Smokers in Italy Take Last Puffs

NewsMax ^ | 1/10/05 | AP

[Mears]

I got the smoking part but I am not computer literate,although others here certainly are.

I don't understand electricity or how a car runs either.

I am a dinosaur!!!!!!

[Nataku X]

In a socialist health care system, the only way that the government can "afford" it is to reduce costs. And how to reduce cost? Control everyone's lives, of course. First, it'll be banning smoking... then, it'll be banning McDonald's... then, it'll be going to a government health center everyday and logging 5 miles on that treadmill to avoid a fine of $10,000...

[Drango]

just like we've already had to do, for example, in trains and planes,

I still remember the days if i wanted to fly I had to suck up the addiction of smokers. No more.

[an italian]

it's a sad day for us in italy today... :-(

we can't smoke!! it seems to be... in america!!! hehe...

god bless you guys...

[SheLion]

I cannot even imagine what it must be like in Northern Maine in the winter----You are hardy folks up there.

Winters are long and hard. Most of the time. Not yet this year. We were lucky to have a white Christmas. We still don't have the snow on the ground right now that we normally do. Not sure what is going on with the weather pattern around the world.

But if one is not careful, cabin fever can set in. :)

But time flies, as you know, and pretty soon, we will be looking at spring again come the end of May. :)

[RandallFlagg]

The outdoors, private homes, and restaurants and bars with ventilated smoking rooms are the only places spared from the anti-smoking law.
Until they say that it's not good enough. Which they always do.

[RandallFlagg]

I wouldn't be a bit suprised if there was some connection between this and some American antismoker group.

[wagglebee]

In a socialist health care system, the only way that the government can "afford" it is to reduce costs. And how to reduce cost? Control everyone's lives, of course. First, it'll be banning smoking... then, it'll be banning McDonald's...

However, there is a MAJOR flaw in this thinking. In the long run, healthy people cost MORE money. If a smoker develops lung cancer or emphysema, his life expectancy is generally greatly reduced and the cost of medical care before his death is not that great (all things considered). An obese person who eats fast food every day may drop dead of a massive heart attack at 50 years old, but that too is a cheap death. The fallacy in the lefts thinking is that they disregard the fact that everyone will die and that it gets more expensive to provide health care for people the older they become. If an otherwise healthy person develops Alzheimer's in their 80s, they will likely live about 10 more years and this medical treatment is far more expensive and lengthy than that of an unhealthy person.

[bmwcyle]

I spent time in Italy. Percentage wise they smoke than Americans.

[Charles Martel]

Civil disobedience, I love it! LOL I hope they have deep pockets, though. From what I read, those fines can really stack up quickly.

The anti-smoking police better get used to eating at home, too.

[RandallFlagg]

Yep. I know exactly where you're going with that one.

[djf]

There's a loophole to the California law... a bar or restaurant where everybody is a part-owner (therefore there are no employees) is exempted.

[exnavychick]

LOL, either that, or invest in one of those masks. :)

[RandallFlagg]

Bump