I really had no idea that this (timely) article was about to appear in the Toronto Sun yesterday when I blogged about the topic last week but I’m glad that it did as it gave us all a much more clear perspective on just how screwy society really is.
The Sun gets a lot of comments and what I’ve found on the Internet is that comments speak more clearly than articles.
Now I’m not here to defend the Toronto Sun or its writers but I do challenge the intellectual perspective shared by the greater majority of those who took the time to read the article and share with us their unique slant on the topic.
I must state for the record that I full heartedly agree with the writer (Mr. Jim Warren) that “It is time to ban smoking”.
A simple, common sense read of the article, which points out that over a quarter million Canadians “(277,000 people a year will be diagnosed with cancer“) is wholly unacceptable.
In my blog I leaned more toward recouping the billions of dollars in medical insurance that we all end up paying for as smokers defying logic, education and common sense by sucking on ignited nicotine, the majority of whom express anxiety over being physically unable to quit!
A point well taken in Mr. Warren’s article focuses on the billions of dollars a year that our government rakes in from tobacco taxes! This really is “where the rubber meets the road“.
The opening comment by People should just mind their own business. I have the odd puff every once and a while and couldn’t give a sweet flying f%^k what others think” says a great deal about Mr/Ms Jansen with the “I couldn’t give a sweet flying F%^k what others think“.
Well Chris . . . . you should! You see it is not only what they think that matters here. It is what kind of illness they end up with as a result of you having “the odd puff every once and a while” if you are having that puff anywhere close to other people!
Second hand smoke is as deadly (or even more deadly) that first hand smoke because as least you, and all those throngs of nicotine addicted unfortunates, use a filter to remove some of the carcinogenic vapour before taking it into your lungs, while everyone around them gets high test (unfiltered) toxic fumes straight into our lungs.
You can’t even walk down the street in Toronto any more and count of clean air as pretty well every doorway is cluttered with nicotine dependent souls like Chris who “couldn’t give a sweet flying f%^k what others think“!
And here’s a classy example of intellectual thought on the topic from
Chris, it’s not that anyone thinks “that because he doesn’t do it, no one else should either“. Don’t you get it!?! When you are standing on the street sucking in and expelling toxic chemicals you are willfully doing something that can kill other innocent people!?! Do facts confuse you?
And then, of course we have ok whats next, banning people from health care who do risky things like rock climbing, or are too fat and eat fast food,, please save your self richeous . . . . . “.
I’ve found that people who are always on the attack, especially “attacking the messenger” are people that don’t have legitimate arguments to put forward (as is clearly demonstrated here) and I do believe that this is a debate that is worthy of having.
I really don’t care if cigarettes are outlawed. I actually felt, back in 1998 when the new smoking laws were enacted that there should be specially designated restaurants and bars and venue where people can go to perpetuate their right to play health care Russian Roulette.
I actually agree with the writer of this comment, that laws should be enacted to protect our health care system (it’s really our tax dollars) against those wanting to pursue high risk leisure spots and/or self destructive behaviours.
The blather from this commenter continues spiralling downhill and can be found on The Sun’s site.
My point is quite clear. The concept of banning cigarettes carries a great deal of merit and is something that I, a non-smoker would whole heartedly support. It isn’t rocket science or fuzzy math that shows that the billions in taxes collected by our government is offset with health costs resulting in a zero net gain (with the exception of all the lives lost and/or destroyed).
Billions in cigarette taxes, billion in income taxes, billions in sales taxes and a trillion dollar deficit. Can someone help me with this math!
I’m Charles
