Smoking is a foul habit
WS writes: I think your defence of smoking is totally crazy. Smoking is a foul habit that smokers have been inflicting on others for hundreds of years, with no concern for the non smokers right not to have to breath in the acrid smell of burning leaves, paper and chemicals designed to keep 'fags' alight. If you really want to kill yourselves early please do so in the privacy of your own home and only marry/live with other smokers.
Please stop bleating like a lot of spoilt childern about such stupid concepts as 'health fascists' and other juvenile terms. This is mostly about people not wanting to be told what to do, not about smoking as such, which is a very unsocial habit that spoils peoples meals and other entertainment. Bring in a ban in all public places and work places tomorrow I say!!!!
posted by Simon Clark @ 19:16
11 comments
11 Comments:
"Only marry/live with other smokers". So, it's not enough that you want to control my life, you now also want to control my non-smoking partner's life?
Excuse me, is it Ok if I put the TV on now? Thought I'd better ask as clearly, neither my partner or I can be trusted to think for ourselves or make decision.
Response to WS.
WS, I really get very tired of reading emotive and rude posts such as yours which are also full of subjective judgments. This influences no-one except people who have the same intolerant bent as yourself.
I personally (and I am far from alone) loathe the strong smell of garlic. In fact, having the misfortune to end up next to anyone who reeks of it in a crowded train or dictor's waiting room makes me feel profoundly nauseous.
We all have things we personally dislike or detest but that does not mean we should ban them. Normally people would recognise this very easily and seek to make appropriate accomodations and compromises. However, as has been pointed out in one of the commentaries, the currrent political and medical establishment has a one size fits all approach which in fact, ends up fiting very few.
Finally, at the back of the hysteria which enables anti smoker bans to flourish is the lie that second hand smoke, in the quantities we normally experience it, is a deadly toxic substance. It is not, and it's time you did some decent research which up to now, plainly, you have not.
"dictor's waiting room"
Sorry Blad but your typo made me laugh...is a Dictor a cross between a Doctor and a Dictator? As a smoker, they often seem to be one and the same these days!
I can guarantee that smoke is bad for health... I have had three life-threatening asthma attacks in my life.. ALL caused because of inconsiderate people smoking.. one of those was at a bus stop.. I guess it's just not my democratic right to use public transport?
"YGL, it is not about controlling your life, it is about protecting other people health".
My original post referred to a statement that I as a lowly smoker should only marry/live with other smokers.
I smoked when I met my partner, he hated it. I still smoke and he still hates it but given that everything else in our relationship is pretty much perfect, we work round it. He's capable of making his own decisions and has decided that, (I know you might find this had to believe Smoke free)there are actually worse things I could do therefore he'll put up with it.
I suppose what I'm trying to say, in a round about way is, stop claiming that you are protecting people who, quite frankly, don't actually want your "protection". If you must look for causes to champion, find people who actually want, and more importantly need your help, My non-smoking partner isn't one of them. Though, if you could find your way to helping him cure a dreadful snap-hook off the tee that he's developed he would really appreciate that.
spoilt children? - no, actually, tax paying adults who wish to be treated as such by a government that is eroding freedom of choice in almost every area of life. Before you sign up to have my habit banned, be aware that one day your thing - lets say freedom to use your car as and when you wish - could well be on the agenda.
To 'Smoke free'
(whatever that is supposed to mean) you mention two things that you claim were made illegal in order to 'save lives'.
1) Taking lead out of petrol. How many lives were 'saved' - on a body count? Zero, I suspect.
2) Prohibiting cell phone talking while driving. How many lives were 'saved' - on a body count? Zero, I suspect.
These measures I contend to be risk eliminating projects. But risk elimination is a futile game, since it will never end. There will always be risks. It is an inherent property of liberty. The only people who have a positive interest in these schemes are the ones locating these minute risks, and agitating for their illegalization. It is a ridiculous game, and one day, the sooner the better, there will be a revolution against it.
'Smoke free' - even you will hate it one day.
Dave said:
"I have had three life-threatening asthma attacks in my life.. ALL caused because of inconsiderate people smoking.. one of those was at a bus stop.. I guess it's just not my democratic right to use public transport?"
How do you know it wasn't caused by diesel-fumes from the bus? Or even from your stressing about someone smoking, outdoors, in your presence?
To Smokefree
Hey, why is it unfair to compare your dislike of smoking to my dislike of garlic? I don't like the smell of it at all, on my clothes or in my face. Despite the fact I make that point though, the big difference between you and me is that I refuse to become neurotic about it and absolutely do NOT want other people to stop eating it just because I don't like it.
With regard to the issue of rudeness, I agree that everyone should attempt to be polite, but, and although I am not saying this justifies reciprocal rudeness, plainly you have absolutely no idea the kind of rudeness that smokers have to put up with.
I am fortunate that I have not had the kind of e-mails that some of my friends and acquaintances have. In fact, some of these are not just rude, they're sick. However, this is obviously justifiable to some people who have now been so hysterically fired about smoking to the point of what can almost be called a psychosis.
One recent piece of irresponsible childish nonsense produced by the government has been "the smokers' stink" advert. To most of us this appears childish to the point of a schoolyard jibe "nah-na-na-na-nah".
However, this hogwash is touted by what is supposed to be a group of citizens capable of demonstrating leadership (Ha, ha) namely, New Labour.
With regard to your comment that you can assure me that there is no guarantee that smoking is not harmful. No-one says that if people smoke themselves that it probably doesn't involve a degree of risk and for some probably much more than others.
The key issue, however, is second hand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke(ETS) harmful? Now this has certainly never been proved despite the fancy reports or the copious amounts of propaganda.
Now, I think on one of your other posts you compared cigarette smoke to the dangers of asbestos. If my memory serves me well, this reminds me of the "Behind the Smokescreen" report produced by the BMC. This report stated that ETS is many times more dangerous than asbestos. Interesting we don't hear much of this nonsense now and I'm not surprised as only the most incredulous would believe it.
So let's debunk it, and easily, as it doesn't even require scientific analysis to do so.
During World War 2, an estimated 80% of military personnel smoked and an estimated 65% of the rest of the population. Why Smokefree, with all that many times more dangerous than asbestos cigarette smoke flying around, it's amazing that anyone alive during the War made it past 1965. In fact, it's amazing that there's anyone left alive in the heavily populated parts of the planet at all.
A bit of thought wouldn't go amiss you know!
All I have to say is lets think about each other. Live your life by my creed. Its not just mine it's common sense.
"In all your social interaction be sharing, tolerant and courteous."
Three simple actions that Anti-smokers seem to be completely unable to comprehend. They are indeed aparently all selfish, narrow-minded and rude.
Love and best wishes
Dr Phil X
Have just found this site and its incredable (will make it a favorite)as a smoker of 40 odd years, yes I am still happy and healthy. If the goverment want us all to "give up" the question I ask myself is Why don't they just close all tobacco factories and be damned - then I answer myself(must be old age) because they would miss out on all that lovely revenue that they make...they are not daft.
I have tried to give up smoking like a lot of people and failed, and have come to the conclusion that it's not because we have no
will power as many people seem to think but that We really enjoy smoking - and why not
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