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lettie · 22-06-2006, 14:58

I agree that banning smoking outdoors is totally unworkable. The only way to do it would be to make tobacco illegal and that would mean that the government would lose the billions in taxes which come from tobacco......Therefore hell will freeze over before they do that.

If they did make tobacco illegal then they would have to recoup their tax losses from somewhere.......alcohol and petrol look likely candidates here.

The only thing about quoting death statistics is that cause of death is often uncertain and confounded by other variables. Many people who die (unless killed outright in a quick and painful accident) have several things wrong with them all of which cause a deterioration in the body functions. Somebody may have a smoking related illness but they may also be grossly obese, if they have a sudden heart attack and die......was it caused by the smoking or the obesity???? Do you see what I mean?

The AIDS statistics quoted earlier in the thread said that 3 million died of AIDS worldwide last year.....not a statistic to be proud of but it failed to mention that there are 40 million living with AIDS worldwide and that there were roughly 4-5 million new infections diagnosed last year... By the way, these are just the cases which have been diagnosed, there are potentially many more. The reason why less people are now dying is because treatments are so good and freely available in the western world. BTW, most people don't catch HIV from drugs and promiscuity as mentioned by somebody earlier. Heterosexual women are now accounting for most new diagnoses because women are anatomically more likely to catch it. Most of these women are not promiscuous and have actually caught it from a husband. Drug addicts account for only a tiny percentage of HIV diagnoses...... I have references for all of this info if anyone wants to see them...

The debate about not treating smokers on the NHS will rage on. I think that most medical and nursing staff who are bound by the ethical principles of beneficience, non-maleficience, autonomy and justice could not bring themselves to refuse to treat somebody just because they smoke/smoked.

Like other minority groups, smokers will have to fight for their rights. Ethnic minorities, women, elderly, disabled, homosexual people have all stood up and demanded their rights... Is it against the human rights act to be marginalised because you smoke????? I think it probably is in this current climate.

22-06-2006, 14:58	#59
lettie Filthy / Gorgeous Bejeweled Blitz Champion! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Xanadu Posts: 4,005 Blog Entries: 337 Liked: 67 times Rep Power: 88670	Re: Smokers unite before it is too late. I agree that banning smoking outdoors is totally unworkable. The only way to do it would be to make tobacco illegal and that would mean that the government would lose the billions in taxes which come from tobacco......Therefore hell will freeze over before they do that. If they did make tobacco illegal then they would have to recoup their tax losses from somewhere.......alcohol and petrol look likely candidates here. The only thing about quoting death statistics is that cause of death is often uncertain and confounded by other variables. Many people who die (unless killed outright in a quick and painful accident) have several things wrong with them all of which cause a deterioration in the body functions. Somebody may have a smoking related illness but they may also be grossly obese, if they have a sudden heart attack and die......was it caused by the smoking or the obesity???? Do you see what I mean? The AIDS statistics quoted earlier in the thread said that 3 million died of AIDS worldwide last year.....not a statistic to be proud of but it failed to mention that there are 40 million living with AIDS worldwide and that there were roughly 4-5 million new infections diagnosed last year... By the way, these are just the cases which have been diagnosed, there are potentially many more. The reason why less people are now dying is because treatments are so good and freely available in the western world. BTW, most people don't catch HIV from drugs and promiscuity as mentioned by somebody earlier. Heterosexual women are now accounting for most new diagnoses because women are anatomically more likely to catch it. Most of these women are not promiscuous and have actually caught it from a husband. Drug addicts account for only a tiny percentage of HIV diagnoses...... I have references for all of this info if anyone wants to see them... The debate about not treating smokers on the NHS will rage on. I think that most medical and nursing staff who are bound by the ethical principles of beneficience, non-maleficience, autonomy and justice could not bring themselves to refuse to treat somebody just because they smoke/smoked. Like other minority groups, smokers will have to fight for their rights. Ethnic minorities, women, elderly, disabled, homosexual people have all stood up and demanded their rights... Is it against the human rights act to be marginalised because you smoke????? I think it probably is in this current climate. __________________ Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether. The views expressed here are my own and not necessarily those of my family, friends, employer, this site, my neighbours, hairdresser, dentist, GP, next door's dog or anyone else who knows me..