Smokers have rights to- are there any non-fsc Cigs out there?

[Sue]

My husband and I have been smoking for years. We have been going to Kentucky to buy our cigarettes because Indiana has increased the tobacco tax so much we can't afford to buy them in our state anymore. My husband early this month became really sick with what I thought was allergy season. I also became sick the last few weeks. I get seasonal allergy so I did not think much about it. We bought Zyrtec-D thinking it would take care of our sore throats, painful lump in back of our throats, chronic coughing, chest pains, headaches, and sick stomach. For some reason I decided today to look on the internet about FSC. It was a long shot. I was just trying to figure out what could be making us sick. After reading complaint after complaint I read that Kentucky passed a law April 1st for FSA. I read that Indiana's law is not in effect until next year. I am going to go out today and see if I can find a non'FSC pack. Not sure if I can because I live 5 minutes from Kentucky. If I find some I will start smoking these to see if we are allergic to FSC. I can't believe after all these years I am going to have to quit because I am allergic to my cigarettes.

[tim]

If anyone knows how we can grow our own tobacco, please share with everyone.

[Cindy]

I agree that someone needs to file a suit. Their is no doubt in my mind from at least twenty people I've talked to that their is something very wrong with this paper. Gum infections, sore throats, sinus issues, itchy skin, etc... Their must be a Lawyer willing to look at this.

[Peggy]

I agree, smokers have rights too. I too have all the symptoms everyone here is complaining about plus a rash on my face and now I'm unable to taste or smell....something isn't right with these cig's it should be our decision to quit, not the law. By the way my b/f does have a tobacco farm where he sells tobacco.

[donna]

I have e-mailed the gov. of Ct. and asked why a law was passed requiring these. I got an answer that my inquiry was sent to some state physician. Nothing like skirting my original question which was: Why would the state of ct pass a law such as this without notifying consumers of the change? I also believe it is part of our "national" depopulation process.

[maggiemae656]

Has anyone gotten any satisfaction from complaints? I just got a rude surprise when two cartons of these, and at top dollar. These cigarettes are a fire hazard--I have had several heads drop off while driving because they burn in various sections. Lit ashes drop like fireworks if you happen to move around after taking a hit.

Both my boyfriend and I have noticed they affect our lungs. I notice a lightheadedness after smoking them, and my throat feels raw.

Phillip Morris didn't even have the courtesy to answer my e-mail when I inquired about the change (before I knew about the firesafe crap). I agree with other posters--why weren't we notified of this change? Why do we have to be test subjects because the tobacco companies are too weak to stand up to government intervention in our lives?

[eric b]

pami wrote:

Heh......I am not from Kewanee...I am from Bureau, IL
pami

U are so right this is not a free country any more our rights are being striped from us one by one and our money by the tank full and now there using us as test dummies for these dam fsc cigarettes there needs to be a total reconstruction of our government because corruption is running rampantly through out it were nothing more than pawns to the upper class and i for one am sick of it !!!!!

[Anthony]

www.suebigtobacco.net

[Anthony]

www.lorillard.com Makers of Newport, call them and let them know how you feel.

Or call us on our toll free line at 1-877-703-0386 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday - 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST. Customer queries are taken by mail and through our toll-free number only

[Mike]

I have been sick since right around the time the FSC cigs' started appearing. The first time I tried FSC cigarettes I was at work, I ran out and was bumming some of my friends' FSC Marlboro Menthols, later that night I ended up going to the hospital, my chest felt tight and I felt as if I just could'nt get enough air. The doctors said that I was most likely suffering a panic attack, two days later I felt better again. Weeks after, I was forced to switch to FSC's full-time because the place where I buy them ran out of the old kind. Immediately I was sick again, and the symptoms were getting increasingly worse, now my throat was swollen and numb and It became difficult to swallow, and I started getting migranes. This persisted for about a month until my friends started telling me how they were also getting sick from "the new cigarettes", I decided to switch to rolling my own tobacco and sure enough, after a couple days I started feeling better.

At first I thought I was being paranoid, but the timing of my problems coincides directly with the change, and I have many friends experiencing the same thing, along with what I've been reading on the internet, it appears many people are having these sort of problems. I have been browsing medical sites looking at possible causes for my symptoms and they usually point to an allergic reaction, my hypothesis would be that whatever change has been made to the cigarettes is causing allergic reactions with certain people.

I guess the assumption made by the lobbyists is that if somone smokes already they don't care about their life anyhow, they are tragically wrong. None of us have a political voice, but one thing we can do is hopefully get the bigwigs in the tobacco industry on our side by refusing to purchase FSC cigarettes, enough people boycott them and they will see the hit on their finances. Money is always a tremendous motivator, people will fight when their livleyhood is threatened. I have been doing my part by buying and rolling my own tobacco, and as I said before I have'nt been having the headaches, swollen throat, difficulty breathing, or tight and painful chest since then. It does take some getting used to though, but it's a lot better than smoking the FSC's.

[wendy lexington ky]

i agree with you,,, it is our choice to smoke but it was not our choice to have the new fire paper put on the cigs!!!!i have been smoking since i was 15 i am now 40 once again my choice!!!!the paper makes me and others i have spoke with very sick and can not handle the taste of it (our choice dont think so).i can still find some old stock but once that is gone i along with others will be quitting again not the choice i want but i wont smoke cigs with that nasty paper on them.due to people who have made mistakes by falling asleep or leaving cigs lit and walking away this is why this paper was invented,,,,,well the whole world should not be punished for the mistakes of others!!!!!!!people just need to be more carefull while smoking,,,hey mistakes happen thats how we learn (isnt that what was taught to each and everyone of us)?

[Concerned too]

I don't know if this blog allows me to post 'The Coalition For Fire Safe Cigarettes' website/blog. Please google it. It's the oranization that has done the FSC cigarette thing to you . James Shannon is the leader. They should be brought to public attention/justice. Please help, Just make this known...

[Dodi]

After seeing what is being put in these new Fire safe cigarettes it is no wonder that all of us are getting sick. It has cost me time off the job and 3 visits to the dr. along with 3 different rx's trying to clear up an ear infection, swollen glands and sore throat that we could find no reason for or fight off with anything....now after reading this once again the government has snuck in another one, one more right taken away, one more way to control. I thought that this was AMERICA!
I know for a fact that the cigs are the problem, hubby found some old ones out of town that have none of the FSC crap in it, all my symptoms vanished...within less than a day...now I am back to hacking and the ear is iffy again...I am 58 and have never had a problem before these new organized killers were put on the market by our government. I am beyond pissed.

[Judy]

pami wrote:

I thought I was going crazy when my Kools wouldn't stay lit and tasted like crud. Thanks for your posts...I finally googled. My old man smokes Camels and they are now doing the same thing. Seems Illinois passed this "don't die in fire, die from our new cigs" law for 2008.
Just to add to everyones comments...I have had an ear, nose and throat "infection" and a terrible cough which the doc has been treating with antibiotics. Of course, the antibiotics are not helping because.........it is from these damn cigs!!!!! My eyes were even plastered shut every morning for 3 days...this after half a carton in a week!!!!
Do I quit smoking now? Well for three days I have (and my ears, eyes and throat do feel better)....BUT, I am a 59 year old woman that thought I lived in a free country, and I enjoy my cig with my coffee, etc. Not anymore!! They taste like crap!!!
What is with our country? Why are we allowing ourselves to be told what to do...when and how to do it? Back to the FSC thing.....What about candles? Should they self extinguish too? Relight them every 2 minutes? Kerosene heaters? Hmmmm maybe we shouldn't use electricity either? Wrap our wires in some stupid extra paper and put some chemicals in them? Oh I know, I am rambling, but I am really upset after reading all of this information.
I am also one of those people that believe it should be my choice as to whether or not I wear a seat belt in a car or a helmet on a motorcycle......but BIG BROTHER doesn't agree with me I guess.
So? What do we do?

I also have been sick from these cigarettes. I didn't know for sure if it was that or something else until I bought some without this stuff. I had blisters on my throat and tongue. My mouth was always dry with a bad taste. When I got be a carton from Indiana, it went away. I am buying them again in Illinois and now everything is back. I think now I am going to go to Decatur Illinois and get that thing in your ear to stop smoking.

[Chaz From Peoria IL]

ok... I am an IT net admin... been doing that job for over 12 years. My point is research. Also been a smoker for 20 years. So I researched the crap out of these strange and sudden symptoms I have noticed within the last month or two. Extremely sore (burning) throat. Feeling of swollen glands. Almost a lump in my throat kind of feeling. I discovered all sorts of things from lymphomas to throat cancer. Nothing really fit the bill. Now I have not seen a doctor yet and am about to quit smoking for the 4th of July weekend.(got to do it over a weekend so I don't snap and kill somebody for lack of nicotine; I think I would get fired for that but don't want to really find out) but the symptoms started when I noticed the strange FSC on the side of my cigarette pkg. As I did more research I discovered the feeling and symptoms are similar to taking a rolled up piece of notebook paper (with nothing in it), lighting it and inhaling. Same smoke inhalation feeling; same burning (this is per others) throat; same swollen glands feeling. This leads me to believe that FSC Fire Safe Cigarettes are certainly the cause echoing what others have mentioned in this blog. I will now take a 3 day vacation from smoking and will post back to let others know for sure. Just an FYI - if I want to smoke and I determine that FSC wrappers are the cause I will be heading for the self roll loads that are not bound by the FSC laws (as of yet). As of now, my research and studies have almost certainly concluded that FSC wrappers are the cause of my symptoms. For those of you that may have questions concerning the outcome of my extremely basic study (and I forget to post back here) please feel free to email any questions/requests to causticcompliance at gmail dot com. You know the drill on how to extract the email address. REgards to all. Chaz!

[what is this stuff]

from indiana ,what is this stuff you say is in cigs,fsc,never heard of it

[Jay]

Here are two sites for those who are interested in MYO/RYOs....making your own cigs with 100 percent tobacco and no additives.

http://ryomagazine.com

http://stuffyourown.com

[Nancy Maislin]

Cindy wrote:

I have talked to at least 5 people who all encountered either gum infections, sore throats, or headaches upon having to switch to these horrible cigs. I say we find a Lawyer and file a class action law suit against whoever claims this paper to be safe. With this many people getting sick it cannot be coincidence

Right away when smoking the "new" FSC cigarettes I knew there was a problem. They burnt my mouth, my throat, and I didn't enjoy smoking anymore. But, an addiction is an addiction and I ran around finding cartons of pre-FSC cigs. But I am running out and getting panicky. Going to check out a few neighboring states where legislation is not locked in yet. I truly feel we should sue the arm of the government who mandated this change. There is strength in numbers guys. What do you think?

[Julie]

I live in Utah and I work at a smoke shop. All my customers tell me the same thing about headaches, stomach aches and a stale taste to the cigarettes. Where can we find the truth about the Fsc cigarettes. Certainly we can't get the facts from the government or the cigarette companies so where? Are we being intentionally poisoned? Things to think about.

[HORN24]

oH MAN THIS IS UN REAL. EVERYONE HATES THESE CIGARETTES AND NOW I SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE GOING NUTS OVER THE FSC CRAP. LOL THEY REALLY DO SUCK, AND ITS NOT FAIR JUNKIES WHO ARE HIGH AS A KITE AND DECIDE TO SMOKE AND WIND UP BURNING THERE HOUSE DOWN, AND RUIN IT FOR PEOPLE WHO DONT USE OR DO ANYHING, PEOPLE THAT JUST SMOKE TO ENJOY A CIGARETTE KIND OF PEOPLE.