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quote:Originally posted by fishytailsthe greatest no-smoking incentive of my life was to witness my aunt battle through cancer, a battle which she has just lost. I can't remember anyone saying their first cigarette was the most enjoyable thing they've ever done in their lives, so whats the point. to work at becoming addicted to something that you know will kill you, incidentally in probably the most painful and drawn out way imaginable, seems so unbelieveably dumb i can't believe smokers have managed to get this far through natural selection.
quote:Originally posted by fishytails whats the point. to work at becoming addicted to something that you know will kill you, incidentally in probably the most painful and drawn out way imaginable, seems so unbelieveably dumb.
perhaps i reacted a bit emotionally. it just seems unfair to say that... I'm sorry though for not thinking before i responded. i'm sure you didn't mean that the way i took it.
actually my first cigarette was really quite wonderful. yes, i inhaled, and i expected to cough and gag and choke but i didn't. i felt pleasantly light headed and wanted another one. everyone who smokes knows that it does horrible things. why every single nonsmoker insists on saying how bad it is is beyond me. i have smoked for 5 years. i refuse to smoke around non smokers. especially children. i think everyone has a right to do what they choose to do. we all know it could kill us.
Quote from: kdlynn on 05/05/2007 02:22:06actually my first cigarette was really quite wonderful. yes, i inhaled, and i expected to cough and gag and choke but i didn't. i felt pleasantly light headed and wanted another one. everyone who smokes knows that it does horrible things. why every single nonsmoker insists on saying how bad it is is beyond me. i have smoked for 5 years. i refuse to smoke around non smokers. especially children. i think everyone has a right to do what they choose to do. we all know it could kill us. As a non-smoker, I agree with this wholeheartedly.I refuse to allow a smoker to light up in my presence, but what they do in private is none of my business. The argument that smoking kills you is only realistic if the alternative was immortality (and I do more than enough things that are capable of killing me some time or another).Smokers deserve to know the truth about their habit, but if the know it, and accept it, and so long as they ensure it harms nobody but themselves, then it is an informed judgement they, as an autonomous human being, have a right to make for themselves. I will support, and be pleased for them, if they choose to give up smoking (party simply from a selfish perspective - if I enjoy the company of a smoker, and I cannot be in their presence when they are smoking, then I am deprived of the enjoyment of their company during that time); but I will not condemn them for smoking in their own private space.
i agree with you George on this. one extra point: in my country and i know in yours we have a state funded health system the you and i are paying for it in our taxs. Should we pay to to provide health care for thouse who smoke when the money could be spent on other parts of the health system. (i am referring to smoking related illnesses)?
Quote from: Hadrian on 05/05/2007 15:17:29i agree with you George on this. one extra point: in my country and i know in yours we have a state funded health system the you and i are paying for it in our taxs. Should we pay to to provide health care for thouse who smoke when the money could be spent on other parts of the health system. (i am referring to smoking related illnesses)?We also have a State funded pensions system (albeit, the pension payments are scarcely adequate on a personal level, but they nonetheless cost a significant amount in terms of State spending). I would have thought that the savings in pensions payments would have more than offset any increase in health service costs.In any case, I have yet to be convinced that smokers do add anything at all to the health service budget. The fact is that we will all become ill (excepting those of us who succumb to sudden death - which is irrespective of whether we smoke or not), and shall all die. Smokers may become ill and die sooner than non-smokers, but the inevitability of it happening is exactly the same for both groups, it is merely the timing of it that is different.And, don't forget the massive amount of contributions that smokers contribute to taxation revenue through the enormous taxes placed on tobacco products.Overall, I would say that in all probability the State gains far more from smokers than it loses.
Then would you say the state has vested interest in keeping smokers smoking despite the harm?