Smoking

[Ben]

I think it's just awful that people still smoke, especially considering all that we know about cigarettes' harmful effects. Not only do these cancer sticks kill the users, but they give off secondhand smoke that hurt innocent people nearby. Unlike alcohol, there aren't any health benefits associated with moderate usage.

I think smoking should be banned in all restaurants and bars nationwide, and cigarette taxes should be increased. Maybe if cigarettes are no longer affordable, people will stop buying them.

What do you think about smoking laws, and do you have any ideas on why people still smoke?

[BeardofPants]

They smoke because they're bloody idiots. Seriously. Who starts smoking for enjoyment? It's all about peer pressure. I can't say I didn't fall for it; I used to smoke when I was 15, but thankfully I developed a brain and gave it up before it became addictive. I'm all in favour of hiking the costs so that they're prohibitive. However, there are greater evils in the world, and I would prefer something do be done with drink driving etc, before I'm gonna worry about smoking. (Although, I read some scary stats about second-hand smoking and cancer the other day.)

[jerseydevil]

I hate smoking too - but I don't agree with banning it in bars. I think California's laws go way over the top. Princeton's laws of making it illegal to even smoke outside were ridiculous also.

I think if restaurants allow smoking - they should be required to install special ventilating equipment. This doesn't make it illegal to smoke in restaurants - but most restaurants wouldn't buy this extra expensive equipment. Therefore it's left up to the restaurants as to whether they want to spend the money and allow smoking- or save the money and not allow smoking. Then ultimately it's left up to the smokers and non-smokers what restaurants they wish to go to. If a smoker wants to go to a restaurant and be able to smoke - there would still be restaurants that are willing to spend the money and that they can smoke in.

After being around the country and coming back to NJ - I was surprised at how many restaurants are BYOB out here. I found out that this is because it's so expensive to get a liquor license in NJ. A similar thing would happen if restaurants were forced to install special ventilation units.

Raising cigarette taxes only creates a black market. And actully the Star Ledger or one of my internet business magazines had an article concerning internet cigarette sales and cigarette taxes. They discovered that everytime taxes are raised on cigarettes - there is a marked increase in sales over the net.

I think people have to take responsiblity for their actions. The lawsuits against cigarette companies was completely ridiculous considering that for decades we've known that cigarette smoking is deadly. Yet smokers seem to walk around with blinders on until they develop cancer. Then they feel that "if ONLY the dangers were made more clear, I wouldn't have smoked." It's like the joke - if you're a guy and you smoke - just get the packs of cigarettes that warn against smoking while pregnant.

There are many reasons why people smoke. Very very few smoke in NJ. Even at the boardwalk in Seaside Heights - I see very few smokers walking the boards. Going to Great Adventure - very few people smoke. These are the types of places in Indiana where I would not be able to breath because of all the people smoking. I would have to hold my breath walking through the county fair. In Indiana, probably 70-80% of people I knew smoked. Most of the reasons my friends in Indiana smoked was because everyone else was. It's very common for people to start out there in 7th grade. Actually all the people I know that smoke out there - started between 7th and 10th grade.

I've never smoked - I think it's gross and it smells terrible. My mother hated cigarettes so much that she couldn't even clean an ashtray after one of our pool parties. It would make her sick - and she grew up in a house of smokers.

My sister and I don't smoke - but our two brothers do. My brothers are more "follow the crowd" type of people though. If everyone else around them is doing it - then they do it.

[jerseydevil]

I just had an idea. Now that the smokers have gotten their money from the cigarette companies because of their own stupidity to start smoking - all non-smokers should get together for a class action lawsuit against the smokers. We were affected by their second hand smoke and we had no choice in the matter for years. WE deserve the money more than they do. The smokers chose to smoke because they were stupid - non-smokers breathed in their smoke because we had no choice. We had to breath it in on planes, in malls, elevators, offices, theaters . Where ever we were - non-smokers were sorrounded by smokers and forced to breath in their smoke.

Maybe if smokers were faced with lawsuits by non-smokers they would think twice about smoking. Wasn't the smokers lawsuit against the cigarette companies to "send a message"? Let us non-smokers send a message to all the smokers.

[Tessar]

At 7th grade! That would make them 12-13 right?

I'm 13 and even though it really kills me to say this... Someone my age is NOT mature enough to be allowed to make the choice to smoke! Most of us can't look ahead far enough to see what will happen to us!

Why would a parent not realize that someone who is just 13 cant be allowed to do that kind of thing while we are still to stuped to fully understand?!

Ouch, ok that hurt But really I think that it is true.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Tessar
At 7th grade! That would make them 12-13 right?

I'm 13 and even though it really kills me to say this... Someone my age is NOT mature enough to be allowed to make the choice to smoke! Most of us can't look ahead far enough to see what will happen to us!

Why would a parent not realize that someone who is just 13 cant be allowed to do that kind of thing while we are still to stuped to fully understand?!

Ouch, ok that hurt But really I think that it is true.

Yeah they would be 12 or 13. But they'd get their cigarettes from friends or older brothers, sisters or cousins. Generally the parents smoked too.

[Tessar]

Gag. That stinks. No puns thought of.

[Sween]

ill admit im a very casual smoker only if im out and someone offers me one. I got sick to death of nocking my cousin back. I dont do it much makes your throat feel like ****. The only time i smoke regually is when im with some of my mates and we have a load of ash

[Artanis]

There are several reasons why people smoke.
Here's some of them:

Teenager: My parents doesn't want me to.
Woman on diet: Keeps my fingers away from food.
Doctor: Never follow your own advice.
Drunk person: The more poison, the better feeling.

[Rána Eressëa]

Eh . . . I don't like it. That's my simple opinion.

[Earniel]

I never smoked and I hate it. It stinks and it gives me headaches and makes me cough. My sister once told me I was being intollerant and acting stupid so I tried to stiffle the coughs from then on. Not that any one besides her noticed, though. (Annoying know-it-all-ten-times-better-sister) Now I try to not to breathe deeply around smokers and try to get up-wind of them as much as possible. I've taken on the habit of calling sigarettes stink sticks.

As for laws, I'm not sure if it'll work. Around here all tabacco advertising is forbidden. Within the next few years all brands must put a warning that it's cancerous on the half of the package. But somehow it fails to change the image of sigarettes.

Statistics shows that the age on which smokers begin is getting lower and lower all the time. 12 and 13 year the age most smokers start on now.

The most young smokers are girls. They smoke because it keeps them from gaining weigth or because it's "cool". Yet recent studies show that smoking women have 50% more chance of developing cancer then men who smoke the same amount. Jolly.

[Elfmaster XK]

I think it's a horrible thing to do. It smells and it kills you. You can't get more stupid. Basically, i just don't like it.

[Lizra]

Hey JD, Think you're ever going to get over the "Indiana" thing?

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Lizra
Hey JD, Think you're ever going to get over the "Indiana" thing?

Probably not. It'll take years of psychotherapy.

[Faramir]

Smoking

is bad. It's just sick. I can't believe people still do it.

[Arathorn]

So are Aragorn, Gandalf, and the rest of the Fellowship stupid?

BTW, a friend of mine in college once refused some of the food we offered her in a bar we went to because (she's a bio student) she learned that some of them and naturally occuring carcinogens. She told us this while puffing a Winston. LOL!

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Arathorn
So are Aragorn, Gandalf, and the rest of the Fellowship stupid?

yeah - actually they are. But then again - can Gandalf or Saruman get cancer? They're also fictional, but even so- smoking was far more acceptable when LotR was written. I am not so anti-smoking where I would have changed the movie and left out them smoking. Some people had suggested that Jackson should not have had them smoking in the movie. Some where in the movie forum there is a thread concerning this.

BTW, a friend of mine in college once refused some of the food we offered her in a bar we went to because (she's a bio student) she learned that some of them and naturally occuring carcinogens. She told us this while puffing a Winston. LOL!

That sounds like LA. Work out and eat healthy - but then smoke, drink and do drugs. Makes no sense.

[Starr Polish]

Smoking. Ick. My mother, sister, grandfather, and grandmother smoke, and I find it appalling and disgusting.
At the time LOTR 'occurred', and at the time it was written, the many dangers of smoking were not known, to my knowledge, so I don't get bothered by that...it's more the REAL smoke that bugs me. My eyes water, I cough, and it just smells bad. It's really easy to tell when people smoke, because the cover up always smells the same.

[Blackheart]

I smoke. I like it. I also am fully cognizant of the fact that it's an extreme risk to my health. (and if you don't want my second hand smoke, don't stand downwind when I'm outside)

Ever notice how often down the years it's fashionable to attack a substance (and the people who use the substance- responsibly or irresponsibly)?

It's the great puritanical craze, and the one of the banes of individual liberty. (the greatest bane to individual liberty is fear, and the craving for the illusion of security)

Why do people drink alcohol? factoring in heart disease, (which isn't done for several shifty reasons) alcohol kills nearly as many people a year as nicotine. Even without factoring in alcohol induced heart disease, it runs a decent second.

Factor in the effect it has on people's behavior, in assaults, murders, and involuntary manslaughters (vehicular and otherwise) and you come up with a figure that probably exceeds nicotine. And likely (the numbers are unclear but highly suggestive) more people die from the secondary effects of alcohol (in other words - someone dies as a result of someone else's drinking) than second hand smoke.

But why don't you hear about it? Because it's not fashionable. Because it's "been tried". Because the alcohol industry also has an effective lobby.

At one time in the US, you could buy morphine over the counter, smoke cannabis, and yet it was illegal to consume, manufacture, or possess alcohol.

Sure. Putting any substance in your body isn't good for you. Vegetarians will tell you meat is poison. Consumed in large quantities it is unhealty. Alcohol is unhealthy. Cannibis is unhealthy. Soft drinks are unhealthy. Nicotine use is unhealthy.

Pass laws about it. Limit everyone's personal and civil liberties. Live in a state that OWNS your body, and forces you to care for it in a way that they see fit. After all, what good are you if you aren't a healthy consumer? (and taxpayer)

After all, when you're gone someone's going to want those organs you aren't using.

Yeah yeah, it's alarmist. But you know, you could just politely ask someone to put it out. You could promote education instead of legislation. (I heartily endorse Nevada's stand on cannibis- education is much more effective than legislation). You could let people assume responsibility for their own actions.

But the problem with that is, it goes against the 'ol puritanical grain. (not to mention the lawyers would starve). After all, we can't let people take responsibility for themsleves, that would be a bit to much like letting them do what they want to do. Better to force them, instead of allowing them to decide for themselves. After all the peons are just going to screw it up aren't they?

Those of you who choose not to smoke, I applaud your decision. However, you should at least stop and think before you apply the label of stupid to other people for the decisions they make. They know more about themselves than you do.

[StrawberryIcecream]

I think it's just awful that people still smoke, especially considering all that we know about cigarettes' harmful effects.

i think its awful people keep having kids. They always end up dying anyway. The harmful effects of living are disgusting, dont know why people carry on doing it

I do not mind smokers a slong as they dont brethe it into my face. I hate people which do not ask if its ok to smoke around little kids or older kids. adults can say do you mind stopping, kids cant.

Smoking kills. So do car crahes. You dont see people stopping driving and prices of cars are going up all the time.

I dont know what to do about it because im not clever enough. But i think they should ask around little kids and i think that most bars should be smoke free but not all.