Smoking - Ban it?

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BlueShift

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#196102 19-May-2016 11:43

Starting this thread up to drag this convo away from the small things thread, since it doesn't actually seem to be a small issue.

My opinion is ban the import and sale of tobacco products totally, allow growing and possession for personal use, and limited sharing (also do the same for marijuana, but that's in a different thread). Also tax e-cigarettes that contain nicotine at a similar rate to what cigarettes are taxed at now and taper off their availability over a few years - just the nicotine containing ones though - the mostly harmless flavoured ones can stay to give smokers something to do with their lips.

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#1555478 19-May-2016 12:00

What a great idea! I have always wanted a government to control my life, and when they do look after my health, perhaps I will live forever. And let's not just stop at cigarettes, think of the harm that comes from all that sugar! So let's ban sweets and chocolates and ice-cream. And how about obesity? Time for the government to step in and ban KFC and McDonalds! All fat people should be put in special camps to "learn" their errors and to recant and eat green stuff. Yeah, all that would sort the country. Great idea!

Geektastic

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#1555484 19-May-2016 12:09

Also, stupid people cause chaos and cost money. Let us ban anyone whose IQ is lower than, say, 110.

ghettomaster

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#1555502 19-May-2016 12:33

idle:

What a great idea! I have always wanted a government to control my life, and when they do look after my health, perhaps I will live forever. And let's not just stop at cigarettes, think of the harm that comes from all that sugar! So let's ban sweets and chocolates and ice-cream. And how about obesity? Time for the government to step in and ban KFC and McDonalds! All fat people should be put in special camps to "learn" their errors and to recant and eat green stuff. Yeah, all that would sort the country. Great idea!

I'm overweight myself and I must say having Mr Policeman come to my work every night, take me to the gym, check my house for junk food and ram some fruit down my throat is working wonders!

networkn

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#1555504 19-May-2016 12:34

100% support the banning of smoking. Disgusting habit with zero positives from either a social or health perspective.

We discriminate on it as part of our recruitment process.

SepticSceptic

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#1555508 19-May-2016 12:39

How about halving the nicotine content each year, so after 4 years there is 1/32 of the amount of the addictive nicotine left.

No point in smoking after that ... you're just smoking "grass".

Then add a bittering agent.

Sure, people could grow their own tobacco, but it's a real PITA to get the moisture content, the "cut", etc just right to be smokable. Smokers would be doing that NOW if it was easy, given the price of tobacco.

(dis)claimer - I am a RYO smoker ..

SepticSceptic

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#1555521 19-May-2016 12:41

networkn:

100% support the banning of smoking. Disgusting habit with zero positives from either a social or health perspective.

We discriminate on it as part of our recruitment process.

Do you also discriminate against overweight people on the same principle ?

If not, then you are discriminating against your discrimination ...

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Inphinity

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#1555524 19-May-2016 12:42

I would love to see smoking banned in public / shopping malls etc. I'm less supportive of completely banning it in private (e.g. at home). I'm not a smoker, and certainly wouldn't have an issue with a blanket no smoking ban, I'm more thinking of the precedent it may set for banning other activities and products (i.e. the reduced free will).

xpd

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#1555526 19-May-2016 12:43

Everyones got their views on it, and noone can agree anywhere.

Personally, I think its a disgusting habit, but I dont tell my smoking friends "go away, you smoke, friendship over". Those who visit know the rules, smoking only on the deck and butts go into the bin. If they get ill from smoking, I'll be there for them, but telling them "told you so".

Everyones got their vices and not everyone will agree with them, just live with it and get on with life.

If you decide to potentially shorten it with smoking/drugs/alcohol/bad food, then so be it......

XPD / Gavin

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Dolts

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#1555527 19-May-2016 12:46

My brother in-law quit smoking and purchased a vaporizer. Some of the liquid he uses smells great, and it doesn't make me want to cough or move away from him(I'm not aware of the health consequences of vaporizers though). So I am all for the ban of cigarettes and tobacco, I think it's just plain gross.

gzt

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#1555528 19-May-2016 12:46

If this was the annoyance thread I would mention the occasional vaper user who thinks it is harmless to others. The lack of particulates etc is a positive compared to smoking, but it is still a somewhat stinky nicotine containing cloud.

dafman

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#1555532 19-May-2016 12:50

networkn:

100% support the banning of smoking. Disgusting habit with zero positives from either a social or health perspective.

We discriminate on it as part of our recruitment process.

How do you know? Do you specifically ask them?

I'm guessing most smokers with half a brain would probably say no if specifically asked during recruitment, and just not smoke on the job.

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robjg63

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#1555534 19-May-2016 12:52

idle:

What a great idea! I have always wanted a government to control my life, and when they do look after my health, perhaps I will live forever. And let's not just stop at cigarettes, think of the harm that comes from all that sugar! So let's ban sweets and chocolates and ice-cream. And how about obesity? Time for the government to step in and ban KFC and McDonalds! All fat people should be put in special camps to "learn" their errors and to recant and eat green stuff. Yeah, all that would sort the country. Great idea!

People have to eat (even if they make poor decisions) - they dont have to breathe carcinogenic air through burning leaves.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

michaelmurfy

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#1555537 19-May-2016 12:55

Geektastic:

Also, stupid people cause chaos and cost money. Let us ban anyone whose IQ is lower than, say, 110.

Why? They pay for their "stupidity" in their taxes.

Also, I am a recent ex-smoker using vaping as a tool to quit. I started smoking due to the Christchurch quakes, stress after losing everything etc. Also if you must know I have an IQ of 148. I have also helped many people quit smoking via vaping (starting with 12mg "good quality" liquid and working your way down until you're at 0mg) and now just find vaping fun. There is really no harm with vaping vegetable glycol with some flavour (and maybe a little bit of nicotine) added which is what I do on a sub-ohm build and it is far far better than smoking the unknown.

Just let everyone have free will to do what they want - it is their lives and those who have not been through addiction won't know how going cold turkey on something like this affects you. Also with a ban will come a black market often laced with other things of which we really don't want.

I do however think making Smoking illegal for anyone under the age of 18 is something that should be done only since I see kids taking it up (at the age of 15-16) getting the tobacco products from their parents and thinking they're cool by doing it in the process, also lowering the age of being put in jail or fined to lets say 15.

There are many things that could well be done however it should be carried out in a manner that doesn't piss everyone off. Also, while we're at it why don't we ban Alcohol.

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JaseNZ

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#1555548 19-May-2016 12:55

I have been smoke free for 4 years now both the missus and I gave up at the same time. Each to their own they are never going to right out ban it so no need even looking at that. The idea of reducing the nicotine sounds like a plausible idea however i doubt the tobacco manufactures are going to take to that idea.

I see on the news about e-cigs , I thought they were legal here in NZ.

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networkn

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#1555552 19-May-2016 12:57

SepticSceptic:

networkn:

100% support the banning of smoking. Disgusting habit with zero positives from either a social or health perspective.

We discriminate on it as part of our recruitment process.

Do you also discriminate against overweight people on the same principle ?

If not, then you are discriminating against your discrimination ...

We discriminate against smokers because they smell terrible and when you work side by side with people, how you smell affects how those people perceive you. Along with the health benefits.

Before we didn't employ people who smoked, I would offer staff $2000 to quit. I had one person quit and when he left my employ, he gave me $2000 by cheque and said I saved his life and he didn't want to take my money for it.

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