Article

2013-03-01 Government

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Posted by Fred 2013-03-01 11:26|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 If you concede that they did, then you have to concede that they do for all the subsequent campaigns against whatever some Puritan doesn't like or thinks is bad for you.

Like crippling taxes on ammo or requiring unbelievable amounts of liability insurance to own a gun.

Posted by Procopius2k 2013-03-01 12:25|| 2013-03-01 12:25|| Front Page Top

#2 Did the government have any right to kill off the tobacco industry?

Interesting question really. Does the government have the right to outlaw cocaine, heroin and marijuana? How about crystal meth? Oh, here's a new one: Oxycontin. Can you tell young men under the age of 21 they can't have a beer but they can fight, kill and die in places like Afghanistan? Where do you draw the line? My own personal opinion is this country is toast if we all start smoking pot. But then, if we as a nation decide to do that, it's a matter of personal choice that should not be denied to us, right?

As far as health consequences are concerned, I don't see much difference between tobacco, marijuana, heroin or cocaine. If you're going to outlaw one the logical thing to do would be to outlaw all of them. Tobacco just got kind of grandfathered in there is all.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2013-03-01 12:28|| 2013-03-01 12:28|| Front Page Top

#3 But don't you dare touch my whiskey.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2013-03-01 12:30|| 2013-03-01 12:30|| Front Page Top

#4 Dig deeper for legal smokes. Somehow I'm thinking there will be lower priced smokes available from a car trunk near you.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2013-03-01 13:12|| 2013-03-01 13:12|| Front Page Top

#5 Smoking rates are just under 20% now for our country, down from about 33% twenty years ago.

I'm a lung doc -- you can guess what I think of smoking.

Raise the tax to $20 a pack. You get less of what you tax.

Posted by Steve White 2013-03-01 13:43|| 2013-03-01 13:43|| Front Page Top

#6 Steve White

How very arrogant to decide what's in the best interests of your patients against their wishes. You're just an adviser to your customers, not their ruler. Don't forget your place.

It would be better to attach a healthcare voucher to ciggies. Buy smokes keep the voucher, buy insurance.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2013-03-01 14:00|| 2013-03-01 14:00|| Front Page Top

#7 As usual, higher taxes simply creates black markets. Death by smoking, death by drugs, death by alcohol, death by diet, etc. It's a zero sum game, one big pie chart. Move the divide from one casual factor simply expands another casual factor tagged as the culprit which results in more 'taxes' for more prevention programs.

Posted by Procopius2k 2013-03-01 14:09|| 2013-03-01 14:09|| Front Page Top

#8 BP, if you want to smoke, smoke -- I have a daughter to put through college.

Posted by Steve White 2013-03-01 14:10|| 2013-03-01 14:10|| Front Page Top

#9 Advice is better than coercion, and financially better for you too.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2013-03-01 15:03|| 2013-03-01 15:03|| Front Page Top

#10 60 years ago, not everybody smoked. It just seemed that way. It was very difficult to avoid cigarette smoke, and those who smoked lit up everywhere, even around gasoline pumps. "And I enjoyed it" - what other reason could there have been for smoking?
One real advantage for promoting cigarette use is to decrease the demographic that lives long enough to collect Social Security and Medicare. Dead men collect no entitlements.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2013-03-01 15:06|| 2013-03-01 15:06|| Front Page Top

#11 People in Indiana just ordered a shit-load of smokes...

Posted by Muggsy Mussolini1226 2013-03-01 15:13|| 2013-03-01 15:13|| Front Page Top

#12 All you gotta do is find an Indian reservation.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2013-03-01 15:39|| 2013-03-01 15:39|| Front Page Top

#13 Help! Were Being Repressed!

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2013-03-01 16:12|| 2013-03-01 16:12|| Front Page Top

#14 what other reason could there have been for smoking?

A cigarette is the world's best delivery system for nicotine. Nicotine hits the brain faster and with more sustained effect via inhalation than via gum or patch.

Posted by Steve White 2013-03-01 16:55|| 2013-03-01 16:55|| Front Page Top

#15 Grom: thanks for that laugh. I could use it today!

Posted by Steve White 2013-03-01 16:59|| 2013-03-01 16:59|| Front Page Top

#16 A cigarette is the world's best delivery system for nicotine. Nicotine hits the brain faster and with more sustained effect via inhalation than via gum or patch.
A scientific description of the term "And I enjoyed it" 8-)

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2013-03-01 17:09|| 2013-03-01 17:09|| Front Page Top

#17 A county taxing through the nose for cigarettes will get little tax revenue. It is not that far to get cheaper smokes by a bit of a drive or internet.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2013-03-01 17:24|| 2013-03-01 17:24|| Front Page Top

#18 I miss it.
I can say no more.
It was fun while it lasted.

Posted by Shipman 2013-03-01 18:24|| 2013-03-01 18:24|| Front Page Top

#19 The only reason government cares about smoking is they decided to pay for your health care. Why should they care? They do not care about children dying from abortion, poor behavior that leads to aids, and many other poor decisions that lead to hospital stays. Tax the hell out of sports equipment, mountain climbing gear, stripper poles...... it is a slippery slope we are sliding on.

Posted by airandee 2013-03-01 19:22|| 2013-03-01 19:22|| Front Page Top

#20 Steve: I agree with your assessment completely. Much of the reason isn't actual health-risks, it's the social and financial costs that have reduced smoking to the level it is now. Another 5 years and Smokers will be worth less than a crack-addicted hooker in societies eyes.

Posted by Charles 2013-03-01 19:35|| 2013-03-01 19:35|| Front Page Top

#21 "Another 5 years and Smokers will be worth less than a crack-addicted hooker in societies eyes."

Gawd, I hope not, Charles.

I've got tobacco stock in my retirement account.

No, I never smoked. Couldn't figure out why anyone did, and couldn't figure out how they afforded it. Still can't.

Posted by Barbara 2013-03-01 20:04|| 2013-03-01 20:04|| Front Page Top

#22 Bottle of Johnnie Walker Red, fresh pack of Marlboro Reds and a clean ash tray. The Best. Left it behind ten years ago. Still have that urge.

Posted by Secret Asian Man 2013-03-01 21:13|| 2013-03-01 21:13|| Front Page Top

#23 Lots of hand-wringing and oh-noes over the evils of smoking, but if everyone stopped the states would be out 17 billion in tax revenue.

tax revenue by state slightly old, but you get the picture.

Posted by SteveS 2013-03-01 23:27|| 2013-03-01 23:27|| Front Page Top

23:27 SteveS
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