Tobacco Regulatory Chief Speaks

He did not say much. I wish that the FDA would just come out and tell us what their plan is. It is hard to know how to respond to a government program when the government will not tell you what they are planning to do. I call for plan old honesty.

Not alot of info there, but what was said didn't sound like the hammer was coming down either!

It seems like they don't even know what's going on. I can't believe they're actually entertaining the notion that some products are less harmful than others. That's a tremendous step forward that they're admitting that much. Maybe there's hope yet?

Remember that the speaker was talking to a group of convenience store operators.

Oh, I know and I ain't about to trust them on it. It just surprised me that he would even say that. I find it very interesting that he broke the whole "tobacco is evil" narrative, if only slightly. It just seems to me that if they admitted that much, then they must've hit a bump in their plans.

Hopefully the bump they have hit in their plan is common sense, or maybe the people of this country are staring to get fed up with over regulation. Would that be to much to ask?

Yep, people are sick and tired of regulations and have had enough...EXCEPT when it comes to smoking. We're hated, talked about, pointed at and now fined for smoking in some states. They could put a 300% tax on tobacco and the response would be... Why not 400%?
Being out of the daily limelight of working and smoking around people for a decade, the transformation was more of what I'd heard, not experienced. I have a man cave and a cigar club so the change that's occurred over the last 10 years never hit me until last week in Syracuse NY at my daughter’s graduation (my bio-chemist 401K). I'm outside with my neighbors, family and friends and they don't care, in fact are interested in which blend I'm smoking. They do like my pipe over the cigars. I knew that smoking was going to be an issue, but it was terrible and fracking degrading. For the first time I felt the weight that younger smokers are under. My hats off guys! I was made to bundle up in 40 degree weather and told to stand by a black post and "if you could stay within 20’ that would be nice". No cover, but hey a picnic bench woot! Every once in a while an employee would run out, take 6-8 quick buffs and throw the death stick in our perimeter marker. For what they cost I'm amazed, hell I don't dump a bowl till it's cooked. Bottom line; always remember we are hated by 95%+ of the people.