| Because tobacco use is deeply engrained in culture, economy, politics, etc. There are tons of social and economical interests tied into all of that. Tobacco use has a long history. Archeological finds indicate that humans in the Americas began using tobacco as far back as 12,300 years ago, thousands of years earlier than previously documented. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_tobacco Also, society doesn't consist of people who all share the same mindset or the same faculties to come to a particular notion. There's a wild amount of diversity which defines people's identity. It is said that you can't reason someone out of a position they haven't reasoned themselves into. If you were raised in an environment with tobacco use, there's a high likelihood you're going to be a smoker from a young age as well. Wholesale prohibiting tobacco use sounds like an easy fix. But it really isn't. Prohibitionism as a legal philosophy has its fair share of criticism as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibitionism Consider the complex history of Prohibition in the U.S. during the 1920s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_Stat... That doesn't mean tobacco, alcohol or any other drug consumption is problematic. It very much is, and it comes with immense suffering and a massive societal cost which shouldn't be ignored. But instead of approaching consumption as a singular law enforcement issue, the bigger challenge is to approach the education, healthcare, social, culture and economical issues that lead to the promotion of such consumption. Even then, it's a pipedream to assume that the entirety of humanity will ever stop using tobacco. Or other substances for that matter. |