Health Australia could become first nation to outlaw smoking

[FireCat]

Australia could become the first major nation to outlaw smoking, with a federal government-funded trial about to test the viability of electronic cigarettes as a safer, permanent replacement for tobacco. Medical experts, cancer groups and anti-smoking lobbyists battled for decades to rid cigarettes from public spaces.

''E-cigarettes'' are battery-powered devices that simulate the effects of smoking by heating a nicotine liquid into vapour, which the user then inhales and exhales. Electronic cigarette. While the gadgets have been hailed as a safer substitute for cigarettes, there is no comprehensive scientific research into the health risks of inhaling vapour.

The Sun-Herald can reveal that as part of its anti-smoking reform agenda, the previous Labor government committed more than $1 million to a pioneering study that, by 2015, will determine whether or not e-cigarettes could be utilised to phase out traditional cigarettes altogether.

Cigarette phase-out considered as trial tests if vapour safer

Australia could become the first major nation to outlaw smoking, with a federal government-funded trial about to test the viability of electronic cigarettes as a safer, permanent replacement for tobacco.

www.smh.com.au

 

[KMilz]

I mean, I can't say it's a bad idea. I wonder how well it'll go over.

 

[Accname]

I would say its a bad idea.
I am not a smoker, but I hate it when the government is trying to force something upon their citizens. Its a piece of freedom which these people will lose.

 

[FireCat]

Smoking does lead to health costs! Just saying Well, they can always test this idea!
But this doesn't mean, smoking will be outlawed!

 

[Wummi]

I FUCKING HATE SMOKERS that smoke indoors or near gathering places like bus stops. You have no idea how awful they are to non-smokers, and they don't seem to give a shit about the people around them having to breathe in second hand smoke either. Cigarette makers should all die. They do nothing but earn big bucks by wrecking the health of others and polluting the air.

 

[Accname]

I FUCKING HATE SMOKERS that smoke indoors or near gathering places like bus stops. You have no idea how awful they are to non-smokers, and they don't seem to give a shit about the people around them having to breathe in second hand smoke either. Cigarette makers should all die. They do nothing but earn big bucks by wrecking the health of others and polluting the air.

I, too, endorse the killing of people I dont even know.
I would say that everybody who is not a friend of mine or somewhat beneficial for my personal comfort should die a horrible and painful death. This is the only fair solution to the problem at hand: the lack of violent murder in the world.

 

[KaerfNomekop]

I, too, endorse the killing of people I dont even know.
I would say that everybody who is not a friend of mine or somewhat beneficial for my personal comfort should die a horrible and painful death. This is the only fair solution to the problem at hand: the lack of violent murder in the world.

Unfortunately death by second hand smoke doesn't discriminate against stupid people and politicians.

 

[Varine]

Unfortunately death by second hand smoke doesn't discriminate against stupid people and politicians.

They have respirators.

 

[Narks]

would be lovely if they went ahead with it

although to avoid some of the backlash, they should make a law against smoking in public areas

 

[Varine]

If they do my base jumping trip is moving elsewhere.

 

[SouLEDGE]

Well, here's another reason I'd never move to the land down under, although technically it's more like the land to the right of me. I'm assuming they already have a heavy tax on tobacco products?

 

[Varine]

I have some friends that were there hiking a little bit back and they said a pack was running 15 to 20 US dollars or some shit in most places.

 

[SouLEDGE]

15USD for a 20 pack (I'm assuming)?. Damn, we buy ours here in South Africa for about 3 - 4 USD and out tax on tobacco is already about 300% (which is such a joke). I remember about five years back it cost about 1 USD.

 

[WildTurkey]

I smoke and it shits me off how many places I am not allowed to smoke now in Brisbane (QLD, AUS). You cannot smoke in the biggest street in the city, or in any of the streets that branch immediately off of it without getting a fine. You can't put a cigarette butt out anywhere without getting a fine.... It's ridiculous. AND THE PRICE OF CIGS IS over $20 AU for 40 smokes :O And that's a cheap brand...

 

[Accname]

ITS OVER NEIN THOUSAND

 

[Sim]

Here in Quebec you can't smoke anywhere in public, and that's good. I was so tired of all those smokers poisoning us wherever we went, second-hand smoke is really nasty and is pretty much the same as smoking.

I totally support banning smoking altogether. The health costs it generates to the government are skyrocketing every year, those people that end up at the hospital at 60 for smoking 30+ years continue smoking even though they're dying. Each one of them dies 20 years younger than they should have, and cost several millions to the government while doing so. In fact, I would pass a law that if you are a smoker, you forfeit any right to the public Health Care system by doing so.

In fact, I would pass a law that smoking is illegal as it is as harmful as most illegal drugs.

 

[Accname]

If they got 80, 90 or even 100 years old they would cost the government too. If you talk about cost I'd say kill everybody over the age of 70 instantly.

I do not smoke. I had cigarette smoke, but this is about freedom. I want people to have the right to smoke if they want to. They should be allowed to smoke everything they fucking want to. Its their life.
Nobody asked the government to pay for their lungs, just depart them and burn them in concentration camps if you like, but give those guys the right to smoke if they want.

 

[Slapshot136]

I would say its a bad idea.
I am not a smoker, but I hate it when the government is trying to force something upon their citizens. Its a piece of freedom which these people will lose.

while I generally agree, the government is also obligated to protect its citizens.. if granting a privilege to a minority causes suffering to others, that is where I would draw the line and say the government should step in - second hand smoke, medical costs, and even the littering that is caused by cigarette butts is a burden on everyone else needs to be weighed against the benefits that smokers receive, and I think the scales lean towards the former rather than the latter in this case.

 

[Accname]

while I generally agree, the government is also obligated to protect its citizens.. if granting a privilege to a minority causes suffering to others, that is where I would draw the line and say the government should step in - second hand smoke, [...]

Second hand smoke is a joke. Those people are smoking for 20 years when they finally hit the grave from lung cancer. Do you think being exposed to second hand smoke for a few seconds has a big effect? Just imagine how many exhaust fumes you inhale every day from the millions of cars driving around town. Just imagine all the fumes from the coal power plants. And what other toxic waste we are all exposed to in our everyday life.
Second hand smoke is a joke compared to that. Nobody forces you to go into their houses, and many places are already smoke free.

[...] medical costs, [...]

Just screw those people. Let them die and dont give a shit.

[...] and even the littering that is caused by cigarette butts is a burden on everyone else [...]

Should the government forbid the use of any plastic packaging because some people litter? This is how we do law now?
"...but this guy there is littering!" => *Punish everybody!*

This is ridiculous. Its like some kind of your personal crusade against smokers. If you hate them so much then set their houses on fire but dont try to abuse the law for this purpose!
Policeman are already working hard enough to clobber homeless people and <that word I am not allowed to use here because I get banned if I do>

 

[FireCat]

Just screw those people. Let them die and dont give a shit.

Then you would become a heartless fucker! Well, some people they still don't know what it does or even what it means. And I don't agree that people smoke, take drugs! But they're still human beings. We should blame drug dealers and cigarette makers.