Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If people in the US object, then don't move to australia, but also, don't say we have less rights or less freedoms akin to North Korea because we are raising taxes on cigarettes. It is a voluntary tax, just like lottery and speeding tickets. There is also plenty of government funded support to help people quit smoking, including subsidising expensive medication such as Champix.
This is why the pharmaceutical companies fund tobacco research and anti-smoking groups. Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, etc. Just one big corporation fighting another really.
This is why the pharmaceutical companies fund tobacco research and anti-smoking groups. Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, etc. Just one big corporation fighting another really.
Don't get me wrong, I am no fan of pharmaceuticals. I am in favour of people being healthy, despite themselves.
May as well quit because slowly but surely they're trying to outlaw cigarettes or tax us all to death who smoke.
Chantix works. Just make sure you're not kind of cookoo because some people claim it makes you commit suicide, kill people, defenseless animals, plants, etc. But it does work.
I am not one for popping pills. I hate taking stuff unless absolutely necessary, as I am very sensitive to medications. Which is odd, because I don't have any allergies or anything like that. I had shingles once, and the medication that they gave me to treat it made me feel so blah, and lethargic, and it wasn't even a pain reliever. My little brother tried Chantix. He said it was working for him, however; he had horrible nightmares, and woke up swinging a couple times. Needless to say he stopped, and now is smoking again. Bottom line is, I'm high strung enough. I don't need something that is going to screw with my head!
I met 7 of 8 great-grandparents (one died in a car accident). They were all part of my life until after I was graduated. They all smoked, they all died in their mid-90s even though the average life span is mid-70s and none had cancer and none were in a nursing home. In fact, two of them died in hospital because they contracted pneumonia in hospital after under-going routine operations not related to cancer of any kind.
My grandfather who smoked died at 87 of pancreatic cancer, not related to smoking and his wife (my grandmother) is now 98.
So, second-hand smoke does what, exactly? I mean they were married at 16 and 17 respectively, and she smoked for a while.
The studies are biased and heavily flawed. Lung cancer is quite common and the studies make a number of false assumptions. Many people smoke and never get cancer of any kind or any other lung diseases, so the claim that "Smoking Causes Cancer" is patently false. At most you can conclude that smoking causes cancer in some people, but the studies do not take into consideration that those people would have died of cancer whether they smoked or not.
We should be discussing the cost to employers of "Monday Morning Absenteeism" related to alcohol, which costs $Billions annually and which you the consumer pay for in the end. And the cost of police intervention in domestic disputes, violence in the home and abused children and the medical, insurance and societal costs of fatalities, injuries and property damage related to alcohol, diseases related to alcohol, both directly or indirectly (like STDs).
Of course, it would be too logical to discuss that.
Of course you are trying to inject logic and reason into the argument here .. which I'm afraid will fall on deaf ears ... at least in regard to some of the little dictator nazi wannabes and their obvious revulsion to personal liberty (no need to name them, they know who they are). Ban this, tax that, praying that the "dirty" smoker dies in a fire ... what filthy, disgusting anti-American SCUM. That's what needs to be banned ... or better yet, TAXED. Yes, the financial crisis and national debt could be wiped out overnight if America taxed stupidity and ignorance.
But back to your point ... which will undoubtably be considered a "conspiracy theory" by the little mindless drones .... the FACTS ARE ... at least with regard to lung cancer ... the greater percentage of people who contract lung cancer are non-smokers. And I would reiterate for the reading comprehension challenged ... I did not say greater numbers ... I said percentages ... meaning if you separate the two groups ... smokers on one side, and non-smokers on the other ... there will be a larger percentage of non-smokers who get lung cancer, compared to the group of smokers. So, IF ANY ANECDOTAL CONCLUSION could be reached based on that fact .. it would have to be that smoking actually protected some individuals from lung cancer, rather than it being a cause of cancer.
I understand how hard that is for many people to grasp ... even smokers ... because we live in a world filled with logical fallacies that are promoted by the media .. and the old adage that "a lie told often enough becomes the truth" is absolutely true and observable. The list of such fallacies would take a lot of space.
This reminds me of a radio talk show interview I listened to some years ago with a Doctor who was a lung surgeon by specialty ... and what he said shocked me, as I'm sure it would do so with most. He said that as a lung surgeon, he could remove a person's lungs and dissect them, and never be able to visually tell whether they were non-smokers or whether they'd been heavy smokers for 40 years! This is remarkable ... extraordinary claim considering how we've all seen pictures of those "black diseased lungs". In any case, he went on to say that the only way he would be able to identify a smoker would be through detailed chemical analysis of a sample of the lung tissue. This was in response to the propaganda that has bombarded the public with pictures of black "diseased" lungs, predominantly engaged in by the American Lung Association and American Cancer Society which they associate to cancer caused by smoking. The reality is, those pictures of "black lungs" are just dead organs which decay and turn black ... as all dead organs do. In other words ... pure propaganda, absent an ounce of truth.
Why is this important? Well, because anytime there is an organized effort to deceive and lie to the public, that, by itself should be cause enough for concern, and cause a thinking person to question the motives. Why are they lying and fabricating and engaging these false, fear mongering tactics?
Taking it a step further, I have always been the type of person that tries to employ logic whenever possible .. and the entire anti-smoking campaign has always perplexed me from that purely logical standpoint.
First, I think all but the most naive would at least consider, if not agree altogether that the "Government" has demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that they are at best, ambivalent with regard to the health of the American people, and more frequently absent of ANY concern whatsoever. And, they've shown a propensity to ignore the best interests of the people especially when those might directly conflict with government interests. Now, couple that with the enormous amount of tax revenue the government receives from tobacco sales .. logic would suggest that the government would not be inclined to discourage the use of tobacco, given the financial benefits it receives from that use, let alone engage in fraudulent propaganda to do so. So the question remains .. why?
The only conclusion that a reasonable person could reach is that there is some very important benefit to government in stopping tobacco use which exceeds the financial benefits of the taxes they receive. And it must be a very significant one considering there are few things the government loves more than taxes. What this benefit might be would be pure speculation, though you can rest assured there must be one, and it is highly unlikely that the government has simply decided that caring about your health is more important than their tax revenue. If you believe that, I've got some oceanfront property in the desert I'll sell you.
But as always ... those that are mindless "followers" are easily led by their noses to whatever destination the leaders have chosen, while the rest of the independent thinkers question what is the REAL agenda?
I guess different things work for different people. I guess I have to find what will work for me. I heard something about sunflower seeds. You're right, I have to want to quit. Guess, I won't eat, have sex, have a beer or my morning coffee, and I'll be good to go. LOL! J/K
Thats what I needed. A great laugh for the day!!!
You will have your day...it took me almost 3 years to totally quit.
What's that old saying ... "I gave up smoking, whisky and women years ago, and it was the worst 15 minutes of my life"
This is why I want to see the decriminalization of marijuana (in REASONABLE amounts). It's natural and not nearly as harmful as government-controlled ciggies with such fun additives as arsenic, asbestos and benzene.
I support full legalization of pot with regulations similar to alcohol. No under age purchasing, or consumption.
I couldn't agree more ! As long as we have laws in place which allow folks to legally buy, possess, and use tobacoo products at 18 years of age ..... then those products are without a doubt going to be used by some of those folks !!!
It's well beyond the time to "STOP" the extremely degrading "Stereo-Typing" of those folks who choose to legally exercise their right to smoke if they want too !!!
Keep up the perpetual whining and I'm sure the government will eventually take away another of the people rights and of course that will be the end of the story ! Until that time comes the best advice to the whiners is contained in Redraven's above post ..... "Shut Up About It" !!! Damn Good Advice It Is !
What's better than 18 holes of golf on a warm, sunny Spring Day and a couple of those long, great smelling Pro Shop Cigars and of course some cold beer ! It just don't get any better than this !!!
Thanks / Old Sgt. Lamar
Copy that Sarge.
I would add that I really pity the poor folks that have not taken it upon themselves to learn of the pleasure of a fine hand made cigar accompanied by a glass of Speyside or Highland single malt on their visit to this earthly realm. Much safer and far more pleasurable than gobbling down antidepressants as so many millions do these days.
Think of a Caribbean sunset ... warm trade winds ... an icy Mojito and a toasty, spicy hand rolled havana, and good company to share the experience ... closest thing to heaven on earth I've found.
Isn't that a much brighter view of life than some of the previous negative comments?
I support full legalization of pot with regulations similar to alcohol. No under age purchasing, or consumption.
Short sighted thinking. When you allow government to dictate-regulate a damned natural plant that grows out of the dirt ... expect one day for that to include home grown vegetables ... because it you can grow it, they can't tax it or control it.
Think this is crazy ... think again .... how about legislation prohibiting restaurants from serving fat people .. with the bureaucrats deciding who is legally obese?
Look ... STOP WITH THE SUPPORT OF THIS INSANE GOVERNMENT REGULATION ALREADY. Just because you want to be a slave ... doesn't mean the rest of us have to accept such nonsense.
There is no issue too absurd or legislation too crazy for these controlling numbskulls to consider and enact.
Short sighted thinking. When you allow government to dictate-regulate a damned natural plant that grows out of the dirt ... expect one day for that to include home grown vegetables ... because it you can grow it, they can't tax it or control it.
Think this is crazy ... think again .... how about legislation prohibiting restaurants from serving fat people .. with the bureaucrats deciding who is legally obese?
Look ... STOP WITH THE SUPPORT OF THIS INSANE GOVERNMENT REGULATION ALREADY. Just because you want to be a slave ... doesn't mean the rest of us have to accept such nonsense.
There is no issue too absurd or legislation too crazy for these controlling numbskulls to consider and enact.
STOP BEHAVING LIKE A SLAVE.
Not behaving like a slave. I am against government intervention in our lives. The whole thing with banning salt in restaurants is ridiculous, as well as forcing them to changing the oils that they cook with. Provide us with the nutritional facts, and let us decide. However; if there is any realistic chance of legalizing pot, then how do you expect it to happen without the government getting a piece of the pie? I agree that it is ridiculous to tax something that grows out of the ground, even tobacco. But, what else would you suggest?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Don't get me wrong, I am no fan of pharmaceuticals. I am in favour of people being healthy, despite themselves.
J/K
Damn Good Advice It Is !