Quote Originally Posted by NeverBend View Post
People tend to complain about what they don't care about or don't participate in or in the direction that they media aims them. When the culture shifts to distance itself from something, people become critical of it. When the culture embraces it they embrace it too. It's quite fashionable to feel justified to abuse smokers, even one on one, because it's culturally accepted. Similarly, it was once culturally acceptable to abuse people based on race or religion.

My sister-in-law (one of them) burns candles and incense in her home to the point that I don't want to enter but she claims (feigns) an allergy to tobacco smoke. She's an example, as are others you guys have made, but the problem is beyond personal peccadillo.

Cigarettes, cigars and pipe (tobacco) are all legal to buy and governments, at all levels, enjoy spectacular tax levies on their sales. Indeed, all prospective tobacco tax legislation is accompanied by costly reports of the anticipated revenue from the taxation. When we buy tobacco we provide revenue but are not afforded protection under law for its use. Indeed, government at all levels seem intent on 'teaching us' but the fact is that we're just cash cows to sustain their bloated existence.

It would stand to reason that if there's a tax on it then the government has given its approval for the products use and they (of course) want a piece of the action. Certainly changes in the Marijuana laws in Colorado and other states manifests this notion but the social acceptance of Marijuana and the vilification of tobacco would seem to be quite ironic and hypocritical.

Consider that no one calls for cars to be outlawed because of their impact (substantial) in polluting our air. Go to Elizabeth NJ, or Ashland KY and look at the pollution being spewed into the air by the refineries there. The automobile and their associated industries have (probably) polluted more in a day than all the smokers throughout history in their lives but everyone drives a car so there will be no public outcry to outlaw their use and tobacco smokers are made scapegoats.

When you buy tobacco products you will have been taxed on some or all of these levels:

  • Personal income tax
  • Sales Tax
  • Customs duty (possibly)
  • Tobacco Taxes at federal and state levels.


Soon I will have purchased all the tobacco that I ever anticipate purchasing and then, effectively, I will be off the tax roll (regarding tobacco). I hold no false hope that I will ever be represented in any government entity regarding taxation (of any kind) and we, as a community, remain collectively unrepresented, yet I imagine that there are still many representatives who want their mistress to blow smoke in their face while she grinds her heel into their leg.
While I'm not critical of grossly overweight people (it's their choice, not mine), it does piss me off when I get some sm@rt@$$ person bitching or coughing when I'm outside smoking in the parking lot and they're hauling off a sack with a triple cheeseburger, half pound of fries and a quart drink of cola from the Carl's Jr. etc. That's happened at least three times in the last few years to me. I've just bit my lip and pretended I didn't hear it. I would like the same respect for my choices as I allow them...