Chapter 164: The Controversy Caused by the Smoking Cessation Spirit
In the U.S., in the Capitol, lawmakers are discussing the storm that 'quit smoking' set off yesterday.
Yesterday, a huge demonstration broke out in Virginia, North Carolina, and Michigan, three tobacco-growing states in the United States.
A large number of tobacco farmers who grow tobacco for a living have taken to the streets to call on the government not to import Chinese 'quit smoking' and make them lose their jobs.
Protesting tobacco farmers walked the streets, holding signs opposing the entry of 'quit smokers' into the United States and exerting pressure on the U.S. government.
"It's a conspiracy, and the Chinese want to deprive us of our jobs."
"The Smoking Cessation Spirit will kill all the tobacco farmers, and we must not allow the Chinese people to destroy tobacco and destroy our work."
"This is an invasion, and the 'quit smoker' is a tool for the Chinese to invade the United States, and they want to destroy our tobacco company, and we should not submit to the Chinese people."
"Only Confucian will introduce the 'smoking cessation spirit', and only Confucian will obey Huaxia's orders."
"We don't need a 'quit smoker', the United States is very good and healthy, and we don't need the hypocritical concern of the Chinese people."
"We want to work, we don't want to be unemployed, quit smoking and get me out of the United States."
"We are tobacco farmers, growing tobacco is our main business, if tobacco is destroyed, who will save poor us?"
"Our family has been growing tobacco for more than 100 years, starting with my grandfather, and now you want us to give up growing tobacco? This is delusion, and God will not forgive you. ”
Huge crowds of demonstrators, spread across three states, formed a huge procession, they roared angrily, expressing their dissatisfaction with the 'quit smokers', and major television stations across the United States were also watching the changes in smokers.
The demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of smokers have brought tremendous pressure to the US government, in order to put out the impact of 'quitting smoking' on the United States. The Capitol is buzzing with activity.
In the Houses of Parliament, there was controversy among lawmakers over the introduction of 'smoking cessation spirits'.
In fact, there was a behemoth behind those demonstrations yesterday, and that was Altria Company.
The predecessor of the Altria Group is the world's largest tobacco company "Philip Morris International", the company's famous brand "Marlboro", has been among the world's top ten famous brands, it is said that in the 90s of the last century, Marlboro was worth 44.8 billion US dollars. More than Coca-Cola.
In the Capitol, Altria President Thompson lobbied members of Congress against smoking cessation into the U.S. tobacco market.
President Thompson delivered an anxious speech: "Ladies and gentlemen, we, Altria Group, have nearly 100 billion dollars in tobacco sales every year. We have 160,000 employees. There are 600,000 tobacco farmers who grow tobacco and provide us with tobacco to solve their problems. Our cigarettes provide jobs for nearly a million people in the United States. ”
Thompson continued, "We pay 45 percent of the tax to the U.S. government on a pack of cigarettes, and we pay $45 billion a year in taxes to the U.S. government. ”
"Parliamentarians. If 'quit cigarettes' enter the United States, they will be sold openly to smokers. Then, we at Altria will go bankrupt and millions of people will lose their jobs. The government will cut taxes by $45 billion a year. ”
"If by ten years. In the past 20 years, the United States will lose trillions of dollars, or even trillions of dollars, in tax revenues because of the 'smoking cessation spirit'. Ladies and gentlemen, please think clearly. Whether or not to support the entry of 'Smoking Cessation Spirit' into the U.S. market. ”
President Thompson's words made the surrounding lawmakers talk about it.
Some of the parliamentarians who are sponsored by the Altria Group, this moment is for the benefit of the tobacco companies. Righteous words stood up.
A congressman named Jones stood up, with a stern expression:
"Ladies and gentlemen, Huarui's 'Smoking Cessation Spirit' does have the effect of drug rehabilitation, but if it is not controlled, allowing it to enter the United States casually will bring serious consequences.
The Chinese government only allows the sale of smoking cessation to drug addicts. Are we stupid enough to open our doors and let the quit-smoking spirits bring down our tobacco industry? Putting millions of people out of work?
Who's going to solve the job problems for those millions of people? The country reduces tax revenue by $45 billion a year, and who will fill this tax loophole?
Jones's opposition to the ex-smoker angered a congressman named Jordan, who supported the entry of the ex-smoker into the United States, and angrily pointed at Jones and said:
"Congressman Jones, do you know how many people die each year in the United States from drug use? It's 500,000 people, do you know how much money it costs to treat drug addicts in the United States every year?
I'll tell you that it's $80 billion, and there are about 40 million drug users in the United States, and excluding marijuana, which is not a serious drug, there are still more than 20 million people who are deeply affected by drugs.
Every day, 80 drug-addicted maniacs shoot and kill others. Now there is an opportunity to solve the problem caused by drugs, but you are denying smoking cessation into the United States because of the sponsorship of tobacco companies. This is simply outrageous, and it is harming the interests of the United States. ”
Jones shook his head and retorted: "Congressman Jordan, what if those tobacco farmers lose their jobs?" Are you going to solve their work problems? I'm a North Carolina legislator and it's my duty to get jobs for my tobacco farmers. If you can solve the problem of tobacco farmer unemployment in our state, then I can choose to support the introduction of tobacco cessation into the United States. Otherwise, millions of people will lose their jobs, and no one will be able to bear that kind of obscurity. ”
A bespectacled MP who opposed the smoking cessation spirit also stood up.
"Congressman Jordan, you have to be clear about one thing. Huarui's 'Smoking Cessation Spirit' is produced using genetic technology. What are the dangers of quitting smoking, we don't know at all, this drug, may have a strong effect on drug rehabilitation, but it may also leave strong sequelae. Otherwise, why doesn't Huaxia use the 'Smoking Cessation Spirit' to help their smokers quit smoking?
GM drugs endanger the safety of American citizens, even the health of children and grandchildren, and for the sake of national security, we must stop Huarui from openly selling this drug to the United States. ”
A big fat congressman named George, who supported the smoking cessation spirit, pounded the table angrily: "Shit, you guys have abandoned your conscience for the benefit of the tobacco companies and the tobacco farmers in your respective states, and you know that preventing the 'smoking cessation spirit' from entering the United States still causes 500,000 drug addicts to die from drugs every year." You can save them, but you don't save them for your own benefit. You are murderers, you are criminals, and I will accuse you of murdering 500,000 people. ”
In the face of Congressman George's angry roar, another congressman who opposed smoking cessation stood up with a sneer: "Congressman George, if Huarui Company's 'smoking cessation' enters the U.S. market, there will be no smoking cessation product that can compete with it, and it will definitely monopolize the market." Are you going to support monopolies? Do you want to support the dictator? ”
George fired: "Damn, you are quibbling, this is all for your own interests and the interests of the tobacco companies, and putting the interests of the United States aside, you are a disgrace to the United States, you are disregard for the lives of American citizens." ”
Throughout the Capitol, the bickering grew fiercer.
Proponents of quitting smoking believe that quitting smoking will eliminate the threat of drugs to the United States and reduce the mortality caused by drugs.
Those who oppose quitting smoking directly grasp the two dead holes. They believe that Quit-Smoking is a genetic drug that threatens U.S. national security, and that Huarui is a monopoly and that the U.S. has the power to prevent monopolies from entering the U.S. market.
The quarrels in Congress are getting uglier and uglier, and the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are helpless.
In the end, in order to quell the anger of both sides, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms. Catherine, proposed a compromise. The United States can import smoking cessation spirits, but for safety reasons, smoking cessation spirits will not be sold to citizens, and they must be sold to drug addicts who are deeply troubled by drugs, just like in China.
In this way, the problem of bankruptcy of tobacco companies can be solved, and the problem of drug problems can be solved.
Speaker Catherine's words finally found a balance between the two sides, and the lawmakers began to vote in favor of the bill to 'restrict the introduction of smoking cessation spirits'.
Huaxia, Jianghuai City, Huarui Company.
Luo Rui was busy directing the employees to produce smoking cessation spirit on the spot, and a phone call from the Ministry of Commerce made Luo Rui's face unhappy. (To be continued, please search, the novel is better and updated faster!)
ps: Kavin, got a headache.