43 replies to this topic

[Romy]

why stop at 21 tho? they should raise the age to 65 so that only retired people can kill themselves.

They should just lower the age to 5. Let the kindergartners get in on this.

 

 

 

This is an excellent idea. Smoking is a terrible habit with a laundry list of health effects. 

[Kaddict]

I think taxing the fuck out of cigarettes is a much better solution.

I absolutely agree. I think that smokers should be paying for all the extra health costs they accrue by having higher taxes on the cigarette in the first place. 

Also, this is the way to get people to stop smoking, not by making it illegal.

That having been said, I am not sure if I like the raising age or not yet. I hate smoking and being around smoke, but civil liberties etc.

[Swar]

 This is an excellent idea. Smoking is a terrible habit with a laundry list of health effects.

And not only for(to?) the users, but for(to?) the people around them as well. My grandfather died at 46 from lung cancer (I didn't get to meet him) and he never smoked, but he worked with a lot of smokers

[Kaddict]

And not only for(to?) the users, but for(to?) the people around them as well. My grandfather died at 46 from lung cancer (I didn't get to meet him) and he never smoked, but he worked with a lot of smokers

Yeah, that really sucks. During newborn or well child exams, one of the things I talk about is how 3rd hand smoke can be just as harmful as 2nd hand (ie. if you have a smoking jacket, and later hold a baby, even though they are not getting the smoke, the can still get lots of the chemicals just from what the jacket is giving off). It is a really sad blight on our society. especially as how most cancers are decreasing in mortality, lung cancer is not.

[NapisaurusRex]

I think this is ridiculous. There might as well not be an age on it at all, with how readily available they are to get at any age. Taxing the shit out of them is a much better way to get people to reduce/quit smoking.

[Frizzle]

I'm a recovering nicotine addict. And I know that nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline, and bupropion work.

I don't think tobacco/nicotine should be illegal, but I think their price should account for their massive social cost.

That is true, but it won't only affect wealthy smokers and will disproportionately affect poorer smokers worse.

[Grimley]

And of course, if you're 18 and really want cigs, it won't be hard to get them. Ask any freshman in college how hard it is to get alcohol. 

 

Totally this (regarding both cigarettes and alcohol).

[Mishelle]

It's cute in theory but we all know that this wont do anything to stop underaged smoking if they're determined enough, just like drinking age has never stopped underaged drinking. I'm pretty sure the teen smoking rate have already been falling on it's own just because of all the information out there about how smoking is bad for you.

[Daria]

I think taxing the fuck out of cigarettes is a much better solution.

not sure how much cigarettes cost in the US

but in australia they keep raising the tax, now with 20 packs costing an average of $20-25AUD 

depends where you purchase, sometimes you can pay even more if you buy somewhere in the CBD

 

anyways, my point is raising the taxes doesnt stop anyone, if anything people keep prioritising cigarettes over other, more important products to sustain life.

i know this because all my friends smoke and thats just what they do

[Bone]

my point is raising the taxes doesnt stop anyone

 

Yes, it does.

[Kaddict]

Yes, it does.

Yeah, everything has a demand curve, and although the increase in price of cigarettes doesn't change purchasing as much as most things (like if corn went up in price, more people would stop buying it compared to a similar increase in cigarettes), but people will still stop buying it. If that wasn't the case, tobacco companies would charge $20 a pack. They don't though, because much fewer people would buy it.

[Daria]

Yes, it does.

thats an interesting study and certainly proves me wrong

(from what i gather, the study was also done in north america, but i am from australia, so i was going off my observations here)

 

the reason i said what i said is because everyone i know LITERALLY puts smoking above anything else

example a: friend1 has health issues, despite continuous inflation of cigarettes, still smokes

example b: boyfriends mum: has a lump in her breast, has oedema in her legs, constantly tired etc (basically lots of health concerns she should be taking care of), she also works her ass off working security (does double shifts etc)... YET she still chooses to smoke despite all her health concerns and desperation to save money.

example c: friend2: basically the most laziest person you will ever meet. has a part time job, "tries" desperately to save money.. yet still smokes a packet a day, again, despite all the rising costs.

 

once a smoker always a smoker

[NapisaurusRex]

Actual statistics are always more useful than anecdotes in a debate

This isn't in the debate section YOLO

[Daria]

This isn't in the debate section YOLO

yes, THANK YOU

 

either way if it was pretty sure im allowed to input my own opinion based on real life facts going on around me tyvm ((((: xoxo gossipgoat

[Mishelle]

I had my first cigarette when I was 14, my friend (who was 13) got them from his parents. That's when I found out cigarettes are fucking awful. Also most of the younger generation are smoking cigarettes anymore, they're vaping, and you can buy all that shit online.

[Kaddict]

Looks like Sacramento just passed the same law. You think it is spreading? Or will it stay confined to Cali?

[Mishelle]

Looks like Sacramento just passed the same law. You think it is spreading? Or will it stay confined to Cali?

 

My friend told me that they passed the same law in New York City

[Kaddict]

My friend told me that they passed the same law in New York City

Wow. That is sorta surprising. I still think they just need to raise the taxes on cigarettes.

[philomel]

the last thing need is another restriction.