(no subject)

[vicarz]

My opinion doesn't matter, but hearing that they're talking about moving tobacco products to the FDA and putting more measures in place to stop smoking, I feel the need to share with a bunch of people who don't care or probably already agree with me. This is, after all, the internet.

1. Legalize everything. Sure the shit is bad for us, but while it's nice to encourage good behavior in general, some good behavior is personal to me as a person. Let me know smoking will kill me, and I do know. However, watching tv and not exercising will kill me, drinking will kill me, driving too fast over a bridge w/o a seatbelt on will kill me, cheeseburgers will kill me...and no warning or notice is going to help. Notices never help - see i.e. the mortgage crisis.

2. Stop sin taxes. I pay stupid tax on booze, and smokers pay stupid tax on those drugs. McD's is not taxed at the same rate. Sure it's a sin, but how long until they levy a tax on soda? Potato chips? What about rice - is it taxed as food without butter but if I fatty it up do you then double the tax? Have they removed taxes from healthy things like gyms? Should they remove taxes from recreation facilities and public parks? Actually, I like that idea...but I think it's absurd to waste public money trying to discourage people from doing things they know are bad for them. Don't make money off of "sin." Touch my chocolate and I'll blow up government buildings.

3. Bans - I utterly approve of smoking bans in public places. I don't smoke, but I don't fucking want to smoke. If I drink, you don't wind up sucking up my waste - not spilled drinks, not pee, not even a super-woody beer burp will get alcohol in your system. I think sometimes government is a good control where the market as failed - and it appears in all markets where smoking was banned attendance and revenues went up. Guess there were lots of me-folk who wanted to go out more but were holding back due to smoke.

4. Ingredients - I utterly approve of forcing manufacturers to put the list of ingredients on their product. Duh, you ingest it.

5. Taste - it's odd to me there doesn't seem to be a tobacco snob movement going on. As I've gone from the silver bullet to micro-brews (bourbon barrel stout, oh my) and from soda to salvadorian organic blended coffee, I am confused why so few go from crappy mainstream cigarettes to exotic tobacco blends.

Comments

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Pipes too, I think. One of the things that set me off ws a man I see who often gets off work around the same time as me. As soon as he gets out he lights his pipe, and it kinds smells good. He often stands there for a bit smoking before he walks to his car. I think it's his present to him for making it through the day, and he seems to really enjoy it.

[peregrin8.livejournal.com]

mmmm, i LOVE the smell of pipe smoke. It is so different from other tobacco (especially cigars! Like motorcycles, they are pleasant only for the person who's actually doing it.)

Alcohol consumption DOES affect other people, though...

[feistydiva.livejournal.com]

While I'm personally not against drinking, I would like to point out that it can affect other people who are not consuming alcohol. Everyone has made a big deal about the effects of secondhand smoke, but not so much about the secondhand effects of alcohol consumption.

http://www.dui.com/dui-library/fatalities-accidents/statistics/drunk-driving-fatalities

The statistics for average annual traffic fatalities resulting from drunk driving in the US is about 17,000.

There are also a number of alcohol-related domestic violence cases:

http://www.marininstitute.org/alcohol_policy/violence.htm

"In 2002, more than 70,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 were victims of alcohol-related sexual assault in the U.S."

"An estimated 480,000 children are mistreated each year by a caretaker with alcohol problems."

http://www.gdcada.org/statistics/alcohol.htm

More than 100,000 U.S. deaths are caused by excessive alcohol consumption each year. Direct and indirect causes of death include drunk driving, cirrhosis of the liver, falls, cancer, and stroke.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/alcohol.htm

For the year 2006, the number of alcohol-induced deaths, excluding accidents and homicides was 22,073. For the same year, the number of alcoholic liver disease deaths was 13,050.

Of course, your mileage may vary...


I am confused why so few go from crappy mainstream cigarettes to exotic tobacco blends.

...because most of the manufacturers of exotic tobacco products stopped exporting them to the US when all the litigation began. Sobranies is an excellent example of a luxury brand... you cannot get them in the US anymore. Now the cost would be way too prohibitive... they were about $10 a "pack" (more like a small cigar box) about 10 years ago... if they were still available now that the new taxes have gone into effect (I pay almost $20 more per carton for my ghetto Capris now compared to six months ago) they would probably be about $20-$25 per "pack."

I agree that something should be done about "sin taxes" as well... at least make it a level playing field. Artery clogging food probably causes more health problems than either smoking or drinking.

Re: Alcohol consumption DOES affect other people, though...

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I think we blend over when we talk about irresponsible behavior combined with alcohol. Negligent people kill more people with w/o alcohol than without (perhaps even more now thanks to cell phones and beter yet, texting).

REMEMBER - DON'T SEXT AND DRIVE!!!

Violence is the same thing - I highly suspect that people that abuse drunk do it sober too, but still you're responsible for your conduct. I think it's not a good idea to look to the drug for a reason - I feel like that's people doing stuff, not being made to do stuff by what they drink.

It seems you have to buy tobacco separately and make your own "cigarette" or smoke another way. I guess as the quality goes up, the convenience goes down?

Re: Alcohol consumption DOES affect other people, though...

[fractalwoman.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[djpsyche.livejournal.com]

Some moron here in the UK made a proposal to tax chocolate. You know, because all we chocolate eaters are obese.

Heavy perfume can affect others, too, just like secondhand smoke. Okay, it won't give you cancer but it can make your day very unpleasant and for people with allergies it can make them very ill.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I give our perfume hog shit every time she comes in smelling like ... oh but you know what's worse? Guys who wear axe body spray...in lieu of a shower, often. Ew!

[samaritan1975.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm. Week old cheese and faux-lavendar. Two smells that go great togethe*urk*... (cough)... togeth*awk*...

[This session of dry heaves brought to you by those irritating shits that don't bathe then come and sit in your cubicle]

[jukebox-heroine.livejournal.com]

they should tax patchouli. & jasmine incense. as both of those make me puke.

[unapologetic.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Appropriate to your social circle, the first thing on the chopping block at the FDA is flavored cigarettes. Sure, I can see a strawberry smoke being a de facto enticement to teens, but they're pulling the plug on cloves too.

[fractalwoman.livejournal.com]

I think you know how I feel about this topic. In case it is not clear, read interesting posts on drug and drug usage.

I have said it before and I will say it again. I am tired of CONTROL. It really does encourage intolerance and ignorance. It disgusts me to work in drugs and alcohol abuse every day to recognize that I am enabling victimization and minimizing personal rights. People are going to do and behave in ways regardless of whether it is legal or not.

I think more legislation toward this end reinforces more stereotypes, more criminal activity, and provides more jobs for law enforcement and more legalized sources of income for our already over-bloated government.

For the record, any hopes for a coup is being reinforced by DHS and border control issues. Ask Canadians and Mexicans near the border. I have.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I dn't want a coup, I want people to wake up and take control through what they have available - for hte internet dream of a literate and informed public to make at least half-assed attempts to reason for common good.

Wow I must be the one on drugs.

[fractalwoman.livejournal.com]

Your quote on the common good reminds me of a really funny scene from Hot Fuzz. Apparently, I am also on drugs. More importantly, I DO want a coup. But, that is just me. Empowering myself and an attempt through others at random posts from putting this stuff into perspective.