I wish you could sue smokers!

duchy

A non smoker commented to me during a coffee break that even though she didn't smoke she preferred to go outside with the smokers who were all chatting sociably together than stay in with the non-smokers who just sat and ignored eachother. I went back in to have a look-she was right they were.

Now I'm not saying all smokers are socialable and nice people or that all non-smokers are anti-social miseries (although certain posts on this thread may imply this) but it was an interesting observation from a non-smoker.


Frankly I find abuse of alcohol to be a far greater concern and would welcome a ban on that instead. It makes people smell horrid, it makes for an unpleasent enviroment, it costs the NHS millions but by the users and their victims of violence and drink driving and wrecks lives emotionally and socially........so why isn't it banned ?

Volcano

avinabacca wrote: »

If you're going to base an argument on that quote, will you also - in the interest of balance - use this one too?

I don't think Oxford academics with their reputations at one end, and then a tired old dinosaur at the other, could ever be described as 'balanced'.

However, nobody has financial wizards like the government does; if there was a likelihood of a substantial loss then I'm sure they can be relied on to 'tweak' taxes to keep ahead, (a bit like the rapid implementation of the smoking ban that occured with an increase in second-hand smoke studies).

avinabacca

Volcano wrote: »

I don't think Oxford academics with their reputations at one end, and then a tired old dinosaur at the other, could ever be described as 'balanced'.

However, nobody has financial wizards like the government does; if there was a likelihood of a substantial loss then I'm sure they can be relied on to 'tweak' taxes to keep ahead, (a bit like the rapid implementation of the smoking ban that occured with an increase in second-hand smoke studies).

I think any academic will, to a greater or lesser extent, cut the results of a study to suit the funding body. The BHF are paying the piper, and the tune's being played accordingly.

Fact remains, though, that income from tobacco revenues outweigh the cost of smoking to the Treasury - glib comments about "tweaking" taxes aside, it would be interesting to see real proposals on how this shortfall might be made up, were this to disappear overnight.

Any ideas yourself?

Rockporkchop

avinabacca wrote: »

Fact remains, though, that income from tobacco revenues outweigh the cost of smoking to the Treasury - glib comments about "tweaking" taxes aside, it would be interesting to see real proposals on how this shortfall might be made up, were this to disappear overnight. Any ideas yourself?

Presumably all the smokers would become drinkers or compulsive eaters or take up some other expensive and health threatening habit to waste their cash and make up the shortfall in revenue.

I don't understand why all these smokers are on a MSE site, all trying to find out how they can save a few quid here and there when they are sending thousands of pounds up in smoke every year!

ladypinkof66

hartcjhart wrote: »

I dont like the smell of womens stinking rank odorous manky perfumes that they wear, and old people that stink of p'ss BUT do I whinge and want them locked up NO I just move away,

This is still a farly free country if you dont like it bu##er off away from us

But you cant move away if you sit next to them in work, what do you suggest I sit outside to avoid them or sit on the roof !!!!

janninew

Rockporkchop wrote: »

Presumably all the smokers would become drinkers or compulsive eaters or take up some other expensive and health threatening habit to waste their cash and make up the shortfall in revenue.

I don't understand why all these smokers are on a MSE site, all trying to find out how they can save a few quid here and there when they are sending thousands of pounds up in smoke every year!

I was just thinking the same thing about smoking not being very moneysaving! I had no idea how expensive it is to buy cigarettes! The only question i can ask is WHY? You get no health benefits, it makes you smell bad and probably will decrease your life span! I really can see no positives to smoking.

System

Drunk people are detrimental to my health can i whinge about them?

If there was a room people could smoke in then there wouldn't be the whole ooh people are smoking near me argument. To be honest with the rate of pollution you're probably breathing in as much crap anyway.

And maybe for some the positives to smoking are in fact the negatives

System

oldone wrote: »

I have never smoked, but I do feel we should all show understanding towards smokers.

They are obviously weak people who do not have the will power to give up a dangerous addiction; are in self denial when they claim they enjoy drawing rancid smoke into their lungs making breathing difficult.They also have no respect for their bodies or life in general, being quite happy as a group, to have a shorter life span than non-smokers.

Let us be tolerant towards them as most will not be with us for very long.

Patronising, much? :rolleyes:

avinabacca

janninew wrote: »

I was just thinking the same thing about smoking not being very moneysaving! I had no idea how expensive it is to buy cigarettes! The only question i can ask is WHY? You get no health benefits, it makes you smell bad and probably will decrease your life span! I really can see no positives to smoking.

Because it makes you look cool and hard, and the birds love it.

Well, that's according to a friend of mine, anyway......

janninew

avinabacca wrote: »

Because it makes you look cool and hard, and the birds love it.

Well, that's according to a friend of mine, anyway......

Well this bird doesn't love it! It would put me right off!!