Its interesting to see the rise of obesity in the general population roughly coinciding with the fall in smoking. Seems we need to have an oral fixation of some sort... day will come, if not here already, when obese people will have the control freaks breathing down their necks, that is the control freaks this article refers too.. if they can find it amongst all the fat...
Seriously, smoking is just another form of air pollution like motor vehicle & aircraft exhaust, chimney smoke, etc... IF we are serious about stamping out smoking, then stop driving anything that contaminates the air or encouraging the use of internal combustion engines commonly found in lots of motor vehicle transport as an example.
I'm sure the amount of fumes or exhaust smoke ejected into the earth's atmosphere is far far above what smokers contribute over the face of the earth.. its just that individuals who choose to smoke are "easy to pick on".
One's right to smoke is and should be respected, just don't contaminate another s right to breathe "clean" air.

Posted by Rojama, Friday, 2 January 2015 11:47:57 AM

" ... I'm sure the amount of fumes or exhaust smoke ejected into the earth's atmosphere is far far above what smokers contribute over the face of the earth.. its just that individuals who choose to smoke are "easy to pick on". One's right to smoke is and should be respected, just don't contaminate another s right to breathe "clean" air. ... "

I seem to remember facts from the morgue being quoted as stating that the lungs of a dead packet per day country smoker look better than the lungs of a non-smoker who lives in a high air pollution city.

Perhaps someone can clarify that.

Yuyutsu,

I put your logic akin to the "stolen generation".

That being people who think they have the right to do "whatever they want" and 'take away' or 'steal' others, like the first story I mentioned.

1. A five year old girl who suffered severe smoke inhalation and brain damage and at 18 years of age, is severely retarded, uses a wheelchair, and is in an institution; - and in another case:

2. A 24 year old male, was killed in a road matter, after a man aged over 90 (with serious visual impairment) hit the 24 year old in the car incident.

In relation to the first incident, the five year old girl was "stolen" in the context that her mother will not be able to see her in the same light compared to if (her daughter) had grown up without the medical conditions in question - and also in regard to the fact her daughter is in an institution, with her daughter having restricted access to the free world - and:

In relation to the second incident the 24 year old male has been killed and has, had his life "stolen" (and taken away due to death) and "stolen" in the context that his family will never be able to see him again, that being now or into the future.

So those who think they have the right to "do whatever they want" - all people, (but more to those may be likely to put others at risk of harm) - need to sit down calmly and have a good look at themselves.

As one lawyer put it on television today - lawyers are becoming more controlling in our society - and I believe it is up to our society to manage society better ourselves, as best as we can - not the legal system or courts.

Dear Nathan,

My original statement to which you referred was: "Anyone should be able to do whatever they like, including poison themselves, unless by doing so they hurt others."

Where has the second half of it disappeared in your last post?

Yuyutsu,

"Anyone should be able to do whatever they like, including poison themselves, unless by doing so they hurt others."

The problem with your argument, is the use of the word "unless" and this is a factor that with regard to smoking in principle cannot be guaranteed - in terms of impacts on others.

The word unless is used to "introduce a case in which a statement being made is not true or valid."

So let's say one of my family members was to die from smoking related illness - I am supposed to not be "hurt" by that person's actions?

Smoking is not a two way street - it hurts others - and there is no "unless" about it.

Dear Nathan,

<<Smoking is not a two way street - it hurts others - and there is no "unless" about it.>>

Very true, and so I wrote.

(unless smokers find a way to produce zero emissions so that no one outside their circle is hurt)