Today's Controversy

[Jeff]

I don't drink or smoke anymore, but reading this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070912/od_nm/china_health_smoking_odd_dc_1;_ylt=At14RsIyOVsuyrlgYNOa5aUE1vAI

Kinda perplexed me...

The thing that gets me is that you don't see pictures of car crashes, trashed livers, prisoners, etc on the side of a beer can, but by God this smoking thing has gotta end.

A quick glance at the world health organization stats show:

Worldwide alcohol causes 1.8 million deaths (3.2% of total) and 58.3 million (4% of total) of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs).

http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/alcohol/en/index.html

Worldwide, it is estimated that tobacco causes about 8.8% of deaths (4.9 million) and 4.1% of DALYs (59.1 million).

http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/tobacco/en/index.html

So, while tobacco kills more, Alcohol causes almost the exact same amount of disability.  But is anything done to publicize the danger in every can or bottle?  Nope. 

A smoker has a pretty good chance of killing him/herself whereas a drunk has a pretty good chance of killing those he/she mows down...

Discuss.

[spyderchick]

Oh, geez, I don't even have the time to get started on this.

Drunk driving is bad. Smoking is bad. Be an adult and take some personal responsibility.

And then they want to lower the drinking age back to 18.

Yeah. Do not get me started.

Y'all go for it.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

To be very upfront about my personal situation - I'm 37 and I NEVER even started drinking alcohol, smoked, got high, or done any drugs (I've had medication of course). My father smoked for many, many, years and is pretty much a life long alcoholic (though he's not a mean person when he drinks), my Mother smoked briefly when she was in her 20's and rarely ever has a drink of alcohol (once or twice a year), and my stepdad is a life long smoker and light social drinker on rare occasions.

My attitude about smoking or drinking is more power to them, as long as MY health, insurance costs, or taxes are not effected by those habits of other people - but that's not how it is. I personally end up paying for smokers and excessive drinkers hospital bills due to how insurance works in the 1st place, simply said the majority pay for the minority. I also have an issue with someone elses CHOICE to do something that ends up personally effecting MY health, for example me being forced to breath 2nd hand smoke at a public restraunt or an intoxicated driver crashing into me when I don't even drink alcohol myself. I have only had 1 auto insurance claim and it was from my vehicle being legally parked on private property and an alcoholic getting in a horrific accident and 1 of the vehicles involved coming onto the property and striking my truck - ironically that drunk died 6 months later from alcohol related health failure (nothing related to that accident). I grew up with smokers, so I know what it's like to have a sore throat constantly from breathing the 2nd hand smoke and even having a slight smokers cough for a period of my life from it as well, yet I don't smoke. One person smoking in a restraunt can force their choice of a habit on the entire restraunts patrons, an individual smoking a cigar at the local Outback restraunt last night had the entire place smelling it, I walked to the other side of the building where the restrooms were and the smell was still very strong across the restraunt from where he was. So 1 person's 'choice' to smoke wasn't a 'choice' for the 60 other people in the restraunt, how self-centered. In High School I lost a freind due to drunk driving, he wasn't even the driver of the vehicle he was in that struck a telephone pole while driving from one party to another.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for people being able to make choices for themself, Hell we all race by are own choice. But when a choice effects ME negatively, and I'm not even a participant, than I do have an issue with it. I know ALOT of people who smoke, get high, and/or drive while intoxicated or drink excessively (some are even cops!). I certainly don't feel sorry for an alcoholic who's experiencing Liver failure or a smoker with lung cancer - IT WAS THEIR CHOICE to head in that direction and they reached the destination effectively. I'm overweight, if I die from a health issue related to that then it's my own damn fault, but at least my choice to be overweight isn't effecting anyone else - irresponsible drinking and/or smoking does effect other people.

If someone wants to drink then don't frikken drive, if they want to smoke then do it somewhere that the smoke isn't forced onto other people - it's just simple respect for other people.  

[Super Dave]

Worldwide, it is estimated that

Well, those kinds of things, estimates, kind of piss me off.

If it's so bad.  Ban it all rather than tax it.  If they aren't going to ban it, then it's freedom of choice. 

Flame away...  :)

[weggieman]

OK, I had to make another drink before I got started on this..............

How many of you racers are out there with no medical/disability insurance??  How many have no or not enough auto/cycle insurance? And how many have wives and kids that are left to fend for themselves after you splatter yourself over the track or highway?

Maybe the numbers aren't close but personal responsibility is the same.

I smoked for 14 years, quit cold turkey one day when I thought about it and decide it was really stupid. I've been drinking since I was 16. in bars, rarely got carded and when I did I had a great phony ID.

My smoking and drinking has never cost anyone other than me a dime. Except of course those kind souls that thought I was a good enough guy to buy me a drink........

As the old drill seargent used to say......."smoke 'em if you got 'em".

Everyone pays the penalty for other people's bad habits, dangerous hobbies and stupidity..........get over it, it ain't going away.

[Super Dave]

I'm nominating Gordy as my Libertarian nominee for president.   

[weggieman]

Woohoo..........that's two votes!!!