I began smoking a briar only a few months ago and every time I pick up a piece of literature about pipe or cigar smoking, I can't escape the legal issue surrounding the tobacco industry and the possibility of banning it. I hope I don't step on too many toes with this because this is a delicate issue which will only be debated and never settled, regardless of legislation. In fact I just sat in on a lecture from a visiting professor from Venezuela on this very issue this afternoon.
Cigarette smoking is very habit forming and can easily become addicting.
If we make tobacco illegal, we will have a lot of addicted cigarette smokers running around trying to find a leaf to roll and light up. The cigarette smokers will still get their cigarettes, but I hardly doubt that I would ever buy an ounce of illicit pipe tobac. The pipe and cigar smokers would have to give up one of their favorite pastimes. We are the ones who would be affected most. My point is that what we have now is a social issue.