Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cdninkorea]

uberscheisse: If the government has a right to restrict access to something that will drive medical bills up, doesn't this logically lead to restrictions on desserts and mandatory exercise programs too? After all, too many sweets combined with a sedentary lifestyle will drive up costs too.

yawarakaijin: Yes there are more important freedoms to worry about. But except with revolutions, freedoms are almost always eroded gradually. My concern is: what's next? I'd prefer a non-paternalistic government.

Please let me know if I missed anything.

[Underwaterbob]

Why don't we ban the real killer here: cars.

I mean these things pollute far more than smokers AND actually often directly kill people!

[Bingo]

Dude, are you seriously saying that restricting smoking to certain areas of restaurants and bars is a bad thing? Are you really that unreasonable, that inconsiderate of other people's rights?


Absolutely unbelievable.

[uberscheisse]

[cdninkorea]

[mindmetoo]

[Justin Hale]

I've never been to Canada, but in recent years I've been to Britain, Ireland and the US, and the ban on smoking in indoor public places has been extremely positive.

However, tobacco makes a vital and positive contribution to the economy. For a start, it kills 5 million people per year, often prior to 65. This is sad for the smokers and their families, but positive for the rest of society, since a lower elderly population is good for the economy. Old people don't earn money and pay tax. The rest of us have to look after them via retirement pensions (and in Canada I assume this is largely the domain of the public sector). Secondly, and simply, the government makes money from tobacco sales and this money is invested in society's schools, hospitals and police officers. What we need to do is find out which is true: tobacco bad for economy (costs more than gives) or the reverse? I believe the costs of tobacco on socialized healthcare are paltry compared to the revenue raised from tobacco sales (but can't find a link). Frankly the more people that smoke the better. Nonsmokers, do-gooders, health freaks, with their tofu, are parasites. They live until they're 80 and 90 and have 20+ years of unproductivity. Smokers pay voluntary tax that would otherwise be raised via income tax (wanna pay more tax?) and die early. Nonsmokers don't pay voluntary tax AND live til they're 100. That's what I call scum!

The above will inevitably invite ad hominem, so let me say I'm a nonsmoker (though enjoy a cigar occasionally), hit the gym every day and am pretty healthy.

[uberscheisse]