Smokers

[ngsilver]

I don't do cigs, least not anymore. I did in high school. Now I stick to Cigars and cloves. One of these days I'll have to take some pics of my humador... that is when it's not empty from me smoking all of my stash at cons

I'm also allergic to cigarette smoke

[Jnzk]

I'm a social smoker, last time I lit a couple was two days ago. But I've noticed I don't get as much enjoyment out of it as I used to.

[BurningLeaves]

I do (and am doing so right this instant) and have for about 8 years now. I personally don't think it would be too hard for me to quit if I wanted to, but I don't. Some people have a sweet tooth and love their candy even though it's bad for them, I like my menthol flavored goodness. I go through about a pack every 2 days but I can also go a crazy long time without one if need be. 15 hours on a plane for one, if I'm sick I'll tend to go a day or more without it. I think I'm addicted to the habit and oral fixation insert filthy joke here more so than the actual drug. When I'm working on something like editing, or something where I'm trying to focus I tend to chain smoke without even realizing it. I've never tried to quit and I think the only time I actually would would be if I were to be trying to have kids, until then love 'em.

[dreamawake]

I've probably been smoking for 4 years, 2 were inconsistent, the last 2 have been consistent. I have to say, I am already losing lung capacity and my voice is going to shit + The smoking cough. Shit isn't pleasant. I'm probably going to quit toward the end of summer. At first, the dopamine hit felt great and I enjoyed it. Hell, I still do enjoy it, but I know that it's not because it does anything for me anymore. It's just to satisfy my craving and make me feel normal again.

[JaddziaDax]

Some people have a sweet tooth and love their candy even though it's bad for them, I like my menthol flavored goodness.

I'd say I have something of a candy addiction O.o;

[guy07]

I feel sick when i smoke cigarettes so that's a no-no for me.

[Prodigi]

On and off for 5 years. I had cut back considerably until I went to Chicago for Xmas/Weddincon '08, and since then I picked it up heavily again. I've just recently quit again though due to the recent tax hike on cigarette prices in Australia.

[BurningLeaves]

They tax hiked it in NY too. Now were up to $7-$8 a pack, though some places in NYC it's up to $10. I think that's completely ridiculous considering how little they cost to make. For alot of people smoking is a need as much as a want in their life. Not to mention with the way the economy is there's really not too many people with much disposable income out there and the unemployment rate doesn't show people who were cut from full time to part time (which was alot here in NY not sure of other places) and had to try and get another part time job just to come close to what they were making before. So if Jane Doe wants to have a cigarette in between her two jobs to relax her she shouldn't have to go into debt because of it. If they want people to quit smoking charging them more isn't going to help. Smokers aren't some rich minority out there, if anything I'm willing to bet more people of the lower income brackets smoke than the higher ones. Adults should be allowed to do what they choose to with their own bodies without the Government stepping in. Making people who are already struggling struggle even more to have one of the few pleasures they enjoy in life is just wrong. If it was done by the 'evil' cigarette corporations trying to milk every dollar possible out of their consumer it would be one thing but it's not it's the state trying to milk every greedy dollar away from people for buying a perfectly legal product they just don't think we should have.

It was bad enough when they did it with cigarettes, but now they are about to do it to soda too since they got away with the ciggs. In fact they are actually calling it an 'obesity' tax. Because ya know... them taxing the cheep fatty foods people can afford to buy and forcing them to spend more on healthy ones would be more efficient than offering tax breaks to corporations who keep the calorie and fat levels lower so they can pass that on to the consumer who then doesn't have a choice between a $2.99 bag of oreos or a $4.99/lb bag of grapes but a choice of products which are similar in price but one is better for you. Of course it isn't all about price, but people don't really react well with negative incentives. People don't like being backed into a wall in order to change, it just creates more backlash because they are being forced instead of given a choice, and most people will chose to rebel against the people trying to forcing them to change instead of those helping them to change.

[CodeZTM]

They tax hiked it in NY too. Now were up to $7-$8 a pack, though some places in NYC it's up to $10. I think that's completely ridiculous considering how little they cost to make. For alot of people smoking is a need as much as a want in their life. Not to mention with the way the economy is there's really not too many people with much disposable income out there and the unemployment rate doesn't show people who were cut from full time to part time (which was alot here in NY not sure of other places) and had to try and get another part time job just to come close to what they were making before. So if Jane Doe wants to have a cigarette in between her two jobs to relax her she shouldn't have to go into debt because of it. If they want people to quit smoking charging them more isn't going to help. Smokers aren't some rich minority out there, if anything I'm willing to bet more people of the lower income brackets smoke than the higher ones. Adults should be allowed to do what they choose to with their own bodies without the Government stepping in. Making people who are already struggling struggle even more to have one of the few pleasures they enjoy in life is just wrong. If it was done by the 'evil' cigarette corporations trying to milk every dollar possible out of their consumer it would be one thing but it's not it's the state trying to milk every greedy dollar away from people for buying a perfectly legal product they just don't think we should have.

It was bad enough when they did it with cigarettes, but now they are about to do it to soda too since they got away with the ciggs. In fact they are actually calling it an 'obesity' tax. Because ya know... them taxing the cheep fatty foods people can afford to buy and forcing them to spend more on healthy ones would be more efficient than offering tax breaks to corporations who keep the calorie and fat levels lower so they can pass that on to the consumer who then doesn't have a choice between a $2.99 bag of oreos or a $4.99/lb bag of grapes but a choice of products which are similar in price but one is better for you. Of course it isn't all about price, but people don't really react well with negative incentives. People don't like being backed into a wall in order to change, it just creates more backlash because they are being forced instead of given a choice, and most people will chose to rebel against the people trying to forcing them to change instead of those helping them to change.

God Bless America. :O

[Garylisk]

They tax hiked it in NY too. Now were up to $7-$8 a pack, though some places in NYC it's up to $10. I think that's completely ridiculous considering how little they cost to make. For alot of people smoking is a need as much as a want in their life. Not to mention with the way the economy is there's really not too many people with much disposable income out there and the unemployment rate doesn't show people who were cut from full time to part time (which was alot here in NY not sure of other places) and had to try and get another part time job just to come close to what they were making before. So if Jane Doe wants to have a cigarette in between her two jobs to relax her she shouldn't have to go into debt because of it. If they want people to quit smoking charging them more isn't going to help. Smokers aren't some rich minority out there, if anything I'm willing to bet more people of the lower income brackets smoke than the higher ones. Adults should be allowed to do what they choose to with their own bodies without the Government stepping in. Making people who are already struggling struggle even more to have one of the few pleasures they enjoy in life is just wrong. If it was done by the 'evil' cigarette corporations trying to milk every dollar possible out of their consumer it would be one thing but it's not it's the state trying to milk every greedy dollar away from people for buying a perfectly legal product they just don't think we should have.

It was bad enough when they did it with cigarettes, but now they are about to do it to soda too since they got away with the ciggs. In fact they are actually calling it an 'obesity' tax. Because ya know... them taxing the cheep fatty foods people can afford to buy and forcing them to spend more on healthy ones would be more efficient than offering tax breaks to corporations who keep the calorie and fat levels lower so they can pass that on to the consumer who then doesn't have a choice between a $2.99 bag of oreos or a $4.99/lb bag of grapes but a choice of products which are similar in price but one is better for you. Of course it isn't all about price, but people don't really react well with negative incentives. People don't like being backed into a wall in order to change, it just creates more backlash because they are being forced instead of given a choice, and most people will chose to rebel against the people trying to forcing them to change instead of those helping them to change.

I dunno. I am OK with a "sin tax" to be honest. It's like the lottery, though, like you said. It's a tax on the lower classes. As for the crap they are trying to pull on soda, that is crap. It's food/beverage. That should not be taxed so high.