Jacob's Mind

My Pumpkin plant is about 5 feet long already.

a little frog who likes my side yard.



Castor beans about 9 days after planting.

            Our federal government should not discourage smoking.  Smoking is a healthful process the discouragement of which, by the government, would be a gross undermining of local and state health departments.  Discouraging the smoking of meats would in the long term be detrimental to the farmers, producers, retailers, and consumers.

            If the federal government stepped in and tried to discourage smoking there could be benefits.  Less land would be damaged due to a lower need for the wood used in smokers in turn causing less deforestation.  With less deforestation there would be more trees to help filter our air reducing the harmful effects of the pollution previously caused by smokers.  Less demand for exotic woods could also help reduce deforestation in South America preserving the habitats of protected animals like the Red Footed Tortoise.  Less tropical land cleared would also reduce the open space to grow crops used to produce drugs which fund terrorism.  On the home front a well planned campaign may lessen the quantity of backyard smokers reducing the annual number of house fires.

            On the down side government input would cause market stagnation.  Producers with a lack of demand for quality smoked product would buy less raw meat.  Farmers raising animals for slaughter would get a lower price due to the now excessive supply.  Farm subsidies paid out from tax money would increase while the taxes collected to pay them would decrease.  The potential bankruptcies faced by the smaller producers like Hummel Bros. would bring buyouts by the big shots like Oscar Mayer who, being owned by the Altria Group - Kraft and Philip Morris, would be better leveraged to push their less healthful fried and processed meat products in a market becoming more of a monopoly.  Without competition the big shots can raise prices and turn large profits on lower quality less healthful products, ultimately hurting the consumer.

            Although there may be some theoretical benefits to federal involvement in the discouragement of smoking the practicality of the situation precludes that from being the best option.  Some less direct discouragement would be more beneficial both to consumers and those who bring the product to market.  The introduction of alternative crops and free continued agricultural education for farmers might be a good start.  Reduce the supply causing an increase in quality, in demand and in the price per pound of finished product would be a worthwhile effort.  In parallel get news casters to explain better dieting to the public in simple terms anyone can understand.  The average person listens to and does whatever their favorite newscaster tells them to, after all if it’s on the news it must be correct.