As we all know smoking is cool. If you smoke, youl probably have alot of girl/boy friends and be really popular. Smoking also makes you good at sport and makes you smell nice.
But theres more to smoking that these superficial benefits.
As we are informed byt the Govt, Smoking costs the NHS only a 10th of the amount raised by tobacco tax each year, as a result the Govt has pushed forward infinite amounts of anti-smoking legislation, ad campiagns, greater than the cost of smokers to the NHS, the cost of which in 2005 was infact greater than how much it cost to treat smoking related illnesses for that year. They have also banned advertising in almost all places (except F1 who were kind enough to bribe the Govt).
Lets have a gander at some of the anti-smoking messages seen on packeging, and what they really mean
* Smoking kills / Smoking can kil (Giving up smoking makes you immortal)
* Smokers die younger (no pensions, old age, watching friends and loved ones die first or chronic arthritus for smokers)
* Smoking when pregnant harms your baby (Smoking is a cheap contraceptive)
* Your doctor or your pharmacist can help you stop smoking (Doctors like immortal people, easier on their waiting lists)
* Smoking can cause a slow and painful death (Non smokers ALWAYS have quick and painless deaths)
* Get help to stop smoking: telephone your doctor/pharmacist (thats what they're payed for)
* Smoking may reduce the blood flow and cause impotence (Again, a cheap form of contraceptive)
* Smoking causes ageing of the skin (but growing old dosent)
* Smoking can damage the sperm and decreases fertility (Smoking is a cheap contraceptive)
* Smoke contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide. (Memorise all those and win bar bets)
Every year more people quite smoking and live longer, paying less tax in the form of tobaco tax and costing more on the pension system by having a 30 year retirement. We are reaching a crisis with pensions in the UK with people living too long, and at the same time trying to stop people smoking. Am I the only person to spot a slight contradiction here?
A few months back there was outrage at Govt plans to raise the retirement age to 67 because society cant afford an ever increasing pension cost. Why not just have compulsory smoking at 65?
Granted, the average smoker costs more to the NHS than a non smoker, however the average of living 10 years less saves the state masses on care for the elderly. And most significantly, the amount raised in tax on cigarretes and tobacco is a whopping £14 billion pounds per year, compared to a meer £1.5 billion being the cost of smoking to the NHS.
Anti-smoking groups like ash would have you believe that all smokers are vampires who eat chiuldren, start wars, murder kittens and assault non-smokers with there fumes, If it were true, the demonisation of smokers would be very understanderble, but of course, most smokers are not vampires and have a preference for beer over blood. So why has smoking been the target of such a vigerous and relentless campaighn? Is it perhaps that non smokers are jelous of the awsomeness of smokers? More likely its the case that there are far to many people in the world who get a kick out of pushing each other around. why my friend, why do you take an issue with the choices I make, you have as much freedom to not stand near me as you do to tell me noit to smoke.
It seems bizzare that there is such a pre-occupation in the UK with keeping people alive at all cost, why is smoking such a big deal? If someone chooses to smoke then that is they're choice, and cases of death and illness as a result of passive smoking are few and far between, and incredibly difficult to prove. Infact, if someone can name and show evidence of 3 people who have catagoricly died of passive smoking, I'd be much obliged....
Which brings us to the smoking ban in pubs and clubs in England, now instead of smokers being in a ventalated areas with regularly cleaned ashtrays away from people who choose not to smoke, they will be on the street smoking over passersby who did not choose to go into the smokey atmosphere, throwing there fag-ends in the drain and clogging the sewer.
Furthermore, smokers will only be alowed to smoke in there own homes, increasing the threat of passive smoking to those already most at risk from passive smoking. people who live with smokers. How clever!
In conclussion, smoking is cool, your contributing a large amount to the NHS, and your helping society by not living as long, Your intelligent descision to partake in an enjoyable passtime will enhance your life and open new doors to you as you will get to meet many more cool people. Smoking rocks!
Thanks to Leveller from another forum for this topic/story.
But theres more to smoking that these superficial benefits.
As we are informed byt the Govt, Smoking costs the NHS only a 10th of the amount raised by tobacco tax each year, as a result the Govt has pushed forward infinite amounts of anti-smoking legislation, ad campiagns, greater than the cost of smokers to the NHS, the cost of which in 2005 was infact greater than how much it cost to treat smoking related illnesses for that year. They have also banned advertising in almost all places (except F1 who were kind enough to bribe the Govt).
Lets have a gander at some of the anti-smoking messages seen on packeging, and what they really mean
* Smoking kills / Smoking can kil (Giving up smoking makes you immortal)
* Smokers die younger (no pensions, old age, watching friends and loved ones die first or chronic arthritus for smokers)
* Smoking when pregnant harms your baby (Smoking is a cheap contraceptive)
* Your doctor or your pharmacist can help you stop smoking (Doctors like immortal people, easier on their waiting lists)
* Smoking can cause a slow and painful death (Non smokers ALWAYS have quick and painless deaths)
* Get help to stop smoking: telephone your doctor/pharmacist (thats what they're payed for)
* Smoking may reduce the blood flow and cause impotence (Again, a cheap form of contraceptive)
* Smoking causes ageing of the skin (but growing old dosent)
* Smoking can damage the sperm and decreases fertility (Smoking is a cheap contraceptive)
* Smoke contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide. (Memorise all those and win bar bets)
Every year more people quite smoking and live longer, paying less tax in the form of tobaco tax and costing more on the pension system by having a 30 year retirement. We are reaching a crisis with pensions in the UK with people living too long, and at the same time trying to stop people smoking. Am I the only person to spot a slight contradiction here?
A few months back there was outrage at Govt plans to raise the retirement age to 67 because society cant afford an ever increasing pension cost. Why not just have compulsory smoking at 65?
Granted, the average smoker costs more to the NHS than a non smoker, however the average of living 10 years less saves the state masses on care for the elderly. And most significantly, the amount raised in tax on cigarretes and tobacco is a whopping £14 billion pounds per year, compared to a meer £1.5 billion being the cost of smoking to the NHS.
Anti-smoking groups like ash would have you believe that all smokers are vampires who eat chiuldren, start wars, murder kittens and assault non-smokers with there fumes, If it were true, the demonisation of smokers would be very understanderble, but of course, most smokers are not vampires and have a preference for beer over blood. So why has smoking been the target of such a vigerous and relentless campaighn? Is it perhaps that non smokers are jelous of the awsomeness of smokers? More likely its the case that there are far to many people in the world who get a kick out of pushing each other around. why my friend, why do you take an issue with the choices I make, you have as much freedom to not stand near me as you do to tell me noit to smoke.
It seems bizzare that there is such a pre-occupation in the UK with keeping people alive at all cost, why is smoking such a big deal? If someone chooses to smoke then that is they're choice, and cases of death and illness as a result of passive smoking are few and far between, and incredibly difficult to prove. Infact, if someone can name and show evidence of 3 people who have catagoricly died of passive smoking, I'd be much obliged....
Which brings us to the smoking ban in pubs and clubs in England, now instead of smokers being in a ventalated areas with regularly cleaned ashtrays away from people who choose not to smoke, they will be on the street smoking over passersby who did not choose to go into the smokey atmosphere, throwing there fag-ends in the drain and clogging the sewer.
Furthermore, smokers will only be alowed to smoke in there own homes, increasing the threat of passive smoking to those already most at risk from passive smoking. people who live with smokers. How clever!
In conclussion, smoking is cool, your contributing a large amount to the NHS, and your helping society by not living as long, Your intelligent descision to partake in an enjoyable passtime will enhance your life and open new doors to you as you will get to meet many more cool people. Smoking rocks!
Thanks to Leveller from another forum for this topic/story.