This is a trend that really bothers me. In NY cigs cost 10 a pack. In CA they will nearly cost as much. According to statistics and interviews this works. It leads to HUGE masses of people quitting. States are looking at this as a win/win. They can up the taxes on cigs with ZERO opposition. In CA, famous for an unmovable anti-tax conservative road block the taxes on cigs are going up. Apparently the anti-tax forces see this as A-OK.
I hate to be all gloom & doom but I predict they will win. Eventually all states will raise taxes on cigs to crazy/stupid levels and we'll all be VERY VERY lucky if we see ONE sighting a month.
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Another annoyance...calling all heart disease smoking related, whether the person smoked or not. The looping of heart disease into a "smoking related disease" has exploded the statistics and given the anti's a nuclear asenal for which to combat it.
I was already annoyed by "smoking related disease" for its INCREDIBLY shotty science. Believe it or not, a woman who dies of emphaseema at 90 is counted as dieing due to a "smoking related disease". Yeah cause we'd all live forever if not for the evils of smoking *rolls eyes*
A few years ago a major study found that smoking increases your risks of lung cancer and other disease by 40%. The media didn't quote the study...they quoted the anti groups touting the study. The headlines "Smokers 40% chance to die of disease"...WRONG WRONG WRONG...the study said 40% INCREASED chance. It's increased from the control group which didnt smoke and had a 0.37%...ugh!
I feel like real science and real facts have been distorted to the point of utter insanity and no one will stand up against it...yes, smoking is bad for you, yes it does cause cancer and other diseases but NOT at the ridiculous levels that are being reported.
Sorry to rant here but these things just bother me sooooo much and I'm totally powerless to do anything but rant.
Anyone else feel the same?
