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Thread ID: 125854	2012-07-23 20:37:00	Smoking & sale of tobacco	globe (11482)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1290226	2012-07-23 20:37:00	Heres a good one. I don't smoke, used to but gave up about 10 years ago. I reckon the restrictions on sale of tobacco, and the ongoing tightening on the smoking laws is going too far. I believe adults are mature enough to make a decision regarding smoking without the government telling people what they can and can't do. I understand (unconfirmed) that the tax and duty more than covers any increased health costs resulting from illnesses from smoking.	globe (11482)
1290227	2012-07-23 20:59:00	You have got that right. Informing people of the potential health risk is a legitimate task for government but it stops there. If individuals still wish to kill themselves that is their problem. I have much the same attitude to the wearing of seat belts in cars. It is stupid not to use one and criminaly stupid not make your children do so. I always had them fitted in my vehicles long before it was a legal requirement to do so. (waste of money because I never was involved in a crash).	CliveM (6007)
1290228	2012-07-23 21:01:00	I don't have an issue with removing the shop displays. Advertising them to children next to the lollies is stupid. The lollies and fizzy drinks should be next. Coke at $10 a litre to go with the $20 mixture would discourage all those fat little pricks on the way home from school.	fred_fish (15241)
1290229	2012-07-23 21:17:00	They are trying to reduce the visible appeal of it to reduce uptake or something. Who knows if it will have any effect but going too far? it has no impact on smokers, they can still buy whatever they want so who is it hurting? @Globe I agree in principal about making our own choices, but what we forget is our choices don't just affect ourselves. I wish I could agree about adults being mature but the behaviour of many would tend to disagree. If for example someone doesn't want to wear a helmet to ride a bike it would seem fair enough, it's their life after all right? But what about the poor bastard who has to scrape your brains off the road, or the family who ends up caring for a disabled relative. Similarly chosing to smoke has an influence on your friends and family so is it really just your choice? Don't get me wrong I'm not a smoke nazi, as long as people aren't in my face with it I really don't care, I just wanted to point out it's not as simple as making a choice for yourself.	dugimodo (138)
1290230	2012-07-23 21:25:00	But what about the poor bastard who has to scrape your brains off the road, or the family who ends up caring for a disabled relative. These things are going to happen anyway, whether you wear a helmet when you smoke or not. The freedom to make bad choices is what makes life interesting :D	fred_fish (15241)
1290231	2012-07-23 21:29:00	I saw a 10 year old the other who was going through his pockets looking for some money and out of his pocket he pulls out half a packet of tobbaco. :)	Trev (427)
1290232	2012-07-23 21:31:00	It’s absolute nonsense. Whilst smoking is perfectly legal they should butt out. If some of these politicians are so paranoid about smoking, then they should make it illegal the same as marijuana. As far as the cost of smoking being a drag on the Healthcare Budget I too have seen figures that suggest they should be encouraging smoking. I must try and find them but from memory they were based on a packet of 20 per day and the tax collected from that smoker over the average life expectancy of a smoker opposed to the tax collected off a non-smoker (nil) and the extended life expectancy of the non-smoker where pensions etc are paid. Anyway, from a purely financial point of view, it suggested the Government should definitely be encouraging smoking. :lol:	B.M. (505)
1290233	2012-07-23 21:36:00	If for example someone doesn't want to wear a helmet to ride a bike it would seem fair enough, it's their life after all right? . Main difference here is that a helmet protects you in an accident, smoking is not an accident (unless you somehow set fire to yourself of course). That's how i myself differentiate between the two.	globe (11482)
1290234	2012-07-23 22:42:00	Anyone here who is saying that what they are doing is a bad thing, should learn up about an economic term called 'negative externalities'.	Nick G (16709)
1290235	2012-07-23 23:00:00	I quite often see school kids smoking even in school uniform out in the open. In my day it was a big no no to be caught smoking so we always went into the bushes to have a smoke. In the movies the hero always had a smoke in his mouth, this made him look cool and helped encourage young people to smoke. I did have the odd sneaky puff when I was a kid but after I left school I did not bother to smoke as I thought that it was a sensless waste of money. I am in favour of tobacco products not being advertised which includes having them out of sight in shops.	Bobh (5192)
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