Why is smoking cigarettes legal?

Answer 1

because they bring a huge amount of tax revenue to the state and federal governments. which is wrong i personally hate cigarettes, they should be banned despite how much tax. Cigarettes r bad for u.

Answer 2

Because politicians are more easily influenced by rich contributors than by ethical considerations. Additionally, when you make a drug illegal you simply create a black market that causes more problems. That happened with prohibition in the 20th Century, and is happening again with the so-called War on Drugs. The answer is to slowly raise the price of the drug so that more and more people are influenced to stop using it. This is being done in some place, but ignored in others.

Answer 3

Too much money in it. Cigarettes themselves are expensive, but people end up spending even more money on ways to quit (gum, patches, therapy, etc.), medications and medical treatment from whatever cancers it'll give you, and money to the funeral director who is gonna bury you once cigs have killed you...

Answer 4

Too many people still have the habit, and the tobacco companies spent too much money for too long in Washington, for a ban to happen quickly. Two words, politics and money. Tobacco companies pay big dollars to politicians and lawmakers to keep their products legal. Governments make HUGE tax dollars on tobacco sales.

Here's an little factoid to illustrate: In Canada in the 1990's, one 20 count package of cigarettes cost $5.25 average retail. $4.86 of that price was taxes collected by government. Today, in 2009, the retail price of that same package of cigarettes is from $7 to $10 per pack. The cost to produce the cigarettes really hasn't increased much, it's still less than $2 per pack, so you do the math.

Answer 5

it's ARE cigarettes legal, and yes, if your over the age of 18, they are legal in the US.

The cigarettes are legal in the US , but be carefull there are many restrictions about it, like the banning of smoking in restaurants, working places or casinos.

Answer 6

Because they are legal cash crop, the USA makes billions from tobacco every year, and because as Prohibition proved with alcohol in the 1930s; it is extremely difficult to make something illegal if the people really want it, no matter how unhealthy it really is.

Answer 7

That is an excellent question and one that many people have been wondering about for years. The main reason is that the tobacco companies got here first and are now so entrenched in the system that it's going to be almost impossible to get rid of them. Tobacco and marijuana have both been smoked pretty much since mankind discovered fire, but marijuana has a reputation for being more addictive and mood-altering than tobacco, so it's illegal in much of the world.

Answer 8

Because people like to smoke. It's kinda like choclate