Nixon and Smoking - April 1st, 1970

April 1st, 1970

Dear Diary,

Recently, I was confident that Richard M. Nixon was the man that was going to take this planet boldly into the future.  Today, I am not so sure.  Today, President Nixon signed away the rights of millions of Americans.  He has inserted the government into the personal lives of every American man, woman and child and I think the consequences on the USA and the rest of North American will be calamitous.  Today, President Nixon signed a law prohibiting the advertising of cigarettes on television.

This law does not take effect until January 1st of 1971, so the cigarette companies have a few months to prepare.  But how are people to make informed decisions as to what cigarettes to buy?  Perhaps the cigarette companies will improve their magazine advertisements and provide more information as to the benefits of their specific brands.  It is unfair and unfortunate that such a clear and direct way of communicating with customers has been closed off by excessive government intervention.

I went to the Convenience Store after school today to buy some cigarettes.  As I suspected, there are seemingly hundreds of different brands.  I didn't know where to begin.  Imagine how difficult things will be for children of the future that will have even less knowledge than I have.  And worst of all, the proprietor refused to sell me the cigarettes as it could cause him to "lose his license".  I was forced to complete my first attempt at smoking by digging through an ashtray for a discarded cigarette.  I did not enjoy it.

US Postal workers are still on strike.  Can you believe they are allowed to do this?  There must be some law to force them back to work.  Needless to say, I still do not have my X-Ray Spectacles.  This is yet another failed test of Nixon leadership.

SJH 


Added May 28, 2012