The Smoking Thread

Quote: Mission146

Or, a Libertarian President who just wouldn't pass any laws against smoking, regardless of where from.

We both know that will never happen.

The only possibility is somebody like Ron Paul or Gary Johnson winning the GOP nomination and then winning the election. But, the GOP is less libertarian now than ever so this would be a long shot.

But, nobody will win a Presidential election as a libertarian canidate.

I heard menthol cigarettes were marketed towards black communities, which made me wonder if menthol was being used to cover the taste of lower grade tobacco.

There has to be an angle explaining that choice by the companies.

Quote: rxwine

I heard menthol cigarettes were marketed towards black communities, which made me wonder if menthol was being used to cover the taste of lower grade tobacco.

There has to be an angle explaining that choice by the companies.

You have to ask, do blacks smoke menthol because ads targeted them or do ads target them because they smoke menthol?

It would hardly be the first item targeted towards blacks because they prefer it. KFC has or had "Spicy Crispy" chicken that was mainly sold in black areas. Blacks like orange soda in higher numbers than whites. So that blacks will prefer something in greater numbers than whites is hardly new news.

Quote: AZDuffman

You have to ask, do blacks smoke menthol because ads targeted them or do ads target them because they smoke menthol?

It would hardly be the first item targeted towards blacks because they prefer it. KFC has or had "Spicy Crispy" chicken that was mainly sold in black areas. Blacks like orange soda in higher numbers than whites. So that blacks will prefer something in greater numbers than whites is hardly new news.

Well, low grade tobacco would be cheaper for the tobacco company to market to economically distressed areas. So, my thought is menthol might have been used to cover the taste of it.

I wouldn’t really be surprised if orange flavored soda is one of the cheapest to manufacture either. Do they even use real orange flavoring?

Quote: rxwine

Well, low grade tobacco would be cheaper for the tobacco company to market to economically distressed areas. So, my thought is menthol might have been used to cover the taste of it.

Its all pretty cheap stuff and as far as I can remember all cigarettes of the same type cost the same no matter the brand.

In 1988 or so the were going to market a cigarette called "Uptown" as a "black cigarette." Other brands, like KOOL, have this reputation but this was planned. Of course consumer groups said that blacks were not smart enough to know not to smoke and it got pulled before launch.

But there might be some logic that blacks are more sensitive to tobacco taste so like menthol to mask it.

Culturally, young blacks smoke KOOLs and young whites Marlboro. Could just be that is how it is and goes.

Quote: AZDuffman

So that blacks will prefer something in greater numbers than whites is hardly new news.

I sometimes wonder whether blacks avoid buying and eating watermelon due a sense of "stigma."

They seem to really like Popeyes chicken and McDonalds; rarely see them in Cadillacs anymore, except the bling-folk with a pimped Escalade.

Quote: Gandler

We both know that will never happen.

The only possibility is somebody like Ron Paul or Gary Johnson winning the GOP nomination and then winning the election. But, the GOP is less libertarian now than ever so this would be a long shot.

But, nobody will win a Presidential election as a libertarian canidate.

I know that, but the damage is done, so I'm not going to just blindly support any person from a tobacco-producing state. I'm going to look at all elections objectively, decide whether or not I like the Republican (probably not) and then vote Libertarian or any party's candidate that is not a Democrat.

On issues, I will objectively look at ballot issues and vote for whatever I think Democrats will like the least.

I don’t believe it has to do with inherent preference. Just pricing. Lobster was once as popular as rat meat. I don’t think anyone’s tastebuds changed.

Name brands are higher priced. Generics have existed as long as I remember.

Quote: rxwine

Name brands are higher priced. Generics have existed as long as I remember.

From what I have seen, blacks are more consumerish and shun generics more than any other group. Similar to the mentality a millennial told me about student loan debt, namely they are buried forever so not going to skimp on everyday things.