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My county is rasing the smoking age

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by Salty, Sep 3, 2008.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Onondaga County has just pass a law which will raise the smoking age to 19.

    Some think that 18 year old high schoolers are buying cancer sticks for their school mates.

    There is one exception: Military personnel.
    (Some kids are in the National Guard and still in High school)

    There are two options for the 18 yr olds:
    1. Go to the Indian reservation (+ no taxes)
    2. go outside the county (the county is about 20 miles by 20 miles - so it wouldn't be very far

    Either option the county will be loosing sales and that almighty precious tax revenue.

    Thoughts ?

    Sgt Salty
     
  2. JerryL

    JerryL New Member

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    The restaurants in my town are smoke-free. I wish all public buildings would be included.
     
  3. JustChristian

    JustChristian New Member

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    I support this. I also believe that medical insurance rates should be raised significantly for smokers.
     
  4. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    As do I. As a former smoker for 19 years I can say that it is just complete stupidity to light something on fire and intentionally inhale the smoke from it into your lungs. If you are going to be this retarded then it should be no surprise when you have to pay more for medical insurance. If you can even get it it at all.
     
  5. puros_bran

    puros_bran Member

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    Several things.

    Smokers do pay higher insurance rates.

    Anyone care to define 'Public Building' ?

    Eating junkfood,driving a car, walking across a street, and swimming have all proven fatal. Where do we draw the line and tell the State to buttout?

    FWIW: I'm not defending smoking, I agree 100% that lighting a fire and inhaling the byproduct isn't wise.
     
  6. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    If someone else eats junkfood, it doesn't hurt me. If someone else walks across the street, unless they jump in front of my car, it does not affect me. If someone swims in a pool, I incur no harm.

    Smoking, however, not only harms the smoker but also those around him. If smoking in public is legal, then I should retain the right to press charges against those who cause me to inhale smoke.
     
  7. puros_bran

    puros_bran Member

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    I've become convinced the whole second hand smoke argument is junk science. I won't argue it though... On your premise that it is harmful and shouldn't be allowed in public I'll ask again. Care to define 'Public'?
     
  8. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Sure inside of buildings not your home.
     
  9. puros_bran

    puros_bran Member

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    Just a reminder.. I'm just feeling out your mind.


    What about business? If I spend my money to open a business don't I have a right to do as I wish with it?


    Isn't it just as 'fair' ( a silly notion in todays world) to say if you don't like smoking and I allow it in my business that you have the right to not spend your money there?

    Its not about smoking to me,smoking is nasty and harmful, its about personal rights. If you follow the logic of 'we' can tell you that smoking is disallowed in your business,'we' can disallow anything else we deem harmful.
     
    #9 puros_bran, Sep 4, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 4, 2008
  10. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    I don't want to tell private businesses what to do. However government buildings should be smoke free.
     
  11. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    The county Executive just vetoed the bill yesterday - beacuse, it would not be that effective becasue a teen would only have to travel no more than 20 miles to buy cancer sticks in a neighboring county

    Story from news channell ten
     
  12. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    Smokers cost the govt and thus the taxpayers something like $20k less than nonsmokers. Lowering the smoking age could bail out Social Security.
     
  13. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Okay,
    what kind of limit should we put on citizens eating at McDonald's and Burger King. Boy that food sure adds to heart disease.
    No, I am not being facetious!
     
  14. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    Here's a novel idea: Give tickets to underage smokers. Start with $25 first offense; $50 second offense; and just add $25 every time they get caught.
     
  15. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I agree 100 % with that. Yes, we should hold stores and employees accountable for selling to minors, but lets put some teeth into the law; as Larry suggested

    Salty

    better yet, how about making the kids do some community service - ie working at a hospital in the cancer ward?
     
  16. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    Hit them where it hurts. Kids want money more than anything. That's where you have to hit them. Besides, what happens when they don't do community service? With tickets, you can ultimately go to the parents for it.
     
  17. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    Probably not a bad idea!

    My father cured me of any desire to smoke.

    I can still remember as a child back in the 1950's every night hearing him practically coughing his lungs out. Had he not died of a brain tumor in 1963, I'm sure he would have died of lung cancer.

    My one uncle did.

    I can remember back about 20 years ago driving home to visit my mother. It'd been storming for about the last 100 miles or so (occasionally I probably wouldn't have needed my headlights for all the lightning). Anyway, as I pulled in out front (still singing to myself "When the Storm Passes Over"), there was my uncle's car. I thought, hey, they were here to welcome me home too! As it turned out, the real reason why they were there was because the power went out at their place and my uncle needed electricity to power the oxygen pumps in order to breathe. He died about 1.5 years later.

    I can remember the times when my brother would often warn me about smoking. I think my father cured him of it the same way he did me. My brother was concerned about the number of smoking-related deaths and how it was a major contributer to the number one cause of death in America--heart disease & stroke. When he retired about 3 years ago he was the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for the American Heart Assn.

    Whether or not one owns his own business he/she is not free to operate it in just any way he/she pleases. You've got zoning regulations, building and fire codes, handicapped accessibity, pollution ordinances, etc., ad nauseum, you have to deal with--not to mention that five-letter word "taxes."

    Whether we like it or not, the days of "No body can tell me how I can run my business!" are long gone.
     
  18. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    and regulations (as well as taxes) is a big reason why so many companies are leaving the US for foreign companies
    but that is a discussion for another thread.
    see this link to that thread

    Salty
     
  19. puros_bran

    puros_bran Member

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    The Slippery Slope of 'Common Good'....
     
    #19 puros_bran, Sep 13, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 13, 2008
  20. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    Sarge ..... See my post on the above thread. :type:
     
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