End of Smoking?

[warren]

Various government entities get a lot of moneys from taxes on vices. Then they disperse a lot of the moneys to enterprises which seem dedicated to stamping out those vices which, if they are successful, means they have to find another vice to attack so as to keep the money pipeline up and healthy. Or worse, they will create a new vice that the elected officials will have a knee jerk reaction to and fall in love with and that will keep the money flowing.
Of course the government also passes out money to entities which feed the vices. Talk about schizoid.
It's an interesting circle. Those of use who have one or two of the various vices are funding the antis trying to do away with the vice.
If it all wasn't so anti-individual responsibility it'd be a very funny situation. Instead, it's a crying shame!
Again, it's the money not the health concerns anymore, those concerns have been well research and publicized with nothing really new in the last 20 years or so.

 

[bentmike]

It's an interesting circle.

Indeed!

 

[dixcreek]

A recent poll in Kentucky indicated that over 50% of those polled were in favor of Medical Marijuana. A poll earlier indicated that over 50% were in favor of no public smoking. I know that we are some backward ass grapevine swinging hicks down here but those numbers make me wonder who we are polling. It seems like it is alright to be a meth head, a child molester, or any other type of various vermin in this world but for THE GOOD LORD'S SAKE please do not use any tobacco products. Sure fire trip to being stoned or run out of town. Maybe we need to do for tobacco what has been done for the Bourbon industry here, man it is off the hook, and to think it really hasn't been that long since it was a crime to have it. Just tired of all these S.O.B.'s telling me what is good and bad!

 

[anglesey]

Dix, whenever I read these 'recent polls', I must question how many people were actually polled. If american polls and surveys are anything like what we have here in the UK, they'll have surveyed about 10 people, and used questions designed to significantly weight the results. It's all a load of utter bollocks, but the politicians swallow it whole.
All these stories are a load of old tut, but these so called health experts insist that they represent the views of 99.9% of the population. I've been really considering growing and curing my own tobacco for a while now. I once spoke to this fellow who lived in gurnsey during the german occupation who used to grow his own, said it tasted vile and was strong as anything, but at least he didn't have to rely scrounging off the jerries or the red cross. It's going that way again.

 

[peter70]

I have made the experience, that to get a glimpse of the future, you have to look at the past. Now, I am sure, most of you, as myself, have learned in your childhood from parents and teachers, that drugs like cocaine and heroine are bad, can lead to addiction very quickly, and ruin your body and soul. They are highly illegal in nearly every country and posession, usage and trade will take you to jail, in some countries even the death sentence.
Now, in the 19th century, these drugs were neither illegal, nor regarded dangerous, but used widely by medicine and the population for decades. Only at the beginning of the 20th century, the tide turned, and they were lastly forbidden and stigmatized. For all, who believe, that tobacco will never be forbidden or criminalized, should look at the impact of change in the heads of the population for these substances, because the end of legal tobacco might be just around the corner.

 

[northernneil]

Peter70, I agree with your statement, but I think the big difference between dugs used in medicine in the 19th century and tobacco today is the drugs did not generate near the tax revenue that tobacco does. I know my little province of Alberta, with a population of under 4 million people, generates one billion dollars annually from tobacco taxes. If tobacco was made illegal, that is one billion dollars in lost revenue. I know politicians aren't the brightest bulbs in the bunch, but I don't think they are going to throw away that kind of profit.

 

[peter70]

Yes, tax revenues are a strong motivation to keep the things rolling, but what if by brain washing and public pressure the number of smokers drops under 10%? Then taxes have to be raised, all of course in the light of saving the people's health, and even less people will smoke, or they will buy smuggled products. If then the tax revenue drops to a certain amount, they can do without it and find something else to tax.

 

[northernneil]

Very good point, if the number of smokers drops, then you're right, the tax revenue will drop accordingly.
So much for my rosie picture of the future

 

[mrgunnar177]

" people tend to think they have a right to thing that are bad for them" thanks mom. Couldn't make that decision on my own.

Pisses me off. Glad to say I have a decent cellar.

 

[petes03]

It's bad enough that I have to go to work where tobacco smoking has been banned, but to have people try to tell me I can't smoke on my own time is just down right wrong! The government chips away at our rights a little more each year and people are getting tired of it! As I recall, the Constitution was put in place to protect us from the government, not something for the government to change as it pleases just to control the population!

 

[lurch76]

Don't ask questions citizen. We know what is best for you. :roll:

 

[condorlover1]

In England we take this approach to opinion polls:
http:youtu.be/be/GOZZJXx4MTA

 

[pilotage16]

Doesn't make any sense.... More government control

 

[bullethead]

I'd renounce my US citizenship and move to Singapore or Uruguay if that happened. Figure live the rest of my life in peace and rather have that few million in all kinds of taxes (income, property, capital gains, sales, etc...) which would have been taken support another place of residence. I'm 37 years old, so Uncle Sam and friends will have to do without me, and lose a few million.

 

[thebadkitty]

Actually I've maintained a 3.94 GPA in college for three years, and I smoke pot quite heavily. Got a B in algebra two years ago. Bummer.

Vilify me, don't believe me, or ignore me. Those are all viable options and they're all good. Stoned = stupid is another myth like in that other thread.

 

[bullethead]

steve
I got through college and graduate school with a 3.7 on pot and mushrooms.
good on ya!

 

[perdurabo]

Their after the guns first. No way for you to protect yer cellar from the Green Police. Meanwhile yer fellow man will be walking around with legalized pot, as the dystopia goes to pot. I don't know, some Dr. Who and a joint sounds good right about now.