Smoking laws coming into effect Jan. 1

[Ch40s]

Comparing smoking to bad eating habits:

If it were possible, I would love the government to implement a way to monitor everyone's diet and make sure it was adequate, and that it didn't exceed anything like fat.

That's not possible, though.

Also, the difference between cigarettes and things like fast food is immense, and is laughable people are trying to bring it up. Food serves a purpose; we need to eat. People eat poorly because things like fast food taste better, and it's easier to get. Ideally people would eat healthy. Ideally no one would smoke.

We're trying to make it very hard to smoke. It's expensive, people have to smoke outside, etc. Undoubtedly this has forced some to quit and/or cut back. That's a step in the right direction. I would love to do this with fast food! I think making smoking illegal is a big step somewhere down the line.

[4X4]

I think we should make professional racing illegal. It encourages kids to drive fast. Because, you know, they never would have thought about it had they not had someone in their family be a race car driver, or *gasp* seen it on TV.

[Ch40s]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I think we should make professional racing illegal. It encourages kids to drive fast. Because, you know, they never would have thought about it had they not had someone in their family be a race car driver, or *gasp* seen it on TV.

I think we should make meth and crack legal and readily available. They're good pick-me-ups, and are fun! If people don't want to do them, it's their choice not to! Just because a child's parents do drugs, they wouldn't be impacted negatively in any way at all!

[MJK]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Bit of a drama queen, eh MJK? You make it sound like people are knocking you to the ground and giving you mouth-to-mouth with cigarette filled lungs. Lol. Keep fighting the good fight, buddy.

As for these restrictions, I give it a 'meh'. I smoke. Go ahead and make it harder for me to buy them. Fine by me. I actually like smoke free restaurants and pubs. At first I thought it sucked, but I actually really like it. Smoking should be done outside. But as far as where to buy 'em, this particular law just sounds stupid to me. I highly doubt it'll be much of a deterrant for 99% of smokers. There is a convenience store on every corner, so how does this change anything except that it kinda takes a chop at drug stores. I guess I wont be stopping at shoppers anymore. Guess all my cigs and gum will be purchased at macs. What the hell do I care? It's the businesses that are getting the shaft.

I have listed several reasons why I think smoking is dumb. Maybe try reading the entire thread instead of trying to sound cool by calling me a drama queen.

You are a real cool dude.

[4X4]

Ban fighting in hockey? Afterall, it does hurt other people...

[4X4]

Originally Posted by MJK

I have listed several reasons why I think smoking is dumb. Maybe try reading the entire thread instead of trying to sound cool by calling me a drama queen.

You are a real cool dude.

I read the whole thread. You've been pounding the same drum the whole time. You have yet to make a legit argument and have spent the whole night saying that you are the one being affected by my smoking. Trying to sound cool? You got me, bud.

[MJK]

Originally Posted by boobaloo

Well, as a Respiratory Therapist for longer than lots of you have been alive, I can assure you that second hand smoke is one of worst things possible. I have the largest bag over my head for smoking for 16 years. Back when I trained, everyone smoked. We used to joke about how it was like being a parent....do as I say, not as I do.

Rather than go somewhere such as straightdope.com to get medical information, perhaps looking at a place like the Mayo Clinic which is world renowned for it's medical care might give you a little insight on second hand smoke. Oh, and here's the link.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sec...-smoke/CC00023

And no, I am not being arrogant etc etc etc. I can't tell you how many people I've had to comfort and try and ease their breathing while they were dying from the effects of cigarette smoke. I can't tell you how many hands I've held of people who were dying of second hand smoke. If only smokers REALLY knew what happens when you get COPD from smoking and breathing other's smoke....you have NO idea....it is among the most unpleasant ways to die. And yes, I've had people die on me in pretty much every way imaginable.

Your lungs do not heal themselves once you stop smoking. They regain SOME of their "pinkness" but not all. We have special cameras called bronchoscopes we use to look at people's lungs, and I can assure you that it's easy to tell the ones that have smoked....long after quitting. It's not just about the color.

Diesel trucks, SUV's etc...they are a problem, too, without a doubt. But nothing is as deliberate as taking that cigarette and lighting it. It's a brutal way to kill yourself. And for the poster that said that smokers shouldn't have to pay for health care because the don't live as long....you are wrong, my friend....Emphysema can torture you for years and years....wasting your body away slowly as you gasp for every breath....

Anyone that thinks that smoking should not be illegal is either ignorant or just not listening. The true facts are out there. Quit sticking your head in the sand.

Did you even read what boobaloo wrote? ^^^

It wouldn't matter what I said to you becuase I can already tell that you won't care or listen. I suppose boobaloo does not know anything either??

Obviously you can't read very well becuase I have said a lot more people are affected by smoking than just me. Me having to breath in your dirt after a hockey game is MINOR compared to the other crappy things smoking does.

[Russic]

As somebody who believes weed should be legalized I can't really jump on the "make it illegal" bandwagon ... Although I would find it funny (I'm just an ass that way).

[4X4]

Originally Posted by MJK

Did you even read what boobaloo wrote? ^^^

It wouldn't matter what I said to you becuase I can already tell that you won't care or listen. I suppose boobaloo does not know anything either??

Obviously you can't read very well becuase I have said a lot more people are affected by smoking than just me. Me having to breath in your dirt after a hockey game is MINOR compared to the other crappy things smoking does.

Dude, boobaloo is making compelling arguments. You're just screaming like a child about how it should be illegal because people are stuffing it up your nose. Don't take credit for other peoples' good posts.

[MJK]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Dude, boobaloo is making compelling arguments. You're just screaming like a child about how it should be illegal because people are stuffing it up your nose. Don't take credit for other peoples' good posts.

I didn't take credit for anything. Just trying to help you read becuase you obviously need lots of help.

[Dion]

[4X4]

I think it's pretty obvious that the reason I can't read is all the smoke in my eyes. Thank you for quoting boobaloo's post because I just couldn't read it the first time I saw it. Now that you've saved me from myself, may I take a second to point out that the only reason we're in this little back-and-forth is because I called you a drama queen for rambling on and on about how you're practically being assaulted by second hand smoke? I guess it's all that second hand smoke that cause you to miss the point. The point was that you're not saying anything at all. Boobaloo said something. You whined about stuff that is totally within your control. If you don't want to breathe the smoke, don't go out the smoke doors. Your lame post in the other thread about smokers "stuffing smoke up your nose" is just........Well....Drama-Queen-esque.

So that's all I've really got to say on that. If you want to no longer be friends, I guess I'll eventually get over it. If you want to talk about the topic of this thread, then lets talk. But just stop with these overboard claims about how smokers are physically putting smoke in your lungs. We're not. We're already banished to the cold confines and corners. Just stay away if you don't like it. And if you want to be taken seriously in this discussion, post something legitimate like most of the other anti smokers have.

[MJK]

You are missing the point. It is not what I type or what you type that matters. The point is that you are being ignorant to the fact that smoking is harmful to millions of people. Who cares who types it, the facts are the facts. boobaloo is a respiratory therapist and I am not, so I would hope that boobaloo would know more than both of us on this topic wouldn't you?

Negatives of smoking:
1. Smoking kills. It is killing you right now.
2. Smoking kills others. Children can develop illnesses.

Those are the two biggest reasons why it should be illegal.

3. It's addictive.
4. It's expensive.
5. You stink and so does your house.

Positives:
1. You look cool?
2. You get into the camel fan club?
3. It calms you down?

WAY more negatives than positives.

Instead of being cool and quoting my awesome responses to you, how about we move on becuase frankly there is nothing I can say to make you look at this entire thing as a whole rather than taking one thing that I said and picking it to death.

Let's move on shall we?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by MJK

You are missing the point. It is not what I type or what you type that matters. The point is that you are being ignorant to the fact that smoking is harmful to millions of people. Who cares who types it, the facts are the facts. boobaloo is a respiratory therapist and I am not, so I would hope that boobaloo would know more than both of us on this topic wouldn't you?

Negatives of smoking:
1. Smoking kills. It is killing you right now.
2. Smoking kills others. Children can develop illnesses.

Those are the two biggest reasons why it should be illegal.

Jesus man, have you ever met 4x4? Those are positives! I demand that you change those to positives immediately!

[4X4]

Well, I have nothing to say. Your "awesome responses" have caused my brain to come to a screeching halt. I'll get you next time, Gadget. Next time!

[T@T]

Lets ban all bad vices.

Cigarettes - 5000 Canadian jobs and $160 million in taxes raised
Fast food - 525,000 Canadian jobs directly effected
Alcohol - hahahaha, I won't even look that up
Petroleum Transportation - hahahah, Alberta would be a ghost province
Weed - we would be a society with a lot of fidgety people
Internet - studies show kids are getting fat and unhealthy because it's replacing sport and exercise.

Lets ban these for health reasons, start with smoking.move down the list until we all live to 120 because ours body's wont die.

Lets see where that gets society.

PS, this post comes from someone who hasn't smoked a cig in 6 years.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Ch40s

Do you really think that's the only issue? I assure you if it were that simple, it would not be brought up as an argument.

Nah, I don't think it's the only issue, but it is a valid point.

We all know smoking is bad for us. The argument appears to be that it should be illegal because it's bad for us. It only stands to reason that other things that are bad for us should be illegal based on the "it's bad for us" grounds.

The whining about "I had to walk past a guy smoking a cigarette outside the office on my way to the parking lot" is ridiculous. It's like griping about a faulty microwave in the Chernobyl cafeteria.

Exposure to cigarette smoke is easy to avoid.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by Puxlut

People argued that banning smoking in bars would wipe out hundreds of bars...well, they haven't. The local place down the street which cried foul because of the VLT traffic that came into to veg and smoke and play VLT's at 11am on a Tuesday, is still around and still making money.

and i know of at least one bar that i used to frequent that nearly went under right after the smoke ban passed and is now just squeaking by. They are applying for VLT license to hopefully increase business.

Originally Posted by flameswin

In Canada retailers make between 18 and 50 cents per carton.

is it that low, i just assumed it was higher. Fair enough then, guess this really wont effect the businesses at all then.

for the record i'm not a smoker I just think the government controlling people and telling businesses what they can and can't do is absurd. If having smokes in a pharmacy really upset people that much then people would not shop there. Owners would be forced to change their ways and customers would return.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Swarly

and i know of at least one bar that i used to frequent that nearly went under right after the smoke ban passed and is now just squeaking by. They are applying for VLT license to hopefully increase business.



is it that low, i just assumed it was higher. Fair enough then, guess this really wont effect the businesses at all then.

for the record i'm not a smoker I just think the government controlling people and telling businesses what they can and can't do is absurd. If having smokes in a pharmacy really upset people that much then people would not shop there. Owners would be forced to change their ways and customers would return.

Allowing store owners to sell smokes to minors is a good thing?

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by Dion

Allowing store owners to sell smokes to minors is a good thing?

i never said that, now you're just making things up.