National No-Smoking Day is coming up (again) and once more the militant ******* who seem to think everyone has a right to poison their friends start jumping up and down. The current bandwagon is the proposed ban on smoking in public places, something already being done in Ireland.
One complete feckwit says that the effects of passive smoking have been grossly over-exaggerated. Come on, is a government report going to condemn the habit out of hand when it pulls in millions – possibly billions – in tax each year? No, I doubt it. And you can’t get by the fact that in the UK alone there are 120,000 premature deaths directly and uncontravertibly caused by smoking and related illnesses every year. Not all of the victims smoke.
I used to work for a paper shop when I was a kid. The guy who ran it died of cancer which started in his throat. He didn’t smoke, though to be honest I don’t know if he ever did. But his wife did, like a chimney. Related? I think so.
Here’s one of my typically over-the-top hypothetical questions:
What would happen if I was to whip out my nob and piss all over a small child? Say…. 10-20 times a day. Every day? I’d get arrested, vilified and rejected from society. It’s disgusting. It smells. It’s potentially harmful.
But it’s OK for someone, 10-20 times a day, to light up a stick full of burning leaves and blow the smoke over the same child. Day in. Day out. For years. That kid has more chance of getting asthma, cancer, their own nicotine addiction or one of a score of other diseases than they’d stand of getting in infection from a dousing of urine.
It’s natural to urinate, even if it’s not the most pleasant of things (unless you’re German and make “interesting” home videos). It’s not natural to set fire to things and breathe them in despite absolute concrete proof that there’s a high chance they’ll kill you and harm those around you.
Plus, you smell bloody awful and look like a prick.
I’m all for a ban in public places and if you smoke at home with you kid in the house you should be prosecuted for child cruelty. Not to mention that it costs ME money because the government have to put up taxes so the NHS has the money to deal with one of the biggest causes of premature death and illness in the country.
Infact if you smoke and have to have a smoking related ilness treated YOU should have to pay extra for it ME!!! The government should put an extra £10 on a packet to pay for the NHS bills.
Sorry, I have a soap box about this subject too.
Its about time it was banned in public, and Im sure it is beyond doubt, that it will be. You cant go out anywhere without stinking of fags. And I always make a point of complaining loudly if someone smokes in a cafe or restaurant.
There is just no need. Here here.