So a guy standing outside Safeway with a petition for a higher tax on tobacco approaches me

He doesn't like smokers ... you don't like fat people. You both made your opinions clear. He was doing something to make his world better in a non-confrontational manner. You acted the ass.

'Bout sum it up for you?

Good for you, it is socially acceptable to be rude to smokers.

But god forbid you tell someone to put down the big mac.

I would have said the same thing. Cigarette taxes are way too damn high already.

BTW, Is this the fat bastard you're talking about or is it a different one?

Check it out:

0:17-0:33 and 1:32-1:56

Not at all! Each and every human chooses their own death; some by food choices, some by a lethargic life style, some by addictive vices, others by the type of work they choose, some by living a high-stress life. It's a choice, and the only persons' choice we should focus on is our own.

a reply to: AreUKiddingMe

Were you mean to him by saying that?
Ya that was kinda mean.

Should you have not said it?
No, you have every right to say what you think.

Probably not the most constructive conversation as I'm not sure you defended your position of High Taxes in a clear way. But then neither did he support his position either.

I suppose you could have clearly stated that if his concern was for the health of others he should lead by example and lose some weight first before he goes out telling other people about their lifestyle choices. Either way he'd probably just think of you as a jerk anyway though so I wouldn't stress on it too much.

I wonder if he ever considered that smoking is often used as an appetite suppressant??

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe

originally posted by: schuyler
"No, but I'm in favor of putting a higher tax on alcohol."

There would be riots in the street over that one. Pay no attention to the fact that alcohol is just as harmful as cigarettes health wise.

Not really the issue I was attempting to bring up. Native Americans suffer from a reputation of being alcoholics. (Yes, yes, Europeans gave them alcohol and they can't metabolize it, etc. etc.) Now OP decided it would be appropriate to call attention to this fat person assuming he ate unhealthy food at McDonalds.

This, of course, is a glaring assumption devoid of any fact. Perhaps said fat person never ate at McDonalds. Perhaps said fat person had a glandular disorder. And perhaps said fat person eats too many donuts. We don't really know, and neither did OP, but he made the assumption that said fat person was fat because he abused food and it was probably, by definition, "unhealthy" food despite the fact that a McDonalds "regular burger" has about 250 calories, hardly anything to get upset about. Of course if the guy was ordering happy Meals, then.....

Now, it was a mistake for OP to assume said fat person was fat because he ate at McDonalds the same way it would be a mistake to assume a Native American was an alcoholic. OP was trying to make a connection between fat being bad the same way smoking is bad in the same manner that someone might try to make a connection with alcoholism being bad the same way smoking is bad. But "being fat" does not equal "eating at McDonalds" any more than "being Native American" means "being an alcoholic." Op would never get away with discriminatory comments leveled against a Native American. But OP DOES get away with discriminatory comments leveled against a person he considers "fat."

He's still being needlessly judgmental.

Tired of the tax on tobacco? You know that tobacco's a plant right. Ever considered growing your own and avoiding tax, and paying for an overpriced weed that the cigarette mfg.s load up with cancer causing chemicals?

It's not rocket science....

www.tobaccoseed.ca...

Jesus Christ, take some initiative....

A little mean, he didnt know if you were a smoker and didnt insult you, you pointing out his weight was not exactly called for. Weather hes right or wrong. Though i do agree the tax on booze and cigs is already very high. Along with the tax on my pay check

a reply to: AreUKiddingMe

You probably did but hurt his feelings but sometimes honesty is hurtful. You obviously are concerned for the mans feelings and although unlikely you can apologise, I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. You showed compassion enough to create a thread out of guilt.

Your right though the reason for the high tax on cigs is due to what it costs the NHS but the cost of a country that is gaining weight rapidly and costing the NHS plenty then why not have a tax on Junk Food. We need to move society away from crap like McD's and setup a system where all food is tested and given a nutritional value attached to it, the lower the value the higher the taxation. Companies like McDonalds would lose their base customers and would change their methods to get a higher rating thus less costly and improve the nutritional value of society in general.
The cost of cigarettes now is absolutely daylight robbery, I understand why but I think we must have reached the limit of how high they will go.

Thanks for all the replies, it gave me some different perspectives and things to think about. Most of the responders said I was within my rights to tell the fat guy off, albeit it may have been hurtful and could have been not said.
A pack of Marlboros is over $8 USD a pack here already in WA state because of taxes, and again they want to tax it more. It's illegal now to smoke outside within 20 feet of a public entrance to a business or building, no smoking in bars or restaurants either. Many apartment complexes are going non-smoking, as well.
In a way I see their point. I know a lady right now, a friend, with stage 4 lung cancer. She continues to smoke, and at this point it doesn't matter. Tobacco is so addicting. I've been hooked on it for 35 years myself.
But on the other side, look at obesity and the harm it is doing. I think it kills as many if not more people than smoking does. The only thing is you don't get second-hand eating damage.
I know that everyone with a weight problem would do anything to change if they could, just like most smokers would not have picked up the first cigarette if they could go back.
I do really believe they should tax junk food and make it not available for food stamp purchases. Healthy foods if our tax money has to subsidize it.
Again, thank you for the responses and things to chew on.

hahahaha

The guy comes up to you talking about "raise taxes". You tried to say no, nicely, when you said, "its already too high". But he wanted to argue, but not so much argue, he wanted to stand his ground. Since it became about him when he said, "I want..." and not the issue, when you made a comment about him, I think you were being fair.

Either way.

originally posted by: Snarl
He was doing something to make his world better in a non-confrontational manner.

Not true. After the OP said, "they're already too high", the op made his/her point clear. Instead of the pro-tax advocate coming up with a counter argument, the best he could come up with was, "well I want them to be higher". The guy had worn out his welcome at that point. That kind of language is just asking for confrontation. Talking about, "I want them to be higher". "Man, I already told you my opinion, Idc what you want". Most people know how to take a hint. Those that don't are just annoying. You gotta get them away from you. When you're put on the spot like that, sometimes you want to say, "Idc what you want, go away", but it comes out, "stop eating cheeseburgers".

That's why I think this is funny.

increasing taxes were the ONLY reason I quit smoking.

You can balance the budget without my help.

although the party line was always "this will make people quit, and people's health is what we're truly concerned about"

I would tax cigarettes even higher...I would also tax junk food.
But, I live in Canada so sick people are usually have their tab payed by the government so it all sounds fair to me.

We all have our rights to our opinions...but I`m sorry to say, addicts are usually lying to themselves and path themselves each other in the back pathetically. Drug addicts don't want their friends that are addicted to the same drug to stop, whatever the drug their are on.

Cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol (staying legal here)...all the same.

Smokers, stop thinking your addiction is fine, it's not.
It's polluting.
It's killing you and the people around you.
It smells bad, luckily, it also lowers our sensibility of smell and taste...
Which makes you salt more then non-smokers.
It's a waste of money.
It give us shorter breath.
It makes us die earlier.
It contributes to cancer.
I could go on and on...

But yeah, it makes you look really cool! ...

Damn, I know it's hard to stop but who's in charge here?
You or your addiction?

I know it won't happen but I sincerely hope that they go up to 50$ a pack, maybe more people will wake up.
Cigarettes is a negative aspect of society and I hope we demonize it even more.

a reply to: smithjustinb

"Man, I already told you my opinion, Idc what you want". Most people know how to take a hint. Those that don't are just annoying. You gotta get them away from you. When you're put on the spot like that, sometimes you want to say, "Idc what you want, go away", but it comes out, "stop eating cheeseburgers".

Your POV is noted. I've repeatedly nodded my head in agreement.

I started smoking when cigarettes were less than two dollars a carton. I quit after the lawsuit and when the cigarette manufacturers passed the cost along to the consumer. I saw things for the way they were. My personal wake-up call so to speak.

The cigarette manufacturers have more than made up for their company's losses ... but they're still sticking it to the smoker. The only way to reset this game ... is for it to end.

-Peace

a reply to: movingmyeye

Tax tobacco more because it's harmful (with additives)

Yes, it's the aditives that are the problem. I recently switched to an organic, aditive-free brand of rolling tobacco and my morning hack that I got with 'normal' tobacco has gone, I find I need to smoke less often and roll smaller cigarettes. I should probably quit, but I am also a believer in Edgar Cayce, and he claimed that smoking had some health benefits, potection of the lungs by way of the hormesis effect of the radiation I believe, and I also read that they put the chemicals in tobacco to negate any possible health benefits from natural tobacco.
At the price it has got to though, I'm suprised more people aren't growing their own, though in places like Kentucky where it is still cheap and a lot of it additive free, it wouldn't be worth the bother.

a reply to: GaryN

I stopped smoking cigarettes because I preferred smoking other not so legal forms, so I quit smoking cigarettes after 15 years and although I smoke the not so legal everywhere YET with tobacco I am free of the actual addiction of it.
It took 1 week of will power and on the 7th day I walked into my friends house where they were all smoking and didn't crave it. That was a year ago and I've never looked back. The cost in the UK now is average £8.50 which converted to dollars is $14. To be fair though the government health service do provide patches and other forms of addiction stopping aids for free.

I think like everything in life as long as you have balance with your smoking, if your smoking 20+ a day you have a problem. I go through 5-6 daily but can stop for days as the addiction is not there.

a reply to: AreUKiddingMe

Not mean just calling it like you see it.

a reply to: mclarenmp4

I think like everything in life as long as you have balance with your smoking, if your smoking 20+ a day you have a problem. I go through 5-6 daily but can stop for days as the addiction is not there.

Yes, I go through 5 grams of rolling tobacco a day, which is equivalent to about 5 regular cigarettes, and do not consider myself addicted. When I used to travel to England regularly to see my folks, where nobody smoked, I found that I could get by on one or two a day, and some days go without altogether. About 3 days of mild withdrawal sysmptoms is what I would experience, so why not quit altogether? Well, that first cup of tea in the morning just wouldn't be the same would it? Maybe I need to give up the tea first?

You didn't mention raising taxes on petrol, or do you consider petrol use healthy.
Let's tax the # out of petrol and diesel, the smell of both offends me and there fumes are certainly not good for mine or your health, so the next time you feel the need to go shopping or work, walk! there you go, walking is healthy, just don't breathe when your doing it.

a reply to: theMediator