Ideally we would ban cigarettes and other tobacco products completely. Unfortunately, there are already millions of adults that are addicted to tobacco and so banning it now would be a bad idea. Instead, we put in place policies that heavily discourage young people from smoking in the first place, so that in the future fewer and fewer people will smoke (as Link showed, 99% of adult smokers start smoking when they're young; if we discourage them from doing so then, it's unlikely that they'll start when they're older). It's really not that complicated.
And no one cares about the "right to smoke cigarettes." Just typing it out makes me feel ridiculous. Maybe when the libertarians recognize a "right to healthcare" or a "right to drink clean water and breathe clean air" I'll recognize their pathetic "right to smoke cigarettes."
I'm not a fan of this genre of regulation.. but with the rising availability and popularity of vaporizers as a healthier, less noxious smelling alternative, actual tobacco smoking limitations don't bother me.
But for the millionth time, plenty of people don't start smoking because it's cool (although it certainly is). It gives you a buzz. It is a drug. And a very intriguing one at that. If you are for marijuana legalisation and against nicotine, you are kind of an idiot.
It's a drug, but it's a sh**tty one with literally zero long-term benefits (alcohol is also a sh**tty drug because it's virtually impossible to maintain the initial high without getting fatigued or progressively drunker and drunker or both, but I digress..). How is it even intriguing? All it does is create a relaxing effect, but the craving for such an effect is non-existent if you never start smoking. There's no sustained euphoria, no bonding or empathy (unless striking up a conversation with someone you just bummed a cigarette from is considered 'bonding') no cool visual effects or enhanced appreciation for the arts or music, and no unique perspectives offered. Obviously banning tobacco is stupid, but opposing nicotine use within a culture of responsible drug use is not hypocritical or ignorant at all.
Plus, and most importantly, responsible use of marijuana and alcohol (and even irresponsible use of marijuana and alcohol usually) do not result in a host of horrible health problems, up to and including dying of cancer. Supporting the former two but opposing the latter makes perfect sense.
