Family Smoking Prevention And Tobacco Control Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, many years ago, author and commentator Bruce Herschensohn made the point that for every pleasure in life, there is a corresponding risk. I think that is a universal truth: for every pleasure in life, there is a corresponding risk.

And he pointed out it is true that with enough taxes and laws and restrictions and regulations and penalties and lectures, government can produce a virtually risk-free society, but it will also be one of the most colorless, pleasureless, tedious, and miserable societies ever conceived by the mind of man.

I think that is the case. The health dangers of smoking are real and they are well-documented. We all agree on that. It is a very bad thing to do.

Our schools rightly make a concerted effort to inform every child of the health risks associated with tobacco products, and they do a good job of it.

Our government warns every adult of the risks associated with tobacco products, and they do a good job of it, too.

As a result, I don't believe there is a single individual in the United States today who doesn't well and fully comprehend the health dangers of tobacco. But once those warnings are issued, how much further should government go to make individual decisions for rational adults as they weigh the risks of smoking for themselves? Personally, I think they are making a very bad decision, but they probably think others are making bad decisions when they decide to go skiing or bungee jumping or sky diving or thousands of other pleasures that incur corresponding and calculated risks.

I would ask today, whatever happened to the notion of individual responsibility? And whatever happened to the notion, as Jefferson put it, of a wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, but shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement?

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