Smokers may face tougher bans

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Dicky Ticker

Sometimes I think the government put to much emphasis on subjects to draw our attention away from what in my mind are greater issues.

Er yeah! Kings of spin, comrades

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

The only problem I have with smoking is that it tends to be more harmful to passive smokers than the actual person smoking however, that said, I think the current legislation is more than adequate to prevent passive smoking. I don't really see how any further legislation will do anything other than alienate more people.

I may get shot down for this but...

If you don't want to be around smokers..don't.

I know in the past before the smoking ban this was impossible, and going to a restuarant and sitting next to a chimney is never nice. But now, you can escape from it.

Originally Posted by Dicky Ticker

We may be few and far between and cost £2+.billion a year but 1. where does this figure come from,does it include all the free handouts and consultation panels?
One thing I will say is that smoking,though undesirable, at least does not invoke the same consequences as alcohol with regard to violence and crime.
Sometimes I think the government put to much emphasis on subjects to draw our attention away from what in my mind are greater issues.

whats point/question 2?

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by TazDaz

Hate it when you see it on the news where a fat fat fatty has a full time carer and still has like a 12ft wide television to watch all day.

There was that documentary about Britains fattest man, saying how he has like 4 full breakfasts, some massive lunch and an indian banquet for 15 washed down with 20 pints for tea.

For f*cks sake, we are paying for this waddling ommlette to live?!

Hows about if you are so bloody stupid as to get that fat and try to claim benefits for it then you surrender all control of your lifestyle.

Sorry 2. Alcohol--Road accidents,crime,hospitals with accidents related to alcohol and ill health through alcohol,alcohol addiction,time off work due to alcohol,general state of "some" of the younger generation due to binging,underage drinking----------the list just goes on and on
Meaning that if you add the total financial cost in spin, policing and medical for anything alcohol related it becomes expensive to the public purse,possibly even more so than smoking.
Smoking as in outside a pub, bar or restaurant------you have plenty of fresh air inside, and dog ends are unsightly granted but so are beer cans and bottles smashed on the road and pavement, people spewing their guts over the pavement

you'd get hit with a fixed penalty ticket for dropping a cigarette butt in Scotland.

I'm a smk=oker, and agree with the smoking ban in public places. The one that's annoying me at the mo is the minimum price for alcohol thingy, why the hell should I pay double for my rare bottle of vodka, just because some pavement pizza artist can't control themselves? If they are going to do that, I want to see a fat tax too.

Originally Posted by lukemillar

Actually the NHS argument is bunk. Heart diesease is Britains biggest killer - something of which excessive smoking and drinking can be a contributing factor, but not exclusively. Poor diet and lack of excercise can be just as detrimental.

If you really want to persue that argument, then in theory everyone who is overweight and doesn't take regular excercise is a risk and therefore should be taxed accordingly!

I agree fat people should be taxed and not recieve free medical benefits :P. I'm not talking alittle tubby but mordid obese people should!

On a sidenote smokers are too harshly punished atm i think (i dont smoke). As long as you dont force people to work in a smoky environment as long as the landlord/owners are ok with you smoking go for it i say :P.

Originally Posted by Kuze

I agree fat people should be taxed and not recieve free medical benefits :P. I'm not talking alittle tubby but mordid obese people should!

On a sidenote smokers are too harshly punished atm i think (i dont smoke). As long as you dont force people to work in a smoky environment as long as the landlord/owners are ok with you smoking go for it i say :P.

OK, playing Devils Advocate here, there has to be a cut off point for this obsese thing. I am 16 stone, 6ft 3, according to statistics im overweight even for (my) large frame - as they delicately put it. If i pump the guns up for the next few months at the gym i'm liable to bulk up and potenitally put on more weight. Could i then fall into the obese catagory? yes, you put morbidly obese, which i'd like to think i'm far from, but who's to decide and who's going to regulate these chubbers? Bring a portable airline seat, if you can't squeeze your cheeks into it without overspill am i taxable?

FWIW i totally agree, just can't see it happening.

oh, and smokers aren't punished enough.

Originally Posted by keithd

OK, playing Devils Advocate here, there has to be a cut off point for this obsese thing. I am 16 stone, 6ft 3, according to statistics im overweight even for (my) large frame - as they delicately put it. If i pump the guns up for the next few months at the gym i'm liable to bulk up and potenitally put on more weight. Could i then fall into the obese catagory? yes, you put morbidly obese, which i'd like to think i'm far from, but who's to decide and who's going to regulate these chubbers? Bring a portable airline seat, if you can't squeeze your cheeks into it without overspill am i taxable?

FWIW i totally agree, just can't see it happening.

Rofl

I'm no thin rake of a bloke m8 either :P. However as YC said that lard **** who eats 4 breakfasts i shouldnt have to pay for his fat ****. He didnt get fat by eating afew choccies at xmas did he? No more like he raided the chocolate factory!

Judge it off BMI or something and yea i know BMI isnt perfect. I only want the morbidly obese done, the real super fatties who are just gluttonous and they know it.

Its the same way i object to paying for people who get absolutely legless week after week and end up with liver problems at 25.

I'm pretty easy going u wanna smoke/drink/eat/shoot up whatever its yer life, long as it dont effect me i'm easy with it. I do believe the Nanny state is ridiclious and needs a lot of relaxing!!