On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:55:22 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

T i m wrote:
On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:59:40 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

SNIP
As always, we all lose out
because of the ignorant or arrogant actions of a minority.

Nail, hit, head.

;-)

SNIP

Whilst I agree any tax gained by the government from smokers can be
used to treat them, I personally would rather pay the shortfall in my
taxes and not have (had) to endure the outfall of other people habits
on such a regular and often confrontational basis. [1]

Another common myth used by FASF's. The revenue gained by the Guvmint on
tobacco producst amounts to £12 billion a year. The NHS's figures on the
costs of 'smoking related disease's ( a broad & flexible term) is £1.5
billion.

No, sorry Dave, *I* was saying that if (say) there were no taxes
raised from tobacco (because it was banned etc) I would be happy to
pay (my share) of the loss of tax revenue just for the privilege of
not having to breathe / smell other peoples smoke. Or I would_have
because I had to moderate my (our) social life so much as a means of
avoiding such situations. We only have the open public places (like
pavement doorways) to really contend with now.

As a sort of an aside ... along with smoking comes other smoking
relates issues (and I'm not suggesting all smokers do the following
etc ..)

Fires (accidental) and arson (eg, I can't start a fire when I'm out
and about because I don't carry matches or a lighter).

Litter, not only the butts but the boxes and other packaging etc.

Accidents, burning (not fire) yourself or others, or their clothes /
carpets / furniture etc. I have had a lit butt flicked at me
(accidentally quite probably) from a car while I've been on my
motorbike.

Torture, I can't burn someone on purpose because I neither carry
cigarettes nor the means to light them (and it does happen, even to
babies etc).

Cost, I saw some old dear on TV News a while back on an article about
energy costs complaining that she couldn't have more that one electric
bar on. On the fireplace must have been 40 quid's worth of cigarettes?

Contamination, the amount of kit I have dealt with over the years that
either stinks or has a layer of yellow sticky slime in / on it. I can
tell instantly if something I have bought from eBay etc has come from
a smoking home when I unpack it [1]. Our lounge ceiling hasn't been
painted for ~25 years and it's still arctic white as no one has *ever*
smoked in here. I would never buy a second hand car from a smoker.

(Back on the original topic g) I would pay extra taxes to have armed
wardens patrolling the streets with a shoot_on_sight policy [2] where
if they see anyone committing vandalism (kicking wing mirrors off cars
etc). Strict but fair.

I wasn't saying what you think a FASF might say. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

[1] I have never ever suspected they did heroin, drove a diesel, drunk
heavily, liked spicy food, played loud music, used pine air fresheners
nor had body odor.

[2] And they can be on commission ...

p.s. I predicted the banning of smoking in public places 20 years ago
and despite what some people have said here, it's not just 'our' nanny
state that's done it ..