LOL @ smoke tax increase!

[Road kill]

I often wonder what the powers that be would say if they banned smoking all togeather and people just continued to die from things that were ment to only be about smoking.
Little things like the chemical pollution we all ride through an breath every day of our lives.
It's like the level of cancer today is very much a modern issue,but smoking sure as hell isn't.
I wouldn't be supprised if I died from cancer caused by some form of pollution,,,I mean my cat did an he never smoked a day in his life but he ate heaps of processed cat food.

Then there's this little issue of not raising the tax on alcohol,,,I'd sure like to see drunks taxed right off the fucking planet,,,but I guess they look after their own huh.

[mashman]

Who me...?

Yes, you! don't act all innocent with me ya old bugga.

I tend to agree with the personal responsibility motion, if you are going to deliberately flout the law or engage in activity that is clearly contrary to medical advice, you should accept that in the event you suffer for your actions you forsake your claim on the Govt. to bail you out.

Give me my money back then.

[Akzle]

Nothing wrong with discouraging smoking. The health benefits are obvious enough, all numbers and costs aside.

Cancer cures smoking.

The cigarette smokes, you're just the sucker.

Simple way of thinking, suits me.

piss off and die.

whoever thinks they have any right to dictate how anyone else should live...
well. it is my dictate that they should move to another planet. and i got guns, too, to enforce my dictate. =)

i discourage people thinking their opinion matters, i discourage people making BS claims, i discourage people having faith in the government. discourage smoking? who the f*ck are you?

my standing challenge (as a smoker) is to run up and down maungakiekie in auckland, until someone gives up. it's been a few years since i've done it, but, you game?

smoking causes health problems my A55. the fucking pollution from every dick's V8, SUV or POS car in towns causes health fucken problems. the consumeristic life you lead causes planetary problems, so don't fucken whine at me about burning a bit of leaf.

and to whoever said about dope and poppy seeds -- dope will cost ya, and i dont have stock of the right poppies, got some californian ones which apparently tickle, but they've ne'er done much for me...(i'm in the market for dem poppies tho....)

[scumdog]

[COLOR="#139922"]

smoking causes health problems my A55.

Now THERE'S an interesting fact!

[Edbear]

Yes, you! don't act all innocent with me ya old bugga.


Give me my money back then.

Awwww... I'm the epitome of sweet innocence...

I do agree of course that if the Govt. receives taxes from cigarette sales it should be spent on education and initiatives to reduce or eliminate smoking and that those who choose to smoke and agree not to claim on the public health purse for treatment be excused from paying that share. Far too difficult to legislate for of course and imagine the lawsuits and arguments about the exact cause of the illness as those involved try to argue for or against as to the direct cause of the illness.

However in the end, the medical evidence is comPletey overwhelming that cigarette smoking causes multiple health risks and specifically causes multiple diseases. The producers and sellers of tobacco know this and therefore by definition are murderers and perpetrators of grievous bodily harm in order to make money. What other endeavour would come under the same definition?

Not alcohol as used in moderation, unlike smoking, it does not cause death and grievous illness.

Tobacco is harmful to health in any amount and is out on it's own. If you obey the usage directions it is the only product that used according to its purpose it will kill and maim the user whereas other products are not designed and produced to kill the user.

[FJRider]

... Either way it's a fuckin joke.

Only smokers ... and families with a smoker (in financial control) are not laughing ...

The rest of the country (on both sides of the ditch) are pissing themselves laughing.

[Indiana_Jones]

I have no issue with people smoking, as long as the tax on the fags covers the health issues related.

As for people saying non-smokers don't care etc, I guess it's no different from all the cage drivers when it came to our ACC hikes....

-Indy

[Mad-V2]

Only smokers ... and families with a smoker (in financial control) are not laughing ...

The rest of the country (on both sides of the ditch) are pissing themselves laughing.

And you would be right there, very insightful
But letting people get addicted to a drug by allowing it on the shelves in the first place, and then taking them for all they're worth by putting the price up for no real reason is not exactly funny either. That makes the government no better than your average meth dealer.

[mashman]

Awwww... I'm the epitome of sweet innocence...

I do agree of course that if the Govt. receives taxes from cigarette sales it should be spent on education and initiatives to reduce or eliminate smoking and that those who choose to smoke and agree not to claim on the public health purse for treatment be excused from paying that share. Far too difficult to legislate for of course and imagine the lawsuits and arguments about the exact cause of the illness as those involved try to argue for or against as to the direct cause of the illness.

Agreed. They can blame anything they like, but there are too many other causes that aren't considered... purposefully is another discussion entirely and one that usually involves people trying to sell tinfoil hats. But how does the 90 year old that has smoked for her entire life not ended up dying of cancer? Luck?

However in the end, the medical evidence is comPletey overwhelming that cigarette smoking causes multiple health risks and specifically causes multiple diseases. The producers and sellers of tobacco know this and therefore by definition are murderers and perpetrators of grievous bodily harm in order to make money. What other endeavour would come under the same definition?

Not alcohol as used in moderation, unlike smoking, it does not cause death and grievous illness.

So what? Isn't it my choice? Just like it was when Banksy's son drank too much and killed himself. I accept the risks and yes, I would dearly love to see no one smoking, but I won't remove their choice to do it just because it may save them... because it may not, whether you like it or not.

[Woodman]

And you would be right there, very insightful
But letting people get addicted to a drug by allowing it on the shelves in the first place, and then taking them for all they're worth by putting the price up for no real reason is not exactly funny either. That makes the government no better than your average meth dealer.

How is that the governments fault? Um personal responsibility, where did that go?

[mashman]

How is that the governments fault? Um personal responsibility, where did that go?

The government took it away with everything else that they decided to, erm, take away...

[Akzle]

However in the end, the medical evidence is comPletey overwhelming that cigarette smoking causes multiple health risks and specifically causes multiple diseases. The producers and sellers of tobacco know this and therefore by definition are murderers and perpetrators of grievous bodily harm in order to make money. What other endeavour would come under the same definition?

Not alcohol as used in moderation, unlike smoking, it does not cause death and grievous illness.

Tobacco is harmful to health in any amount and is out on it's own. If you obey the usage directions it is the only product that used according to its purpose it will kill and maim the user whereas other products are not designed and produced to kill the user.

Awwww... you're the epitome of sweet self delusion.

tobacco has been used by mankind (the darker folk that were around before you white fullas showed up and whopped em all -- oh, and bought booze)
as said by mashy, i've had smokers in the family live long productive lives (80s+), smoking since 15... where's your medical evidence for that.. i guess it was all that moderated booze that kept them going huh?

alcohol is a neurotoxin. you are 100% misguided/uninformed/uneducated if you believe there is a "safe" or "moderated" amount of alcohol that is not doing your body harm.
tobacco, as a plant product, has exactly fuckall things-bad-for-you in it. your body absorbs the compounds, rather than trying to process and excrete them.

the damage caused by alcohol and it's abuse in this country is not less than ten-fold that of ciggies.

i can smoke a pack of ciggies and drive upright... a pack of beer. no.
up it buddy. up yours it.

[Mad-V2]

How is that the governments fault? Um personal responsibility, where did that go?

Thats not the point, They allowed it on the shelves even though they knew it could kill people.
Imagine if smoking was banned 100 years ago, how many smokers would there be today?

As has been said, we should be able to make our own choices without being punished for it.
The health care system pays for alot of ailments, like obesity for instance. We don't raise tax on fat people's food to help them get to a healthier weight
Why single people out for making choices others disagre with? isn't that discrimination?

[FJRider]

... But how does the 90 year old that has smoked for her entire life not ended up dying of cancer? Luck?

Death due to Cancer ... Cancer due to smoking ...

If your belief that all smoking related illnesses lead to death from cancer ... you are wrong. Only the lucky ones get that. Most of those that die ... die slowly of respiratory problems ... they just slowly lose the ability to breathe ....

The lucky one's dont.


Are you feeling lucky ... ???

[carbonhed]

tobacco, as a plant product, has exactly fuckall things-bad-for-you in it. your body absorbs the compounds, rather than trying to process and excrete them.

Nicotine is a kick ass insecticide that's been banned because it's really fucking toxic to mammals... I presume that includes you you pin headed dumb arse motherfucker.