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Like to smoke? Rethink that holiday in Finland
Finland is attempting to become a smoke-free country. A new law will ban the display of tobacco products in shops by spring and ban smoking in cars if you have a minor in your vehicle.The Finnish government has made it plain that these are only the first steps to get rid of tobacco "once and for all," according to State Secretary Ilkka Oksala.
Oksala says "we are not afraid" of the tobacco industry, and considering that there really isn't a tobacco industry in Finland (it's not exactly the best place to grow it) they might be able to win this fight.
But will they really be able to phase out tobacco entirely? I bet other highly addictive substances that are already illegal in Finland, such as heroin and cocaine, can still be found.
Europe has been shifting towards an anti-smoking culture for some time now, driven by the need to reduce costs to national health care systems. The UK already has a smoking ban in public buildings such as restaurants and pubs, and Spain will follow suit this year. Even Amsterdam's coffee shops have separate spaces if you want to mix tobacco with your hash. Finland's total ban is only the most extreme example of a continental trend.
Reader Comments (Page 9 of 9)
mike Jan 15th 2010 3:16PM
i dont smoke never have, but the paranoia about tobacco smoke is just nuts, i grew up in the 1950S as did all my friends, then all our parents smoked they smoked everywhere and yes my gowd even in the car windows rolled up in the winter with us kids in the cars, did it bother us? i dont remember it bothering me ,its the way it was, i dont have lung diease heart diease no ill effects, dont know a friend who was abused so horribly that does either, gees while no one will say its good for you, chill out you paranoid my child might get sick parents relax,,
Charles Jan 15th 2010 4:48PM
Purnell Meagre: I see you are one of the Obama suckholes! Anyone who dares question the path we are being led down is a right winger.Thank God our forefathers werent like you,we would still be flying the Union Jack! Quit being a Lemming Charles
Ron B. Jan 15th 2010 5:47PM
Rae D makes my point! Typical Liberal/leftist elitist mentality.
Only anti-smokers have rights. The rest of us "Untermanchen" are
not allowed to have any voice about anything. "Shut up! Do what we tell you or else"! You say you have a right to clean air. Rights are inheirent,natural and bestowed by the Creator.(according to the Declaration of Independence).Are you an athiest?
You don't believe in a Creator? Then why the existance of a universe? But,yet, you say you have a right to clean air.If so,God
would not have given us dust storms,tornados,huricanes,volcanos,
CO2,CO1,methane,natural gas,butane,ozone,sulphur dioxide,want me to keep going? Sorry Rae D., But you don't have a right to clean air.What about the free floating germs you inhale?
It would be an UGLY world.Only one gas allowed (take your pick).
There would be no breeze,no wind (dust,remember?) the earth wouldn't rotate (causes the air to circulate!) no sun(it heats air
causes air movement) no water currents(causes air movement)no sun
no heat,oceans would freeze solid. I don't like your world Rae.But
you would have your clean air.It would be frozen solid too,at absolute zero.Breathe deeply,please!
Worse than the anti-smoking laws that you guys get passed.Is all
the fun and joy you take out of life. Elitist liberals run around farting in everyones punch bowl and then wonder why nobody wants to drink it.Liberals are dour,kveching,nit-pickers that want
everyone to be as misserable as they are.
In 1975 I was in Texas.After the bar closed,a bunch of us,naturally went to the nearest Denny's for breakfast. In those days is was just simple separation.Smokers over here,Non-smokers
over there. So we smokers ate our breakfast,drank our coffee and
smoked our cigarretts.Laughing,carrying on and having a good time.
Two cute girls come over from the non-smoking side and asked if they could sit with us. I looked at them and said " But this is the smoking area.You sure you want to be with us?" They said "Yes,
those guys over there are a bunch of dead heads. You guys are having all the fun. We want to be with you.
Nimnicht Jan 15th 2010 10:28PM
If any of you are guessing that I think people should smoke with small children in the car, you're wrong. Children like non smoking adults should be respected enough to
not subject them to second hand smoke. But let the smoker take that step, as they should, not the government.
If we started losing personal freedoms in the 70s, it's only because we became a "me" nation. There have been adultery laws on the books, but no one goes to jail for cheating, even though mental and financial, and sometimes physical injury is caused. There have been laws for every faucet of wrong doing since the beginning of time, but excuses have gotten so great, that, we found it easier "not" to police ourselves and allowed the government to step in.
If you write a bad check for over fifty dollars, it's a felony. Our congresspersons have written bad checks, stolen funds, all amounting to thousands, and they are still in office.
Do you really think a greedy, immoral person should judge what you do? Or your right to make stupid decisions? (smoking is stupid, and begins an addiction)
If you're looking out for the safety of innocents, more power to you. But I don't believe the government, (not just the president) has my best interest at heart.
If I beat a child, I deserve for someone to step in and stop me. If I discipline my child, not abuse, but you disagree with my method, then I don't feel that disagreement gives you the right to interfere.
Tell a parent over and over how they are possibly harming a child by second hand smoke, but don't ask the government to do your talking.
Shun them, ridicule them, get your message across! But don't let the government do your talking.
Expect people to behave properly. Encourage them to behave properly. And above all, set an example of behaving properly in all aspects of your life, then maybe, most likely, others will follow your lead without government interference.
Thom Jan 15th 2010 10:35PM
To Pete: First, get a life! Then join the real world. Read, study, experience life outside whatever bubble you've been living in, M-A-T-U-R-E. Then come back and talk to me.
To Steve: Thanks for clarifing to all of those who failed to pay attention in high school that our still great country is both a Democracy and a Republic. We should all pay attention to our Declaration of Independence and follow it's advice.
To all others: To clarify the situation; there were three adults only in the car. Myself, my wife and my disabled adult son (31 years old). We pulled off a public street, Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio, into one of the many hospitals and clinics of the Cleveland Clinic Complex in East Cleveland. All three adults in the car were and still are smokers, I happened to be the only one at the time with a lit cigarette. After pulling off the street I drove no more than three car lengths up to the curb at the ER door to let my son out and was immediately approached by the policeman as I had not yet put out my cigarette. At that time I was commanded to put out my cigarette. He was not polite, neither was he surly nor obnoxious. Nor was he the image of a public servant. His attitude and his demeanor was uncalled for and not appreciated in the least. With dope being sold within 100 feet of where he was standing at my car door, I believe his attentions should have been elsewhere. Any of you may be willing to have our government, from the President to the trashmen and dog catchers, micro-manage your lives, but I'm having none of it. I refuse to be a liberal-minded, politically correct, robotron. I intend to continue to use my brain to decide my own stand on issues and to speak my peace on any given subject.. The Finns can go ahead and let their government control their lives in their daily mineutia, right down to whether their toilet paper comes over the top or from the underside.
Nimnicht Jan 15th 2010 10:47PM
More power to you! You were, indeed, wronged and no one......no one should have to tolerate that! Not for any reason!
wunkman Apr 26th 2010 3:00AM
There is an insect killing garden product called Black Flag. The poison it uses to kill bugs is Nicotine. Go ahead smokers; give the kids a little dose of Nicotine. And don't forget to add some tar. Most kids aren't getting enough tar in their diets. It is extremely difficult for nonsmokers to imagine the mentality of smokers, who are only Nicotine drug addicts. Recognize yourselves for what you are! Not "smokers", but "drug addicts" hooked for life, and defending it to the death. You can't imagine how stupid you look to sane people.