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New Zealand scraps world-first smoking ‘generation ban’ to fund tax cuts
(www.theguardian.com)
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this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2023
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And this is the kind of shit that happens when the right are put in power. Fuck people yay money.
Disgusting.
Do you support the legalisation of cannabis or other drugs?
I do. And as a smoker, I also support attempts to eliminate tobacco. It's a shit drug, only good at making the craving stop for a bit, and it's awful for your health and general quality of life.
All it does is extend the craving really.
And other drugs including cannabis are ok for your health? What about alcohol?
Tobacco is a vice, stop wanting nanny state rules only when they fit you.
Also obesity is the number one killer for Western nations now...where is the sugar and McDonald's ban?
The argument you've presented oversimplifies complex public health issues by lumping together unrelated substances and policies.
Tobacco, universally acknowledged for its lack of health benefits and high harm potential, is incomparable to substances like cannabis or alcohol, which may have varied effects and potential positive uses.
The term 'nanny state' is a reductive way to dismiss nuanced health policies that aim to balance regulation with individual freedom.
Regarding obesity, it's a multifactorial issue. A simplistic approach like banning sugar or fast food ignores the broader socio-economic and lifestyle factors at play (although a sugar tax is probably not a terrible idea).
How so? Tobacco is a vice which has health benefits such as organic pesticides and cognitive research against dementia and Alzheimer's. It's a vice just like cannabis and alcohol is. Neither of which when used in the way the majority of people use them have any health benefits.
Nanny state is exactly what trying to ban a vice is. Prohibition is a nanny state response.
What does that have to do with my comments pointing out obesity is a way bigger problem than tobacco is? Tobacco is being used as a scapegoat, while increased alcoholism and obesity is at epidemic levels. Tobacco is no longer an issue of public health in western nations. Education has basically fixed this.
Weed can have huge benefits for health, just look at multiple sclerosis.
Sugar and fat are good if not abused. But yes, I do believe restaurants shouldn't be allowed to sell 2000 calories monstrosities.
Smoking tobacco has zero (health) benefits. It's just a net loss on society (except for those who produce, sell and tax it) and thus shouldn't exist.
EDIT: better?
Tobacco is used as an organic pesticide
Nicotine is also being tested for dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Do alcohol...and tell me if it should be allowed next.
nobody has proposed banning them for those uses. are you asserting that someone has?
Literally the post I replied to says it has no benefits and shouldn't exist...
Oh, yes they did.
lol
In the UK sugar tax is a thing. People are going to consume stupid amounts of sugar so we may as well increase the taxes to hopefully fund the diabetes mellitus treatment in later life.
In the same vain I support higher taxes on tobacco. Whether that sends people to the black market remains to be seen.
Ok but this isn't about a tax it's an all out ban...so which is it you're ok with the ban or not?
I’m not the other person.
I was merely pointing out there are other ways.
For what it’s worth I am not for banning things. Drugs have been illegal my whole life and it hasn’t stopped me.
Fair enough.
they think prohibition works. it never does. History always repeats itself.
don't waste your time on them.
The real problem with tobacco is that the use of it harms others around the people using it.
I agree banning drugs is not the best option. Education and support is better.
Gas and diesil cars are the other things can think of that are terrible for the health those around them. And they need to be banned asap too. For multiple reasons. But health is definitely one.
How does using it harm others? Unless you're straight up locked in a room with a chain smoker for a few years it's about as bad for you as sitting in traffic or near a camp fire.
Education is already working, as a very small portion of western nations smoke now. In the USA it's less than 9% and that's for all tobacco users which includes vaping. So cig smokers are probably around %5 at most now. Tobacco is a non-issue and is blinding us from other problems.
Agreed. Education is the way to move forward. Banning it just creates more problems and solves none.
So they can decide what’s good for your body except for abortions? It’s incredible how people values are so fluid. They might as well say that everything the right does is evil and wrong.
Everything the right does is evil and wrong.
They should be called the pretty good and mostly evil sides if we were being honest. But no one wants to openly support the mostly evil side. (strangely there are a very large group of silent right supporters too what's that about? )
I think that’s the type of reasoning that leads to communism and famines. Politicians are known to steal agenda items from the other side. I think it’s really stupid to oppose good measures just because they are not coming from your tribe.
What's wrong with communism? Seems like a good idea to me.
I already made it clear on my answer but I'm not surprised you missed it. it's pretty disingenuous to ask something like that and disrespectful for those who had to suffer it. it's well documented so if you want to know you just need to stop covering your ears.
Yeah cause capitalisms working out great hey?
paraphrasing churchill, capitalism is the worst economic system except for all the others we have tried before it.