Are they that bad or is the government pushing this to the extreme to justify the high sales tax on an addictive product. Would you call the government a drug dealer?
2007-06-11 23:43:39 · 14 answers · asked by Ben 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I'm 53 years old and have emphysema. I started smoking when I was 16. At about the same time, I also did a lot of drugs, especially marijuana and alcohol. Others included LSD (acid), meth (speed), cocaine and quaaludes.
I never found it a problem to quit any of those drugs. I smoked marijuana for 10 years straight, day and night but quit without any problem whatsoever.
But I still can't quit smoking cigarettes. I've tried everything. I have emphysema, but still I smoke. My mother-in-law had a stroke but still she smokes.
Is it addictive? Absolutely. Nothing is more addictive in the long run.
2007-06-11 23:59:13 · answer #1 · answered by Seeker 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes the government is profiting off of a drug and hence a "drug dealer", but to tell you the truth, I'm all for this one. Imagine if the government didn't tax it at all or made it illegal. In one case cigarettes would become extremely cheap and people would smoke more and kill themselves quicker, or else the tobacco companies would make up the difference in price and make even more profits for themselves. If they were made illegal, then you'd have a rebirth of the Italian maffia in chicago controlling the illegal smuggling of cigarrettes from Canada just like during prohibition... and that fence with Canada will have to be a lot longer then the one on the Mexican border! What the government should do is create a collective agreement with Canada where both countries jack the price of cigarettes in order to reduce the black market between the countries (no idea what to do about the mexican side) then put all the profits from cigarette sales into an anti smoking advertisement campaigns, lung cancer research, cardiovascular research, studying nicotine addiction, studying the effects of smoking towards pre term babies.... etc etc.
2007-06-20 04:57:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Of course Uncle Sam is a pusher. Cigarette companies will never go away because the taxes pay for this country to do stupid **** like start wars.
Ever think about all the taxes you pay? Everything taxed is something you need to live. Screw this Government and Screw Uncle Sam.
Dont even mention the Pharmaceutical Companies? Getting everyone hooked on one thing or another. Guess how much of that action Uncle Sam gets.....
America doesnt care about you - nor does the government. Money talks, and it matters not to them how many of us die in the mean time.........
We need to take the power back - Down with the US Government.
2007-06-16 18:35:08 · answer #3 · answered by Dizzle O' Diddy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think you already know the answer. People die in fires due to smoke as you know. As far as taxes, that is perpetuated by lobbyists in Congress to allow the sale of cigarettes. Your last question would be correct. The government allows the sale of a substance that kills people which could be considered as drug dealers as they also allow the sale of alcohol. What they should do is legalize marijuana and tax that also, since people want it and buy it without it being taxed.
2007-06-12 06:50:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Forget about the taxes and take it from someone who has smoked for 42 years. Cigarettes are bad for you. Had I not chosen to smoke I would look 10-15 years younger today, maybe could even still run 100 yards in 11 seconds flat, and wouldn't be scared to death that I had lung cancer every time I have a pain in my chest.
2007-06-16 23:46:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would call the Government a drug dealer. Cigarettes are that bad.
2007-06-12 06:53:20 · answer #6 · answered by la buena bruja 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, they are bad. The carbon monoxide produced bind up hemoglobin sites on the red blood cell, decreasing the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. This causes the long bones of the leg to produce more blood cells to increase the amount of hemoglobin to carry oxygen. This causes the blood to become more viscous and increases the workload on the heart causing left ventricular hypertrophy. It also produces a hot, dry gas that singes the cilia in the airway making mobilization of secretions difficult. The high tax on them is to help defray the burden placed on the healthcare system taking care of them
2007-06-12 06:53:21 · answer #7 · answered by tiredofithere 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The government is ok with drugs as long as they proffit from them. If they could make money off of harder stuff they would probably legalize them too.
2007-06-19 18:36:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, tobacco is bad.
The Government is just warning you.
(I've heard of people who got lung cancer and wanted to sue the Government for not having warned people about this... or did they get throat cancer and their complaints were about alcohol?... I'm no longer sure...)
2007-06-12 07:10:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, they are bad. It's probably fair, when it comes to a vice. If there were other taxes on other vices, people would fork it out for that too.
2007-06-12 06:50:10 · answer #10 · answered by Scorpius59 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋