Posted on 08/31/2002 10:53:12 AM PDT by Bella_Bru
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:40:51 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Sacramento -- A measure touted as one of the best ways to reduce smoking among young people -- raising the legal smoking age -- is expected to fail in the state Legislature this week.
By most accounts, it isn't big tobacco money or partisan politics that threatens a bill that would make California the first state in the nation to raise the smoking age to 21.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Boy oh boy! What would they have done if no one ever smoked in that state. Where would they get their money then!
Assembly Democrats have proposed a $3-per-pack cigarette tax to cover some of the state's deficit. Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson, a smoker, said one of the goals of the tax is to save lives.
Ahhhhh is no one smoked, everyone would live. How sweet it is!
The California Medical Association sponsored the bill because members believe 18 is a critical age.
Critical age for the military and protecting America! You bet!
The Legislature did send the governor a bill that would prohibit the sale of cigarettes over the Internet without age verification, in an effort to curb underage smoking.
For crying out loud! Parents already have a child safety button on the Internet to keep their kids off of sites. They need a bill for this?! Hes nuts!
This all started back in March:
You got it, Max!
Any teen who spends $100 on designer jeans or Niki's isn't going to bulk about buying a "pack" of cigarettes. It's the adults who buy CARTONS that the taxes hurt really bad.
Is it just me, or is anyone else just a bit tired of this war on the smoker? How about the lawmakers starting a war on teens and drugs; teens and birth control; teens and alcohol. I think they have bigger fish to fry then just someone smoking a damn cigarette!
And they get it both ways again.
First it IS about health, with the smoking ban.
Now it's NOT about health, it's a tax issue.
Have your cake and eat it too.
And no one notices OR calls them on it.
Have your cake and eat it too. And no one notices OR calls them on it.
Correct! They toot their horn that this is a HEALTH issue. They want to protect PEOPLE'S HEALTH.
NOW! Since they can't balance their stupid budget, what do they do? TURN TO THE SMOKERS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO ALIENATE! Go figure!
HAHAHSAHA...... didn't we know it.
Of course no youngsters are using illegal drug..... are they.?
And what does the smoker do? Take pity on them and say "OH that's ok!" Well, IT'S NOT OK! We, the smokers are fed UP with being chit on, time and time again!
We are tired of the health coalitions raping the smokers with the taxes we pay on the Tobacco Settlement money, just so these coalitions can put on TV stupid anti-tobacco ads, with big fat teenagers! They need to trim the beef off of these kids before they put them on TV!
And we are FED UP with these coalitions going into city after city taking away the rights of the business owner. Once they get smoking banned in every corner of a city, they move on to the NEXT CITY. They spew inaccurate, deceitful and dishonest lies about second hand smoke killing everyone. THEY LIE! If people in here would take time to read the links we provide about second hand smoke and do some research, people wouldn't be so quick to believe the nazi words coming out of the coalitions, MAYORS, GOVERNORS, DEMOCRUMS AND RINO'S MOUTH.
WAKE UP FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
Teenagers are getting abortions. The health coalitions need to start more education in BIRTH CONTROL.
Teenagers go to RAVE parties and take ESTACY! (I'd much rather my teen smoke for crying out loud)
Teenagers are drinking and driving and ending up in a twisted pieces of metal that used to be a car. And the teen is dead. I would much rather have my teen smoking!
I've never been a one issue person but the cigarette taxes are turning me into a person who will NOT vote for anyone who has a hand in the increases.
The thing of it is: they boldface lie to your face, then when we vote them in, they become a turncoat and become easily swayed. Im not sure what the answer is on this one. We trust them, vote them in then they stick it to us.
The government will make criminals out of everyone sooner or later.
They already made criminals out of anyone who buys cigarettes off the net.
These pious no-do-gooders want a perfect world, or rather, what they consider perfect.
The world is only perfect if it is according to them. It takes many people to make up Americans. Everyone in their own way is different. These do-gooders are trying to take that out of us, and turn us into puppets.
They want us to change our personal space so they can butt it.
These Anti-Smokers are the WORST WE HAVE IN THE U.S. You think we should worry about the TERRORIST? No way! Its the anti-smokers and what they are doing to America. I highly resent their going into private businesses and telling them how they have to RUN it. Once they succeed, the business owner never sees them again, nor does he see his customers that used to come in and smoke.
There is room for all of us in America. But the antis do not WANT all of us!
The Tobacco Settlement money (which is paid 100% by smokers who pay cigarette taxes): when this money started coming into the states, the Board of Health received much of the money, and up popped the States for a Tobacco Free Everything. With Anti's running it. As long as they receive their funding, the more destruction they will leave in their paths.
If the states will just pull their funding and put the money into health care for people on welfare who are uninsured, and maybe set up a hotline for people who WANT to quit, that would be acceptable. But the way the health anti's are spending this money is totally unacceptable. It's time to skim their fat!
Of course you are correct in this assessment. The anti-smokers only want nannies running around like chicken little hollering the sky is falling.
Well the anti-smoker little boy has cried wolf once too many times and more and more people are realizing the lies by which they stand for.
The antis need to remember to be careful about what they ask for - it can and WILL come back to haunt them.
I realize my post is full of cliches - but guess what - everyone of them describes what the antis are about.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.