New smoking restrictions in Washington. Oh boy!

[knox]

Anyone who stands out in the freezing cold and rain, shaking and shivering because the "need" a smoke break has more issues than just smoking.

I could never be a slave to cigarettes. And that's what they are, slaves. They HAVE to smoke - can't wait till they get the opportunity again, even if it is dead of winter and they have to huddle outside in a corner.

A very strange behavior...

[eracer]

Here's an idea...don't smoke..problem solved. Its not an addiction, it's a habit, and I stand by that very truly.

Just my

Ummm....wrong. Nicotine is a physically addicting chemical. Habituation is the secondary component that reinforces the addiction.

Most smokers won't be satisfied by simply ingesting nicotine to satisfy the addiction, because the act of smoking (or chewing) is a powerful reward mechanism in and of itself.

But the fact remains that nicotine (hence the use of tobacco products) is physically addicting.

Disclaimer: I quit in 2004 after 30 years of smoking.

[jason_ladouceur]

Nicotine is without a doubt physically addictive. And smoking cigarettes causes a dependency that is not to be underestimated. I consider myself to be a strong stubborn person who should not be able to be controlled by any substance. In fact years ago I quite cold turkey using some of the most addictive drugs on the planet once I realized what they were doing to my life. I’m not saying it wasn’t hard but I just decided I wasn’t going to use them anymore and that was that. It’s been almost a decade since I even thought about using any of those drugs. Cigarettes on the other hand are a different matter. I’ve tried quitting and it’s hell, the thought of going without smokes scares me even more then all the health risks and wasted money that come from smoking. To all of you that can’t understand why people would choose to continue to smoke when we know how bad it is for you, awesome, count your blessings. Because you will never understand an addiction unless you suffer from that addiction, there is nothing to understand, there is no logic to it. I truly wish I could go back in time and give my young self a shake and stop myself before I ever got started smoking in the first place.

[Wh00h0069]

Honestly, I smoke, and I wouldn't mind quitting. I'm just worried where the money will come from to replace the smoking tax...and of course, if we allow gov't to stick their hands here, they'll stick it there, too. :/
Guess I've got a little paranoia going on, perhaps.

If the government wants your money, they will get it one-way-or-another.

[kitedemon]

It seems odd to target one group like that where I live the law is no smoking within 6m (20 feet) of ANY door or window. That is everybody everywhere. The cost calculations here are that the average cigarette costs the tax payer something like 86$ per cigarette. We have government health care the figure comes from the average number of cigarettes a smoker will smoke over ten years and the average number that get a smoke related cancer and the average cost of treatment.

About ten years ago the health minister was an Oncologist with a speciality in lung cancer. He tried (almost succeeded too) to put the price of a pack of cigarettes up to 90$ a pack. He did not get enough votes but it was close.

I am sorry if I upset the smokers but it is filthy, and kills large amounts of people everyday. If I can up with a food that had as high a chance today it would never be allowed to be sold at all.

[knox]

Dip all you want, chew all you want. Just don't make me smell and breathe that nasty stuff that you are sucking and blowing everywhere. That's where your rights end and mine begin.

[zina10]

I just want to say, KUDOS to any and all that at least try to quit or think about it. I do realize how hard it must be.

I'm very glad I've never gotten into it because I see people struggle with it, I've seen them get killed by it. I've seen them keep smoking while it was actively killing them.
Terrible thing.

So to anyone that wants to quit, tries to quit, no matter how many times they've tried and failed and try again. KUDOS ! Don't give up.

[knox]

Both of my parents died from smoking. My father at 52, my mother at 63.

I wish they would raise the taxes higher and make them $20 a pack. The sad thing is that people would STILL smoke. And worse, start committing robbery and burglary to get them.

I work with many cardiologists, and the effect on the heart is as devastating as on the lungs.

[tonkatoyman]

I'm sorry the issue here is not money or health of smokers or nonsmokers. It isn't taxes or money saved to buy other things. If it was they would simply outlaw cigarettes. The issue is the government once again telling people what they can and cannot do. How long will it be before someone hits on something the rest of us enjoy doing. Sunbathers will be told they cannot get a tan because it is bad for your skin, or you cannot fry foods any more because it raises cholesterol. I saw on a news report the other day that said hot dogs are better for you than chicken. Does that mean we are all going to be forced to eat hot dogs by legislation. PEOPLE we need to wake up. It is time we took the Government pacifier out of our mouths and told the politicians to leave us alone. There is nothing wrong with telling people this is bad or that is bad. But government crosses the line when they pass laws that limit freedom...

[knox]

I'm sorry the issue here is not money or health of smokers or nonsmokers. It isn't taxes or money saved to buy other things. If it was they would simply outlaw cigarettes. The issue is the government once again telling people what they can and cannot do. How long will it be before someone hits on something the rest of us enjoy doing. Sunbathers will be told they cannot get a tan because it is bad for your skin, or you cannot fry foods any more because it raises cholesterol. I saw on a news report the other day that said hot dogs are better for you than chicken. Does that mean we are all going to be forced to eat hot dogs by legislation. PEOPLE we need to wake up. It is time we took the Government pacifier out of our mouths and told the politicians to leave us alone. There is nothing wrong with telling people this is bad or that is bad. But government crosses the line when they pass laws that limit freedom...

As I said above, the rights of smokers ends where the rights of non smokers begins. We shouldn't have to breathe that crap while we are trying to eat, or walk into a building, or through a park. THAT is my biggest complaint about smoking.