Cigarettes and Alcohol

C

Compo

Guest
I am not trying to start trouble or scare anyone off these two items but:

I am really bothered with all these adverts against smoking and that you can't smoke in most places now. Now the EU wants people to stop smoking in playgrounds and parks. Many a time you would see a Grandad enjoying a quiet cig in the park or while watching the Grandkids on the swings etc. Talk about being a free country.. Second hand smoke hasn't been proven yet and still if smoking outdoors nothing wrong with that.

Now what really upsets me with a passion is that the Government's real big concern is how much revenue it is taking in. It seems that Booze is the winner as how many adverts do you see against drinking? If cigs are bad for your lungs well booze is bad for your Liver. Honestly I am more afraid of a drunk then a smoker. Drunks are dangerous drivers and bad marriage partners and parents etc. Cigs can only kill you!!!

As I said I am not saying not to drink or smoke but in all fairness if the Gov.. is going to advertise against one well why not the other..
 
I think the concept of 'freedom' kinda falls on its rear end a bit when your action can cause death and damage to others don't you?
I smoke, but that is my choice. Even when you could smoke in Pubs I went outside as most if not all of those I was with didn't smoke.
This isn't just something that is a bit anti-social we are talking about here, this is behaviour that can cause massive harm to others. I wonder how many people who talk about the 'Nanny State' would be shouting so loudly when they develop Cancer from secondary inhilation?
To smoke is my choice, to damage myself is my choice, to damage others most certainly isn't.
The only reason that smoking hasn't been banned completely is because the taxation from it virtually pays for the NHS and the backhanders corrupt Government officials get from the Smoking lobby is too good to turn down.
Smoking is a terrible, damaging and very anti-social habit and should be banned everywhere. And that's coming from a smoker.
 
Chuffer Enwright said:
I think the concept of 'freedom' kinda falls on its rear end a bit when your action can cause death and damage to others don't you?
I smoke, but that is my choice. Even when you could smoke in Pubs I went outside as most if not all of those I was with didn't smoke.
This isn't just something that is a bit anti-social we are talking about here, this is behaviour that can cause massive harm to others. I wonder how many people who talk about the 'Nanny State' would be shouting so loudly when they develop Cancer from secondary inhilation?
To smoke is my choice, to damage myself is my choice, to damage others most certainly isn't.
The only reason that smoking hasn't been banned completely is because the taxation from it virtually pays for the NHS and the backhanders corrupt Government officials get from the Smoking lobby is too good to turn down.
Smoking is a terrible, damaging and very anti-social habit and should be banned everywhere. And that's coming from a smoker.
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Yes, I see your point and a good one I might add. I don't like people blowing smoke in my face but outdoors is a different story. But why is it also that many smokers do not get cancer? My Grandad lived to 91 and he smoked..

You did not mention booze. I am scared of that. I have seen many accidents because of drinking. I have seenmany people hurt in fights because of drinking ..
 
Compo said:
Chuffer Enwright said:
I think the concept of 'freedom' kinda falls on its rear end a bit when your action can cause death and damage to others don't you?
I smoke, but that is my choice. Even when you could smoke in Pubs I went outside as most if not all of those I was with didn't smoke.
This isn't just something that is a bit anti-social we are talking about here, this is behaviour that can cause massive harm to others. I wonder how many people who talk about the 'Nanny State' would be shouting so loudly when they develop Cancer from secondary inhilation?
To smoke is my choice, to damage myself is my choice, to damage others most certainly isn't.
The only reason that smoking hasn't been banned completely is because the taxation from it virtually pays for the NHS and the backhanders corrupt Government officials get from the Smoking lobby is too good to turn down.
Smoking is a terrible, damaging and very anti-social habit and should be banned everywhere. And that's coming from a smoker.
Click to expand...
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Yes, I see your point and a good one I might add. I don't like people blowing smoke in my face but outdoors is a different story. But why is it also that many smokers do not get cancer? My Grandad lived to 91 and he smoked..

You did not mention booze. I am scared of that. I have seen many accidents because of drinking. I have seenmany people hurt in fights because of drinking ..
Click to expand...

Yes, good points well made there mate. I cant answer the one about Cancer, it's a mystery, all I know is that it should be banned in all public places and especially in front of children.
You are 100% correct about drinking, it is the most societally destructive drug. Whilst Heroin and Crack Cocaine are the most harmful to the indivdual, and societally destructive for whole communities, on a purely interpersonal level, Alcohol is terrible. But again, it is a well taxed drug, it pays for alot of other things, so deemed to be acceptable. Sadly, like in most things, it is the few that spoil it for the many.
 
Although it should be a free country, passive smoking not proved etc, etc, you can still breathe in an unpleasant amount of smoke just approaching the entrance of a pub by the smokers that gather there. Is it unreasonable for me to object to that?

My other thought is there IS still a large amount of teenagers still taking it up. Why is that despite the health warnings and the cost? Over 20 years ago it was drummed into youngsters the dangers of smoking, yet a surprisingly high number still take it up.

It would be undemocratic to ban young people from taking it up, but would it be a good idea?

It's strange, but I have far stronger views on smoking than drinking. Probably because I like a pint in the evening.
 
It is strange, I realise I have also got far stronger views on smoking than drinking, but not because I like a pint (as I said before, I like nothing, never smoked, never drank). Probably I would have stronger views on drinking if I had ever had an alcoholic around me or been involved in an accident caused by a drunk or so. But as it is, I have only known smokers and from my childhood I remember arguing about it with my grandfather who was a smoker.
It is obvious that I wouldn´t care if they ban everything altogether, but I can of course understand the smokers. I find, the more they restrict smoking, the more it bothers me when it happens somewhere. For example our neighbours, they are not strong smokers, but they go into the garden a few times a day and when I have the windows open, I can smell their smoke in my flat, even though I´m on the first floor, and I always go and shut the windows for that time.
Actually I find both habits scary, drinking and smoking. Smoking in particular because of my experiences with a smoking grandfather in the same house. When I was a child, I remember I was frightened of his smoker´s cough, I can´t explain why, but it scared me and disgusted me at the same time. It happens very rarely, but to this day I can secretly panic if I witness someone having a real bad coughing fit, I don´t know if this is anything to do with my past being stuck with me or not.
Drinking I find scary because it is scary to see people change their personality all of a sudden when they get drunk. To me all these people always seem a bit as if they were flirting with death, to put it rather bluntly. So I´m much too scared to ever try any of that stuff, neither alcohol, nor cigarettes.

This may be a very stupid and naive question, but can anyone here explain to me WHY they actually like to smoke or drink? I mean, of course once you started it can just become an addiction and then you can´t stop, but before that happens, I mean.
 
Well both drinking and smoking were a social thing to do. If you look at old films or old adverts you see women lighting a men's cigarette. Ladies smoked for that reason also. These days it is mostly because your friends do it. Infact many don't know why they light up. I had a Boss once who had three cigs lit up at the same time and didn't know it. Sad but true..
 
I thought long and hard about joining this thread.My reason being that 25 years ago I quit smoking. So what ? you say.Well my wife of now 47 years did not stop. Had I really stopped then??She has tried several times to quit, once for nearly 4 months until a long lost friend came and she had one " to be sociable ". I am at present diagnosed with emphysema and bronchiectasis.I am on three inhalers a day and the medical fraternity blame the ciggys . However I spent 40+ years in the knitwear industry breathing in dust and fluff almost daily.This apparently doesn't count nor does the fact of being born in a mining village 1/2 a mile from the colliery with the resultant dust outfall before the days of dust suppression.My wife continues to try to quit ( both her parents died from lung cancer, both heavy smokers in their day) She tries to do most of it outside but there are occasions when she has to sit in the kitchen with the extract fan going full blast.It is too late in the day to divorce( not that we would )so we still plug away at trying and failing .She to stop, me trying to be supportive. What seems ironic now is that she started having a ciggy cos I smoked when we were going out early in our marriage! ::) :-\
 
PS My wife does not drink as a habit , just a small G&T to be sociable. I like a tot of whiskey of an evening (well watered)to help me sleep .It seems to relax me. ;)
 
But we are losing track of what this thread was heading to.

I feel that not enough is being promoted about the danger of drinking. Booze is just as bad as ciggies. But like someone said the Government needs tax money coming in. So why should they show concern to smokers to stop when they don't stop drinkers?? In my family we are not drinkers but in a country that is very hot etc and full of Foreign Students it is out of control to seed drunks and all sorts of problems. Sadly booze and wine are sold freely in supermarkets.
 
Yes Compo

Booze is also bad.
But if you drink in house without driving a car, without getting unfriendly to others...
Aggressive and annoying people should not be allowed to drink.
If you drink, drink within sociable reason. As long you don't hurt anyone and keep your self healthy.
Although I am being told: death should have a reason.

Smoking is something different.
By now everyone should know second-hand smoke is unhealthy. But it continues to be denied...

I started drinking beer many years ago. My neighbour did not bring lemonade during the hay-season.
Working hard in a hot sun makes you thirsty. As teenager I was not used to this kind of work...
I got 6 bottles of beer within three hours inside me without getting drunk.
The alcohol burnt away inside me... And let me push hay bundles higher.
Next morning no hangover but I felt I had a lot of muscles.
 
I guess I have to repeat myself. I am not against smoking or drinking. Mind you I enjoy a bit of wine with my meals. I just don't like the way Governments treat their citizens. If it will make the Governments more revenue then they have nothing agaisnt it. Cigs and booze make lots of revenue so they only advertize against one of them.
 
I was born in the 50's and cigarettes were everywhere,I started to smoke at 16,all my idols on TV and screen smoked and it seemed normal to smoke,I packed it in about 12 years ago,never really been a drinker,even less these days with medication

I do think no matter which party is in power they really are not bothered if you are a heavy smoker or drinker, the revenue both these bring in is in excess of 25 billion annually and that figure was estimated 3 years ago and I suppose if we all smoke or drink ourselves to death that is another pension not paid out

I must admit it is a mystery why the younger generation take no notice of the constant warning these days,we had no advice when I was young,especially with alcohol as so many youngsters seem to go on a bender most weekend,you cannot go on like that for long,and how do they afford it
 
I hope the government in Malta is democratic elected.
Governments should steer a society built up with a lot of different kind of people. Rich,poor, (un)happy, with a lot of (im)possiblities.
All Blamires need people to look down-to, that is why they pay the rounds in the pub for the Compo's.
And the Compo's take some arrogant behaviour and the free beer...
We need each other to form a society. But that is to give and to take some freedom to each other.

Why should governments not make use of bad behaviours of their peoples.
Those who behave badly should pay an extra price.
If users of fast food, tobacco and booze costs extra in health care they pay extra taxes.
For centuries booze is warned for . It should be known by now.
Scientific evidence against smoking is still denied by a lot of people.
It is fair to give now a lot of warnings.
But if you don't want to hear, pay the extra price. It could be an earlier death.
 
Much has been made of the taxes being paid by drinkers and smokers, to my mind these taxes are part and parcel of the whole tax strategy by successive governments. Look at petrol tax and vat for instance . Our petrol taxes at one time could pay the equivalent of a tankful in the U S even in the days of the so-called gas guzzlers!As various people have said the chancellor will squeeze as much as he can out of the tax payer!! :eek: ::)
 
We are with politics again :(
Schools,police,roads, health care, army, royals. presidents should be paid for.
Else we do not have society. How and why is a perpetual political question.
 
Dutchcompo said:
We are with politics again :(
Schools,police,roads, health care, army, royals. presidents should be paid for.
Else we do not have society. How and why is a perpetual political question.
Click to expand...
Difficult not to get political when various posts have mentioned the goverments role in legislating against smoking and drinking :-\
 
I still can't firgure out why the British Government wanted to charge tax on Pasties. No I don't live in Britain but am surrounded by Brit tourists and when the pasties come up (I mean in conversation) they all laugh at your PM....
 
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