 am
CAUTION ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL DOOK
rick whitaker
November 29, 2023 at 2:00 pm
desantis is stone cold desperate. he will say anything anytime to TRY to get a vote.
Who killed Peter Antonacci? 🧐
November 29, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Ron, why not address the question about how a man was allowed to lay dying in your office for 24 minutes, and then why did you cover the whole thing up?
Rita Ernst
November 30, 2023 at 7:44 am
Get your facts straight. He wasn’t in the Governor’s Office. He was in the hallway which goes to prove that people were at their work stations not roaming the halls.
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Prognostager" American
December 6, 2023 at 10:27 am
White Dook 4 Brains Lefty’
rick whitaker
December 6, 2023 at 10:30 am
CAUTION ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL DOOK
Charles
November 30, 2023 at 2:45 am
You mean like banning abortion, don”t say gay,Black Lives Matter, peaceful assembly, or anything else the govetnor doesn’t like!
Rita Ernst
November 30, 2023 at 7:58 am
Many people view abortion as murder and “don’t say gay” was the spin the media put on a bill that was actually a “parents rights bill” to choose what their child is taught in school. The BLM movement became violent and was opposed by many who once agreed with them. Anything for an article A.G.???
Jo Henrion
November 30, 2023 at 12:13 pm
The problem with learning everything in school is it doesn’t always happen. I lived in a very rural area where almost everyone was white. After I left home and learned about homosexuality, I called my Mom and asked why she never told me. She replied, “I’m sorry honey, I don’t know anything about it”. I taught my own Mother a lot of things which she simply never experienced. There are so many people who are against guys, single motherhood, etc that have never talked to anyone who has experienced those things. I find it incredible how deep their opinions run, without a shred of investigation or any attempt to understand the issue.
rick whitaker
December 6, 2023 at 10:40 am
rita, you are brainwashed and don’t know that the things you say are either false or un-American. i have no sympathy for you. fortunately you are in a minority group and will be discounted more and more as time goes on. your god gave you a brain, use it.
Lex
November 30, 2023 at 8:42 am
I just thank God that we have complete control of our southern border so when we ban these things they can’t just be brought in through Mexico. {sarcasm}
woke to jah toke
November 30, 2023 at 8:33 pm
Geeze, the founding fathers grew and smoked marijuana and it was legal until DuPont invented nylon and got the lawmakers to ban reefer and hemp. Yet, Rona is fine with fighting that plant. As for the phrase “black market” that just seems racist like saying “woke” is bad. Screw you DeSatan!
Sonja Fitch
December 5, 2023 at 3:16 pm
“Disgusting “ great and the bestest of Desantis! Lol
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