Opinions - Would anyone care if they actually banned tobacco.

[cannabis-sam]

Now don't get me wrong here I believe in free availability of all drugs without exception but tobacco I think it's different.I never talk to anyone who says I smoke I enjoy and I'll smoke until I die.

Everyone I talk to says "yes I know I need to quit" or "yeah I'm trying to cut down". It just seems easier for people to keep smoking than quit. Tobacco is just the most pointless drug I can imagine. People get addicted to it and it certainly isn't a good thing. It's not even an enjoyable drug. Have you ever heard anyone say "Hey I went and bought a pack of ciggies last night and got so wasted" or "We need to go out and party with some cigs".

It just isn't an enjoyable drug, there's no discernible high and in my experience (even though I don't smoke anymore) all I got from it is a slight feeling of queasiness. Although with a pint a cigarette can be mildly enjoyable but nothing to write home about.

Now if they did ban cigarettes can you imagine anyone going to a rough council estate to buy a packet of cigarettes? Having worries about your supply or getting caught just for a pack of fags? I don't think so. I honestly think that prohibition of cigarettes would be the only form of prohibition that would work. If all drugs were legal and cigarettes illegal I really can't see such a benign drug forming a whole black market.

Cigarettes are a horrible drug it causes nothing but addiction and disease.

I know if cigarettes were banned I couldn't give two shits could you?

[trippster]

I don't think tobacco should be banned...Solely because I think everyone should have the legal right to pollute their body with anything.

That being said.. I love cuban cigars... I'll enjoy them until the day I die. I don't smoke them all that often, but enjoy them none the less. Cigarettes I believe, fit into a different category...But still, I think freedom of choice should be present in all things whether it's a good or bad choice - people should be able to go and buy a pack of smokes as that is their choice.

[cannabis-sam]

actually I agree cigars I can see the point in you don't inhale them it's more of a taste thing.

[Alfa]

I seriously think there would be a revolt, if they banned tobacco overnight.

[porchy]

Originally Posted by Alfa

I seriously think there would be a revolt, if they banned tobacco overnight.

Damn right there would, and I would most likely be at the front.

there's nothing better than lighting up a cigarette after a big meal

Oh yes there's nothing better!

I don't think that tobacco is good, or disagree that there should be some sort of action against it, but I'm an addict, and am going to battle for the drug I'm addicted too. That right there is the problem with banning tobacco. (Plainly obvious I know though)

[chillinwill]

The main problem I am with them banning tobacco is that IMO, they shouldn't have to ban anything. We all should have the right to put what we want into our bodies. Now we might choose to put something in our bodies that kills us that day but that is our personal choice and freedom.

[Coconut]

Originally Posted by chillinwill

The main problem I am with them banning tobacco is that IMO, they shouldn't have to ban anything. We all should have the right to put what we want into our bodies. Now we might choose to put something in our bodies that kills us that day but that is our personal choice and freedom.

I agree.

I think tobacco is one of the most disgusting substances imaginable. The smell, the taste, the look of someone puffing on a cigarette. It literally makes me want to get sick, and I would much rather play with my own shit in a toilet bowl than have to be anywhere near tobacco smoke, but it should not be banned.

The only thing I don't think people should have the freedom to do is smoke where others have to inhale it, including children. However, at the same time, the state shouldn't have to ban this, everyone else should hassle and throw solid objects at the culprit until they put it out or fuck off.

(I sincerely believe that's how it should be done.)

Reputation Comments on this post:

Brilliant argument and everyone would benefit

[lightning_po]

Originally Posted by Alfa

I seriously think there would be a revolt, if they banned tobacco overnight.

I would be in that revolt. Seriously.

YOU CANT SPELL SMOKING WITHOUT KING!

[Disconnected]

I'm a smoker of all kinds of tobacco. I don't fully enjoy every individual cigarette I smoke, but there's nothing better than lighting up a cigarette after a big meal, or right after I wake up in the morning, or right after a long day of work.

In other words, I'd care if they banned tobacco

I know it doesn't provide the types of effects that other drugs cause to any effect. I know it's bad for me, and I know that I might not even smoke tobacco for the rest of my life. But I truly enjoy it. And I know there are others out there who do to.

But ultimately, like trippster said, it's not a question of effects and health, it's a question of personal freedom, and regardless of how harmful a chemical is to your health, we should all have the choice to put those harmful chemicals into our bodies.

[Purest]

Personally I love smoking. Used to hate it so much when I was younger, but now when I go for cigarettes its because I actually really enjoy them.

If it was made illegal overnight I wouldn't be very happy, I'd have more money but that'd only be a marginal focus of mine.

Oooh and I can think of more people that'd care if tobacco became illegal, tobacco companies, the government for losing billions a year in sin taxes, and anyone that benefits from the sin taxes (NHS in britain, no idea where it also goes but I know they don't give it all away)

[yaba]

I was smoking 40+ a day stopped nearly 8 months ago after 16 years of smoking.
It was a very hard thing to give up took 7 serious attempts over a 2 year period.

Don't think they could ban it, but the smoking ban has helped me to stop.
And its a pointless drug !!! (in my opinion)

[Junket]

Ya, smoking after a meal is great..

but I find myself that for everyone enjoyable cig i smoke, there is one that I'm like ..fuck why am i doing this??

its pretty lame.

i should probably stop..

maybe ill start today.

i think ALOT of people would care to answer your question though. people fiend for that shit

[chillinwill]

To be quite honest, I am still addicted to smoking and only have a couple a day and actually despise the taste and smell of cigarettes. The only time I find the tobacco really enjoyable is when I am drinking. And then like Junket said, I tell myself "Why the fuck am I still doing this when I don't even find it enjoyable?"

[Mammon]

If we accept that some substances should be banned (I don't) then tobacco would be one of the ones I really wouldn't care too much about (except for the first 48 hours). I've been a smoker for over 10 years and love it when I'm drunk. When I'm not, I often finish it and think, "What the fuck was the point in that?" As far as I can tell the only joy in smoking is in the fact that the craving for a fag is goes away for a bit.

So, if you're going to get rid of something get rid of fags, and chuck in poppers while you're at it.

[Herbal Healer 019]

I wouldnt care if tobacco was outright prohibited just because it has no psychoactive effect other than that of oxygen deprivation from the carbon monoxide & other deadly gaseous chemicals in the smoke & probably a minute effect from the nicotine, but I dont think it would be productive or effective considering the success of prohibition thus far.

Also I see no reason why it remains legal considering we're in the midst of a drug war that's supposedly about "public safety" & the widely known fact that tobacco kills more people than any other illegal drug & harms non-smokers because of its social acceptance in public places.

I think the best approach is to prohibit smoking in public places globally. Being a non-smoker surrounded by avid tobacco smoking friends, it sucks. I hate the fact that I have to avoid going to certain public events and social gatherings simply because people insist on putting those who dont smoke's health at risk by smoking indoors. I'm actually amazed that public smoking is tolerated considering the sobering facts about tobacco's dangers, especially when your's and your kid's health is jeapordized by simply going out to eat these days regardless of smoking & non-smoking sections.

[hookahsmokinrabbit]

I have very firm views on what should be legal and what shouldn't, which I won't go into here. As for tobacco i would like to see it banned... at least in most forms. I'd ban readymade cigarettes first, so people have to make an effort to get their ten second nicotine rush.

Cigarette papers will be next to go, just to frustrate those poor little addicts, eventually putting them out of their misery by banning loose tobacco. Cigars would stay legal.

And yes... I do know what it's like to be a nicotine addict, and i'd pay good money to see that deadly herb placed out of my greedy, self-destructive grasp for good. People are talking about freedom of choice, but ADDICTION IS NOT FREEDOM.

[chillinwill]

Originally Posted by hookahsmokinrabbit

but ADDICTION IS NOT FREEDOM.

Well addiction may not be freedom; however, what about the other people on methadone and whatnot? They are still addicted to a substance and some people feel free from their prior addiction. What about caffeine such as coffee? Is that not being addicted to something if a person needs to have a cup of coffee every morning in order to function

[PsychoActivist]

In one sense I would be kinda pissed off as I am a smoker but on the other hand it would probably give me the final reason I need to quit and after I quit I would most likely be very grateful for it.

[hookahsmokinrabbit]

Addiction to caffeine or methadone are still addictions, and I readily admit to being a caffeine addict, and no, this addiction is not freedom. But at least caffeine is a useful drug that is pretty harmless in reasonable amounts, and methadone is also useful, I believe, as a kind of 'lesser of two evils', although I am no expert on this. Tobacco however, is not useful, being harmful, overpriced and smelly. So addiction is only one of my many gripes with that deadly plant.

[Sven99]

Were they to ban tobacco I would be appalled. It would amount to ceasing a highly successful public health approach and replacing it with a demonstrably failed criminal justice approach - and putting another dangerous and addictive drug in the hands of criminals.

To hell with freedom of choice. Many drugs are illegal yet still freely available to me. Were I a smoker in a tobacco free country i'd most definitely carry on buying it from street dealers, and many others would too. It'd be an utter failure.

On the other hand, it might do the good old US of A's drug policy some good to experience being a 'producer nation' instead of just a consumer.

[klonopinz]

Well, yeah, Swim would care. He's not habituated to them thankfully (anymore), but he does enjoy a cig or a couple of 'em on the weekends, and in combination with some other drugs (specially alcohol, meth, coke, etc..), and a drag or 2 are great to control hunger heh It would suck to have start looking around for a tobacco hookup... Swim does know California inmates do think it sucks... but that's not a good sample population anyway.

[Uncle Ramrod]

SWIM has been waiting for this moment - going public as a self-satisfied ex-smoker! Oh the deep joy... He quit about 8 months ago after being a heavy smoker (rollies, fags, weed and cigars) once you get used to rolling tiny pure weed spliffs its fine...

Get the patches if you want to quit... They're available on prescription for £5 here for as many as you ask your doctor for - they really work. However, the first time SWIM tried he found the recommended 'scaling-down' of the nicotine dosage was to quick and SWIM started smoking again.

Speak to your doctor get the patches but come off them at a rate that you feel comfortable with. Believe SWIM unless you are on 60-a-day the high strength patches will provide enough nicotine to cause constant low-level nausea which sounds crap but seriously discourages you from smoking as you constantly feel like you've just smoked two or three in a row.

Right enough of that - on the banning issue: no way! Smoking is a problem for many people, but it is also a pleasure to many others. The reasons why people smoke are complex and varied. To point at it and call it filthy/wrong/disusting/pointless/idiotic is misunderstanding the cultural and social potency that smoking has and what it represents.

Smoking has been around for thousands of years in a myriad of different cultures for its mystical qualities. The way smoke acts and behaves is eminently satisfying to observe. Fire (and our mastery of it) is key to our success as a species and smoking represents the promethian concept of man as a master of fire.

People love fire and want to possess it - always have (and in my view always will) the problem with banning tobacco is that people will just roll something else up and smoke it... because of the inalienable fact:

...smoking is cool...

(And as everyone knows if you ban something it immediately becomes 10x cooler)

[pinksox]

I would be pissed if "they" banned" all use of tobacco because it would be yet another tromp of American personal freedoms. It's already bad enough they tax the hell out of these products. They need to start taxing other things instead of just raising taxes of ETOH and tobacco products. Like SUV's that contribute to global pollution and waste large amounts of petrol products and other "luxury products."

Outlawing tobacco would also set the stage for the elimination of ETOH right on it tail. And the 0420's might as well give up their plight right there as well.

[Uncle Ramrod]

Hi - not familiar with the terminology... Know who 'they' are (the bastards) but who or what is ETOH and the 0420's?

Apologies for the ignorance...

metrorat added 2 Minutes and 0 Seconds later...

Is it Extra Terrestrials On Holiday?

[pinksox]

who or what is ETOH and the 0420's?

ETOH-(ethyl alcohol) is the abbreviation for the type of alcohol one drinks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETOH

0420 or 420 is connected to pot usage/legalization.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Senate_Bill_420