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HunterCA -> RE: Two more pointless deaths in the War on Drugs (5/1/2015 7:07:56 PM)
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ORIGINAL: slvemike4u
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ORIGINAL: MasterJaguar01
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ORIGINAL: Sanity
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ORIGINAL: MasterJaguar01
If no "leftist" or (anyone else for that matter) wants to criminalize tobacco, but leftists want to legalize and tax marijuana, I don't see the hypocrisy?
Smokers cost money. Healthcare dollars. They are a burden to their employers. They are are a burden to local governments. They cause health hazards for the rest of us. If you want to smoke (tobacco, marijuana, or any other herb) go ahead. Just pay for the burden you cause.
Similarly, I pay a huge tax when I drink alcohol at a bar, or when I purchase it at the store. I know that, what I am buying puts a burden on my city and state in enforcing laws to keep it away from children, violent people, and people already intoxicated.
I WANT alcohol, tobacco, marijuana OUT of the hands of children, and irresponsible adults, and I don't mind paying a tax to support that.
No, much of that is myth. Cigarettes do not cause enough of an additional burdens to justify current efforts to raise taxes on it so high that it is effectively another round of prohibition
Studies have even shown that its cheaper to bury a smoker at a relatively younger age than to keep doctoring nonsmokers warehoused in nursing homes until they are 110 or whatever
I addressed that here and in this thread from 2009
First of all, I did not comment on the amount of the tax VS the burden. (So, I am not sure what you are saying is myth.) Secondly, I am not sure how any study come to that blanket conclusion, since:
1) The taxes on cigarettes vary wildly from state to state. (I believe my own state of Washington is the highest or near highest in the country).
2) The quality of healthcare varies from state to state (I believe my own state of Washington is near the highest in the country :))
3) The COST of healthcare varies wildly from state to state (as does the insurance market)
4) The payer MIX of the population varies wildly from state to state (privately insure, uninsured, medicaid, medicare, etc.)
5) Patient engagement varies wildly from state to state
If your point is that the taxes are too high, to simply recover lost funds caused by smokers, but rather designed to discourage smoking, I will concede in some states (like my own), that may be the case. I don't know the facts. (Which is precisely why I did not comment on the AMOUNT of the taxes. (and therefore espoused no "myth")).
I think his point is that it's the nanny state( a pet peeve of his )trying to discourage smoking....and he objects(I'm assuming he or someone he loves is a smoker)to paying that cost.
I disagree,I do think it's government trying to discourage smoking and I applaud their efforts in doing so.....I'm a life long smoker currently trying to purge this disgusting habit.
I quit smoking after 16 years. It's tough. In fact I had an aunt who was a junky that said quoting smoking was harder than quitting heroin. For what it's worth, I found you had to quit two things. The mocking habit and the smoking addition. The habit was hardiest. Having a smoke with a beer was such a habit. I had to learn how to drink beer all over again. I used patches while I kicked the habit. Then I went cold turkey on the addiction.
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