Why is cigarette production legal?

why is it legal? since its addictive and it can cause many illness, it is very similar to illegal drugs.. so why?

to make money
money talks

I need a brief explanation on this, because I need it for my research project.. thank you very much!

Because the tobacco manufacturers are donating thousands of $$$ to the senators and congressman and they in turn, turn their heads and allow tobacco to be sold. Like the answer above said, it's all about money. It's like saying you fill my pockets, we will fill yours!

A good question. The answer is a bit complicated. First the tobacco States (the states where tobacco is a large part of their economy) would lose lots of money and jobs. So the senators from those states make sure that a law like that dose not get introduced. Second the tobacco industry (Much more then cigarettes) Spends millions of dollars to convince people not to take actions like that and to do things that will help them make more money. Third is you have millions of smokers out there(I'm one of them) who are addicted to their smoking habit, and would fight against any such type of law. Fourth is the US government makes Billions of dollars every year in taxes from this industry, plus if you make it illegal people will find a way to grow and sell it on the black market( no tax money). Hope this helps.

Tobacco production flourished by the sweat of slaves in the antebellum American south and became a huge cash crop. That money got tied in with government, and since smoking was fashionable until about 25 years ago, big tobacco has been allowed cushy spots on top of the business world, and coincidentally Forbes' 500 list, since then.
Now they're just playing king of the mountain. They throw money at politicians so as to maintain their power while in-turn using that power to dissuade (kick off) any smaller entities that may be trying to climb up to usurp their position.
Yet they're either losing ground or slyly keeping up appearances as evidenced by the bans of cigarette advertising, increased de-merit taxes, and pressure to dump money into smoking cessation programs. Also from an economics point of view there it still a market for cigarettes by the 33% of Americans who still smoke, so where there's demand there's supply or else a black market occurs which the gov't can't tax so why miss out on the ride?

RJ Reynolds is my boy

Tobacco production flourished by the sweat of slaves in the antebellum American south and became a huge cash crop. That money got tied in with government, and since smoking was fashionable until about 25 years ago, big tobacco has been allowed cushy spots on top of the business world, and coincidentally Forbes' 500 list, since then.
Now they're just playing king of the mountain. They throw money at politicians so as to maintain their power while in-turn using that power to dissuade (kick off) any smaller entities that may be trying to climb up to usurp their position.
Yet they're either losing ground or slyly keeping up appearances as evidenced by the bans of cigarette advertising, increased de-merit taxes, and pressure to dump money into smoking cessation programs. Also from an economics point of view there it still a market for cigarettes by the 33% of Americans who still smoke, so where there's demand there's supply or else a black market occurs which the gov't can't tax so why miss out on the ride?

RJ Reynolds is my boy

Tobacco production flourished by the sweat of slaves in the antebellum American south and became a huge cash crop. That money got tied in with government, and since smoking was fashionable until about 25 years ago, big tobacco has been allowed cushy spots on top of the business world, and coincidentally Forbes' 500 list, since then.
Now they're just playing king of the mountain. They throw money at politicians so as to maintain their power while in-turn using that power to dissuade (kick off) any smaller entities that may be trying to climb up to usurp their position.
Yet they're either losing ground or slyly keeping up appearances as evidenced by the bans of cigarette advertising, increased de-merit taxes, and pressure to dump money into smoking cessation programs. Also from an economics point of view there it still a market for cigarettes by the 33% of Americans who still smoke, so where there's demand there's supply or else a black market occurs which the gov't can't tax so why miss out on the ride?

RJ Reynolds is my boy

Sorry I didn't mean to post 3 times, I thought my internet was effing with me

thank you very much guys

Tobacco itself has been traded and use as a form of payment since before the days of James Town. Tobacco built this country. It was during the 1940's and 50's that tobacco companies had told people that tobacco was good for you was not habit forming and could cure some illness till it was found that tobacco was habit forming and causes cancer. The tobacco companies have been able to get away with this because of the money these companies had. The federal government lead the way to putting an end to these companies not tell the American people the truth about tobacco and putting regulation after regulation. The tobacco companies today make more money from foreign sale than sale in the U.S. Tobacco has a very long and profitable history in the U.S. and will never go out of business as long as some one will use their product.

Cigarette production is legal because people want to buy cigarettes. Remember Prohibition? It didn't work.

its legal...But should be made illegal

BIG BUCKS .for the Government...BIG BUCKS for the Government...BIG BUCKS for the Government...

The very SAME government who makes you wear seatbelts, helmets, makes trans fats illegal, decides how many calories you should have, decides which dogs you can own...I could go on and on...ALL to keep you safe...

Doesn't make much sense...does it?

p

Because the tobacco companies have more political power and money than they know what to do with. As long as all the politicians are getting "their piece of the pie" they will rally to keep smoking legal