smoking.. should it be made illegal?

Question

Im a heavy smoker... i would love to stop but im addicted to it... fallen into the trap one could say!!!
Smoking is of no benefit to the smoker. The only percieved benefit is getting back to the feeling of normal after the cigeratte...
At least "proper" drugs such as alcohol and weed and certain other class a drugs have an effect on the user.. but smoking does nothing for you except drain money out of your pocket and keep you addicted....

Answer 1

I think that it should be illegal. After all, any product that harms one's health as much as tobacco use--yet has no legitament uses due to its adictive properties--really doesn't make sense in a world that puts restrictions on such things as alcohol. I'm not going to place them in the class of hard-core drugs such as heroin, since the United States government doesn't seem too competent in controling THOSE.

But it won't happen anytime soon. Cigarettes are legal simply because of the massive tax revenue generated from the sales made off of highly-addicted people. They've been legal (and indeed, somewhat encouraged) long enough that there's a very good marketing system attached to them. Pot? No one seems to have a problem coming up with it, and it's not regulated--which is why it'll never be legal for recreational use: No way to tax it. If there were, you'd see pot in every gas station and grocery store in existance.

It's all about money, period and end of story. And if you want to quit, the wisdom of today tells you to go and buy nicotine replacements like nicotine gum and patches--even MORE revenue! It's no coincidence that the prices of the replacement "therapies" go up right along with each cigarette hike. Also consider all the perscription anti-craving drugs like Welbutrin (generic for Zyban, and there's even a generic for Welbutrin--a generic for the generic!) and the prices attached to these--cha-ching! $$$$$$$. You're addicted. You'll pay to feed that addiction. Again, and again, and again. In one form or another.

Sacharrin? That neat little artificial sweetener that's known to cause certain cancers? Never removed from the market, was it? Nope. Too many products that contained it--generating revenue. There's the green talking again. So the FDA forces companies who use it to place warning labels on it (read a box of Sweet 'n Low sometime) while allowing its sale. To protect you, you know!

When kids sell things like these, they're labeled as drug dealers. When Uncle Sam allows them to be sold, it's income. Kinda funny stuff, isn't it?

So it really doesn't matter much what John Q Public thinks. They'll be around for a good, long, time.

Answer 2

As a smoker I appreciate both sides of the argument and agree with a lot of the no smoking policies. The loss of revenue would be hard for the government to stand but I'm sure that if tobacco was a newly found thing it would be illegal. As it isn't, I think freedom of choice is important. What does bug me though is that alcohol doesn't get as much bad press as tobacco. If I have an extra couple of smokes on a Friday night I won't get into a fight and cause huge policing/nursing costs....

Answer 3

I don't think it should or ever will be made illegal.

The UK government say we should all give up and provide us with helplines etc, but what they don't say is that they have actually got effective drugs which if taken stop you smoking without the side effects. Why don't they say anything? Because they make too much money on each packet of cigarettes we buy.

I know of at least three people in the last 5 years that have had or have got cancer and not one of them is a smoker and I can't actually think of anyone I know or have known who is a smoker getting a smoking related cancer or illness. Also, all the smokers I know who have had children have actually said that their children weighing less at birth were the ones they had cut done or given up cigarettes for during the pregnancy.

I think there are a few myths about smoking and it's effects out there!

Answer 4

GUYS! Think deep!

We all know that smoking is bad for you, no? Those who take a puff are addicted and it's really hard to get unhooked to the drug.

I have read some of the opinions here and must disagree with some.

Haven't you heard of the 21st amendment? Before it, an amendment banned alchohal. However, that didn't stop a lot of Americans from drinking. Gangs secretly sell them in oftenly portrayed alleyways, people smuggled them in from Canada. Hell, officers and mayors could be found in illegal bars. People finally gave up and decided that banning alchohol wasn't a solution to stop us Americans from drinking, thus the 21st amendment was passed.

Also, raising the money on cigarettes might help some, but being desperate might cause more violence, such as robberies and outbreaks.

My father smoked every once in a while, especially after work because his boss had issues. It helped him relax and get his mind off stress. He was not hooked like smoking all the time because he was worried about my health. Rather, his smoking was periodically, like maybe once every two weeks or so.

From past experience, we understand that prohibiting cigarettes will not stop smokers from smoking. The only way I feel can truely stop it is for the seniors to pass down their experience to the children of today, encourage them to stop smoking. Then, we can finally abolish it.


but that would be hard wouldnt it? ;)

Answer 5

I gave up just over a year ago. The reason i gave up was, one morning i was coughing and i coughed up some blood. I had to go for a chest x-ray and it took 1 week to get the results. When the doctor told me i had a severe chest infection and not cancer i was relieved.

He told me to give up as next time it may not be an infection. I told him that i had given up the moment i coughed up the blood.

I needed a reason to give up and i was lucky enough to get one. I look back now and can not believe how stupid and weak i was.
It is the worst habit on this planet and it should be banned everywhere and carry a £500 fine if caught.

When people smoke in public they are not just killing their selves but they are killing adults and children around them.

If it were banned, the C02 emissions will drop dramatically and the Government will leave my 4X4 alone.

I know some of you are going to read this and see me as a converted smoker and say that they are the worst.

I SAY BOLLOCKS TO THOSE PEOPLE, as they are jealous and do not have the will power to give up themselves.

Ps: The revenue lost by the Government would be compensated by fines.

Answer 6

I am a smoker and have tried several times to stop.

I don't think that it should be made illegal as it is up to the person weather they should smoke or not. Everyone is going to die at some point so if they choose to die a nasty death by smoking then it is their choice.
I don't think that smokers should kill others by them smoking like in pubs and restaurants but outside I can't see there being a problem.

The other big point is that if they made smoking illegal then all the tax that is made from fags would have to me placed elsewhere therefore all are rates would go up.
Here in the UK are council tax would rise, income tax possible etc etc.
There wouldn't just be able to swallow the millions of pounds they would lose in this tax they would have to find it from elsewhere.

Also when do it stop next after they have increase the price of 1 pint of beer to £10 and told you drinking is bad for you will that be band too and that it just as bad as smoking.

Answer 7

ALL SMOKERS MIGHT TAKE A MOMENT OR TWO TO READ THIS..........
There's no need to make it illegal - just give it up, and before everybody starts screaming "Oh I've tried but I can't" then I'm afraid that's a load of crap. Up until about six years ago I could "smoke for Britain" - it was not unknown for me to have three yes THREE ciggies on at the same time, albeit unwittingly!
In the end I said to myself "When I've finished that lot" (I always bought them by the 200) "I'm not buying any more". I didn't say "I'm not SMOKING any more" - I said "Not BUYING", and I stuck to that. So each time I wanted one after that I simply said "not buying...", and didn't, and it only took me two days - yes TWO DAYS to get out of the habit, and I've neither smoked nor wanted-to since then, so work on the basis that if THIS prat can do it with such ease, ANYBODY can - and DO> I won't bore you with all the bullshit about how your taste and smell come back, because if they have, I never noticed it ! !
So please (I say please, but let's face it, I really couldn't care less !) give it a whirl. You never know - it might just work for you !
All the best to you.

Answer 8

Yeah. I'm a smoker too. The government make far too much money out of us so it will never be made illegal. I think they should raise the age limit to 25 because most kids start smoking in their teens and if they aren't smoking by the age of 25, chances are they won't smoke at all. That's the only way it will start to phase out.

Answer 9

No, it is a matter of choice. When you're ready, you'll quit.
I have smoked for 40 years and have no desire to quit.
Smokers are the most discriminated against portion of the population at the present.
Try treating another group like smokers and you';d have a revolution.
The CDC did a 10 year study on second hand smoke.
They found out it isn't nearly as bad as the alarmists claim, so they refused to release the study (since it doesn't match their agenda).
What a crock!
I think rabid non-smokers have a brain disorder.
Maybe we should send them all to CA, nuke the San Andreas fault & let them have their own little PC country.
Hillary can be the first President of the People's Republic of California...

Answer 10

Yes I think it should. My mother died from a smoking related illness. It is a killer. In Ireland we have a smoking ban in any place where people are working and you have to go outisde to smoke or to a smoking room. I think this is very good. At least those people who don't smoke aren't eating smoke when they are in restaurants and pubs or the cinema etc. Try and give up. Keep the money you save in a box and at the end of a week buy yourself a treat with it. Good luck