Scare Tactics and Cigarette Labels

[bhsup]

I'll support this when they force fast food restaurants to put pictures of liposuction operations on their food containers.

With my luck, some federalie moron in Washington, D.C. will read this and that comes in a year.

 

[Arakhor]

That sounds like a good idea. We should have pictures of the industrial "mechanically reclaimed" goop there as well.

 

[Imrahil91]

Don't forget pictures of gore, blood and dismembered body parts scattered over a road on motorcycles. That way maybe we can force the evil motorcycle industry from killing people.

 

[Arakhor]

That would be more appropriate for drink-driving campaigns. Let's not get silly, now.

 

[El_Machinae]

I guess the main difference is that fast food and motorcycles are as 'actually' as addictive as smoking is. Once someone becomes concerned regarding the consequences of fast food or motorcycling, they don't have to battle their own biochemistry (as much) to quit.

 

[Imrahil91]

Pictures of 40 year old virgins on the World of Warcraft startup screen then. No? Ok, but as long as people have the freedom to smoke without getting too exploited by the government (by tobacco taxes), it's fine.

 

[Arakhor]

You're happy to be exploited by soulless corporations, but Heaven forbid that the government should tax you?

 

[bhsup]

(just returned from a smoke)

How exactly is a corporation exploiting me? I am smoking of my own free will. I started of my own free will and continue to smoke of my own free will. There is no exploitation here except by governments who decide to tax a legal product more than other products just because they disapprove of it. Either ban it or treat it like everything else.

 

[Arakhor]

Well, when you can provide details of another lethal, anti-social hobby which harms even those nearby, then I'll agree that that should be heavily regulated as well.

 

[bhsup]

World of Warcraft?

Link to video.

But, my point is that they should either just ban it or treat it like everything else. What is the justification of sin taxes? If it is bad enough to warrant that, shouldn't it just be banned?

 

[Arakhor]

The Prohibition worked really well, didn't it?

 

[bhsup]

Murders still happen, so should we legalize murder? Rape? Difficulty in enforcement is not a valid reason to cease enforcement.

 

[MobBoss]

Murders Difficulty in enforcement is not a valid reason to cease enforcement.

Well, I am going to disagree with the statement, while agreeing with the tone of your reply.

Laws that cant be effectively enforced are beyond worthless. The problem with alcohol prohibition was that the USA had too deep a history with alcohol while legal. Its much harder to prohibit something widely used and legal, as opposed to something not legal and not as widely used/done. Thus your comparisons of murder and rape arent really effective as comparisons.

 

[Left]

Drinking is not a violent crime.

 

[MobBoss]

Drinking is not a violent crime.

But its been known to lead to violent crime more than a few times.

 

[Left]

It also leads to calling everyone you know to express your love for them.


Plenty of legal things lead to violent crimes.

 

[MobBoss]

It also leads to calling everyone you know to express your love for them.

Sometimes. But the ratio of this happening to the violence is a bit off to actually try to claim that consuming alcohol is all about being silly and calling people while drunk.

Plenty of legal things lead to violent crimes.

By all means, explain. Not that I disagree with you, I do, just want to hear your thinking on it.

 

[Murky]

I used to smoke a pack a day and was able to quit cold turkey (even with people smoking around me). It carries a significant health risk for both the smoker and the nonsmokers they affect.

Personally, I think there should be a ban on growing more tobacco than a person can use themselves. If you really must smoke, then grow and roll it. Same with weed.

 

[MobBoss]

I used to smoke a pack a day and was able to quit cold turkey (even with people smoking around me). It carries a significant health risk for both the smoker and the nonsmokers they affect.

Well....it can, but its not a automatic fact that it will. Its one of those things that it can be very harmful to some people....and some others smoke their entire lives and never have any health issues related to it at all. Go figure.

Personally, I think there should be a ban on growing more tobacco than a person can use themselves. If you really must smoke, then grow and roll it. Same with weed.

Wouldnt that be rather cost prohibitive?

 

[bhsup]

Well, I am going to disagree with the statement, while agreeing with the tone of your reply.

Laws that cant be effectively enforced are beyond worthless. The problem with alcohol prohibition was that the USA had too deep a history with alcohol while legal. Its much harder to prohibit something widely used and legal, as opposed to something not legal and not as widely used/done. Thus your comparisons of murder and rape arent really effective as comparisons.

Fair enough. Really, my main point is that I just don't see the justification of a sin tax on products. If the government isn't willing to make it illegal, then they just need to treat it like other products. If they don't want to do that, then they need to ban it and take the lumps from doing that.

Personally, I think there should be a ban on growing more tobacco than a person can use themselves. If you really must smoke, then grow and roll it. Same with weed.

Man, I don't have the time for that. I also have no intention of milking my own cows for my milk or raising my chickens for the eggs and meat. There is a reason companies provide product for consumers.