This. Government paying for healthcare will be the justification to ban smoking and all other things. They will also try to force you to eat according to the food pyramid, which is terrible for your health.

Ban Alcohol too. More drunks kill people on the road in a week, than secondhand smoke kills outside in 20 years.

I love when people fake cough. I usually blow a nice puff towards them. Especially if I am in one of the few places outdoors I am still allowed to smoke.

Yet a bartender will let me slam down 10 drinks and drive home, every time. (not saying I do. Just saying)

edit: I know this is not the USA, but the government will be even more deficit ridden without the obscene taxes it collects on ciggys. Downside to everything. Just saying all you (other people) lifestyle freaks.

I cant speak for others but I for one will never allow any government tell me how to live on that level.I mean somethings like certain taxes are a bit annoying but they pay for something(supposedly) like police and first responders I suppose if you live in a city you also get to pay for water I do not as I live in unincorporated county zone and I have a well and a septic tank.

Certain laws are also understandable but if the government tries to come and tell me what to eat and how to live then I will declare my intent to disobey if they are smart they will leave me alone if they try to use force to make me obey then they will meet force.

That is the American spirit!:salute:

I'll summarize in a way our forefathers did ( and Metallica).

"Don't tread on me."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db1s-eV-Bd0
:salute::yeah::rock:

You'll need to grow your own crops and raise your own livestock then because the way they'll regulate your diet is by regulating what you are allowed to buy at the market.

And if you are raising your own livestock you wil be facing lots more regulations as livestock is a big business and needs some serious regulation.

Quit the habit just three years ago after smoking for 30+ so I believe I know how hard it could be for some to beat the addiction.

Raising the tax through the roof will simply allow a black market to flourish and a potential loss of income to the government.

I'm not sure there is an essy answer to this whichever side of the debate you support.

I agree with most of what you say and think governemnt regulation is going to far- however I will point out there are people like myself who suffer from seasonal (hayfever related) asthma and I cannot abide cigarette smoke. I prefer to avoid it but as I have friends who smoke it usually is ok as they usually will head out to smoke. In the summer I put up with it as I liek to sit outside too just not in the spring please. How can you tell a fake cough anyway? :-?

Smoke? Go ahead but if you fall ill and need medical treatment your paying. That could be a case here in the UK as we have the NHS. No idea about the rest of the world, but there is a draw back to the idea. If you take it to this level you want to do DIY and go to the gym find but if you have a accident your paying. Difficult to find the correct balance of keeping both sides happy.

Instead of saying on your fag packets
Smoking can seriously damage your health and those around you
It should say
The bloody Tory government as damaged your health and also those very near you

Pay 20$ is the answer....smoking and paying for future chemotherapy in taxes.

So what if you get cancer and never smoked?

What if you get cancer and quit smoking years or even decades earlier?

What if you get cancer, smoked for a few years before quitting but were also exposed to carcinogens in other ways?

I'm afraid there is no balance that will satisfy all sides and all attempts at finding such a balance will only result in irritating everyone.

Yikes.... better to quit than throw away 100 bucks a pack. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/GT182/faint.gif

Actually I have finally quit cigarettes. The brand I was smoking went over 4.00/pack last year. I'm now smoking cigars. :D LOL Brand is 1839 and they cost $13.20 a carton. Same size a 100mm cigarette and they're filtered. You can get them flavored or regular plain ol Full Flavor. www.go1839.com