Poll: Should smoking be made illegal?

[Lord Doomhammer]

As much as I detest the idea of it, being that it is a cause of cancer and is in general bad for your health... I have too many friends who smoke, and too much respect for the fact that IT IS THEIR CHOICE! Beyond that, I wouldn't be opposed to raising the taxes on it. Its just like any dumb idea, your free to do it so long as you pay the piper.

However, I still oppose prop 19 or whatever bullocks law it is they were trying to pass to legalize pot. I WILL NOT SUPPORT YOU HIPPIES!

 

[Naleh]

I absolutely damn hate smoking, at least in public or with a family. Kill yourself if you want (as long as you're properly educated on the risks, and you're old enough to make the judgement). But don't go filling everyone else's air with poison.

But should it be illegal? Meh. No opinion.

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On the other hand... There's a group here in New Zealand campaigning to make our country smoke free by 2025. And the government seems to be willing to roll with them. And there's one thing I'm not sure anyone in the movement has thought of.

What about the tourists?

Tourism is a critical income source for NZ. If we're one of the first countries to ban smoking, it will cripple that industry. This is one of the few things we do not want to be world leaders in.

We can ban cigarettes if we want. Sure, I have no issue, whether we do or don't. But not yet. Not here. Wait for places in America and Europe to start doing it, at least.

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And all those people saying we should ban smoking but alcohol is fine? I think we should ban alcohol first. Drink driving (an act which I think should be tried as attempted murder) kills thousands of innocents a year, not to mention drunken domestic abuse. It's worse than second-hand smoke.

(Okay, no, I don't honestly think we should ban alcohol. Prohibition was a disaster. But I really really wish we lived in a world where we could.)

 

[lancashirered]

Yes, cause then I'd finally quit this flithy habbit!

 

[ryo02]

yes in public places why should I have to breath your crap when I walk down the street.
how would you like it it if I was spraying chlorine gas all over?.

 

[Colour Scientist]

No, not at all.
The state already has a big enough say in my life, thank you very much.
Last time I checked it was my body and my money.

 

[Valiance]

As much as I disapprove of smoking, I don't think the government should be able to tell you not to. Regardless of how stupid and dangerous it is, some people want to, so go ahead. As long as you're only endangering yourself and not damaging someone else with it against their will, I'd say it's legal.

 

[Outright Villainy]

I've realised why I stay away from these threads.

The hypocricy of alcohol being fine, but smoking making you a pariah is fucking insane.

I'd have gone on a rant if it weren't for that comment right there. Thank you.

But seriously people, smoking isn't as lethal as they make it out to be. Both my parents smoke; My father since he was thirteen, and my mother since she was eighteen, neither having developed ANY negative side effects from doing so in more then fourty years.

In fact, its helped them keep their cool in fairly dire situations.

I'm not saying smokings a good thing to be doing, not at all, but it isn't the worst either.

Oh, I certainly think smoking isn't a smart thing to do. At all.
But despite what everyone seems to think, it's no risk at all to others. It's a personal choice, and getting up in people's grill for their choice is an extreme dick move.
Passive smoking has been blown way out of proportion; If somone is smoking outside near you, it's going to do fuck all. Especially hilarious when people in the city complain about this.
Oh yeah, all that carbon monoxide is just dandy!

Alcohol on the other hand causes:
Drink driving, which are the cause of the majority of road accidents
Violent behaviour
Getting into potentially dangerous situations

If someone told me a smoker was more of a danger to your health than a drunk person I'd laugh in their face.

 

[Owlslayer]

I'd say yes. And i don't care about alcohol (don't drink it myself), we're talking about smoking.
And i really don't see the point of it. All it does is that it creates an addiction. It just damages your body and relaxes you when you get another puff.
However, i don't mind if you smoke somewhere else.
I'd really prefer if people wouldn't smoke outdoors or other public places
I could totally live with it.

 

[Captain Bobbossa]

Why should we get taxed more than you? If it's to disuade us that's not going to make any more of a differance than those stupid pictures on the packets. We know the risks, now leave us alone.

Why don't you increase the tax's on snacks and sweats to stop people being fat? Infact why don't you just ban them altogether?

Seriously how the hell do smokers affect you the non-smoker? We don't especially in Britain where we already have to smoke outside unless in our own homes in which case it's our fucking home so you can deal with it or fuck off. I don't complain when I have to take my shoes of in your house.

"But what about passive smoking" Oh shut the fuck up, seriously? You would have your life around smokers enclosed in small spaces for your whole life for that to acctually affect you.

So to the haters of smokers, lay off. We havn't done anything wrong and we don't hate you over your "habbits"

 

[Sikachu]

Nah, If people want to kill themselves slowly, good for them. Just as long as they don't do it around me and pretend their all cool.
Heavier, and I mean heavier taxes would be good though:].

Fuck you and everybody like you. Over half the cost of cigarettes is tax, and it is a stealth tax that pretends to compensate the population for the added health costs of smoking when actually it pays (in the UK) for the entire health costs of all the smokers + loads of the non-smokers.

 

[lettucethesallad]

Marijuana is illegal, and look how many people smoke that regardless.

Does your friend honestly think if tobacco smoking is banned that the use will really go down?

Apparently. I never understood the logic behind it.

The thing about smoking is that it, arguably, isn't REALLY the smoker's choice since they are addicted.

People aren't born addicted though. It's always a choice to start smoking. No-one's shoving smokes down your throat.

depends on the situation when I was in the army the only way you could get a break was to smoke, I knew a few that took up smoking just so they could rest for a moment and take a "smoke break"

Still not seeing the cigarette being forcefully inserted into said victim's throat. It's still a choice to start smoking, even if it's just for a break. They could've just as easily decided that a 5 minute break wasn't worth the negative effects of cigarettes, but they didn't.

 

[Captain Bobbossa]

yes in public places why should I have to breath your crap when I walk down the street.
how would you like it it if I was spraying chlorine gas all over?.

Seriously? by street do you mean the very small unventilated box that you live in because your so scared of the world whilst waring your tin foil hat so that the government can't read your mind? Because unless you do then passive smoking isn't going to affect you dumbass, not outside anyway. Not unless a smoker pins you to the ground and started exaling smoke up your nose. Which I suppose you think they are likely to do because they are smokers and that instantly makes them EVIL!

Do you drive by any chance?

Wether you do or not the stuff coming from vehicles and factories and such, have you ever thought to consider that? Because that's what's going to acctually effect you as you walk down the street.

 

[Sikachu]

No. If smoking is banned then drinking has to be banned as well.

EDIT: Everyone who is quoting me are you all idiots or something? The bottom of this? Heres the bottom, drinking causes just as much problems as smoking. Ever hear of drunk driving, bar fights, abuse due to alcohol, poor judgement under the influence, or alcohol poisoning? Or do all of these just fly past your heads? You don't cancer right away from smoking, you get it later on. ITS THE SAME WITH DRINKING. IF SMOKING GETS BANNED THEN DRINKING SHOULD AS WELL. Fucking hell, think people think

Just to make sure everyone sees it before quoting me again.

Lol the people quoting you are morons. You're actually slightly wrong in that the societal harm is significantly higher with alcohol than with cigarettes, not that those idiots will understand. Here's a study conducted by the ACMD (in the UK) before its head (David Nutt) had the audacity to put science ahead of toeing the Government's line, get fired, and signify the end of the ACMD as a trustworthy source of scientific enquiry and its rebirth as a really expensive rubber stamp for government policy: [a href=http://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/opus1714/Estimating_drug_harms.pdf]http://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/opus1714/Estimating_drug_harms.pdf[/a]. Skip to the graph on page ten if you can't be bothered to read the whole thing.

 

[KiKiweaky]

Well its illegal to smoke indoors in Ireland and its slowly being pushed out of many other public area's aswell.

I'm a smoker and I dont mind it really, was a bit strange when they took it out of pubs but I'm used to it now.

 

[lettucethesallad]

Libertarianism would only work in a society without idiots. Since this is obviously not the case, no matter where you are in the world, the state sometimes has to protect people from themselves.

Why? Why bother protecting people from themselves? It won't work and it violates freedom. If people want to do stupid stuff it's their right.

It is very naive to think that everyone knows what's best for themselves, and it'd be rather dispassionate of those that do to turn away those who are clearly in need of help on the matter, no?

Who says they need help? Some people choose to smoke even when they know the long term risks what the fuck makes you think they need your help?

An undesirable situation remains an undesirable situation, regardless of whether it was chosen or not.

The ends never justify evil means, and arresting people for smoking (without harming anyone else) is certainly evil.

Agreed with all of that (note that these quotes were actually written by Chatney and not by me). It's easy to argue that people are 'too stupid' to handle things (this was very prominently featured in defence of the cigarette ban), but I think the average person's mental capacity is underrated these days. There's a certain laziness about thinking that I think could be broken with a bit of cause and effect. If people learn that their decisions have consequences to themselves (which today not always is the case with society), then I think they'd think twice. To me that means less involvement from the state and more responsibility for your own life.

 

[Sikachu]

No. Imagine the black market.

However, get it out of public. I can barely breathe as is.

How about we get you out of public, and the overwhelming majority of the rest of us who cope with trains, trucks, cars, motorcycles, ventilation systems, buses, factories, the list goes on get on with our lives in public with the option to make no difference to the quality of the air outside by smoking open to us?

 

[lettucethesallad]

Ban cigarettes.
Seriously, there's far better ways to get a nicotine fix that are better for both you and me, and will taste better as well. Its really a win win win. Just go get yourself an e-cigarette [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette] or a hookah. They're not as bad for you and the smoke isn't as ronchy (or non-existent for e-cigs). Failing that, at least get some decent rolling/cigar/pipe tobacco and smoke that. Sure its still straight tobacco, but it won't smell quite as bad...

You kidding me? Smoking a hookah is like smoking 10 unfiltered cigarettes. It's actually worse for you.

 

[Sikachu]

No, but we still need to stop rampant smoking among certain people. Even I like the prospect of being able to have a cigarette every once in a while, but it's an incredibly addictive substance/activity that's suited in some cultural norms which is creating a large burden to our society. Continue to get smoking away from being "the cool thing" and get more help (not more Nicorette products) for people that have problems with it. I have a similar view on Marijuana. People should have the choice, and it could be great for some people, but not in the way we see it today.

What's this burden that smoking is creating? Don't take this question as aggressive, I'm genuinely curious.

 

[Captain Bobbossa]

smoking = an ABSOLUTE RISK as smoking will cause cancer.

drinking = a potential risk dependent on personal judgment.

nice way generalizing everyone to be an idiot who will do stupid shit. that is the same argument against illegal drugs like pot saying "everyone who smokes pot will become gang bangers and shoot people". nice fucking generalizations there. care to do pot smokers too? what about heroine users? or cocaine users? alcohol gives cancer? talk about bull shit.

I believe that you are the misinformed bull shitter who is generalizing. So Mr/Mrs Hypocryte, where is it you get your 'facts' from? Smoking WILL not cause cancer, smoking CAN cause cancer. So there is not this ABSOLUTE RISK that your talking about. And the thing with drinking is that that effects others (a drunk driver or a drunk with a gun for example (guns are another thing that should be banned if something so trivil in comparason such as smoking was))when it's not even their choice. The child in the backseat of the car owned by the well behaved, good mannered driver didn't choose to be broadsided by the idiot who chose to drink and drive did it?

However noone has stabbed someone becuse they smoke. Like all things, smoking is a choice but it only effects the smoker.

For the record I drink aswell.

 

[Captain Bobbossa]

No, but we still need to stop rampant smoking among certain people. Even I like the prospect of being able to have a cigarette every once in a while, but it's an incredibly addictive substance/activity that's suited in some cultural norms which is creating a large burden to our society. Continue to get smoking away from being "the cool thing" and get more help (not more Nicorette products) for people that have problems with it. I have a similar view on Marijuana. People should have the choice, and it could be great for some people, but not in the way we see it today.

What's this burden that smoking is creating? Don't take this question as aggressive, I'm genuinely curious.

"rampant smoking" lol, i think that is my quote of the day.