Big government needs to butt out of tobacco control

If big government were a packaged consumer product it would be banned by its own regulatory standards:

It is over priced, it is not in demand, regular use causes fatal economic toxicity and it does not work as advertised..

Take it off the shelves

“As an aside, I find it strange that the Government expendes so much energy disparaging tobacco smoking but promotes smoking marijuana by legalizing it.”

Yea, Liberals certainly are hypocrites. More like, they go with the flow of the society in order to secure votes by trying to appease as many people as possible rather than taking a principled stance and sticking to it.

@ Edward – Yes, the US health insurance companies do ask those life style types of questions and for good reason, but Canadian health care does not.

@ Daryl – Yes, those “sin” taxes are meant to go towards those extra expenses, but even if that money was put into the coffers to compensate (which we all know it is not) it still would not be enough. Caring for someone in the last years of their life due to cancer far exceeds any sin tax they pay from their destructive habit.

Keep in mind here that I am playing the “devil’s advocate” and am in no way suggesting our health care system needs to be abolished … fixed for sure, but not abolished.

Peter – those extra health costs are “supposedly” being collected by governments with the obscene taxs being collected from those who do smoke. I remember years back when Gary Marr the then Minister of Health for Alberta went on a righteous “stop smoking” warpath and doubled the price of cigarettes and a year later because it did in fact cause many to quit – raised the price even higher because tobacco revenues were way down! Smokers pay extremely for their habit – maybe politicians should be doing that to some of the fast food which I believe has as equal or more catastrophic results than tobacco or to Heroin which little potato wants to “give” away at injection sites at a direct cost to all taxpayers.

Peter…That’s a valid question to ask. In a non government sponsored health care system you can bet that our Insurance Providers would be asking a lot of questions about our life style choices and charging appropriately.
As an aside, I find it strange that the Government expendes so much energy disparaging tobacco smoking but promotes smoking marijuana by legalizing it.

Wow, after rereading my last post, I think I need a coffee first. The grammar sucks.

However, on the topic, regardless of the health costs it is retaining the choice as a free and democratic people at issue here.

But if I may … maybe to foster conversation … add that there is a very valid argument that a society which provides free (to a point) health care should that the state regulate those activities which can cost the healthcare system unnecessary expense paid for by the populate.

I guess the question is, should the people be responsible for paying to care for you for your bad life choices regarding your health?

Smoking is an odd thing because my dad smoked right up to the end and never got cancer. Lung capacity was severely diminished but not cancer. He also very seldom got sick. I guess my point is that smoking does not always bring about cancer, but that there are probably other factors involved too.

Good show Faith!! – maybe the second vid link will give you more insight on the gubermints interference in our lives. Also explains very well how the Trump Movement has gained it’s power. We the people RULE – not Clintoons, Obumers or TruDopes!!!

Kelvin & Drew – here are a couple of “heart-warming” vids from a politician & an ex-CIA agent –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqQ5hBV-xuE&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLr8ZvgURg0

Kelvin the fascists will be a little surprised when they realize that ordering military to harm and round up citizens will be met with a “GO F*CK YOURSELF” by our service people.

Paul McCullough same here, quit cold turkey in 2002. It was a personal choice. Nanny state can go to hell.

Faith, I agree with you on cigarettes. A case can be made against lots of things on the basis that they’re bad for people’s health, but people still do them anyway. Government doesn’t eliminate tobacco altogether because of the tax revenue it brings, so that’s kind of hypocritical and phoney. I wish the nanny state would leave adult citizens alone.

The way that fascism is being displayed by governments in Canada, it’s time we started militia groups to circumvent government over reach. Time to resurrect the Rocky Mountain Rangers here in Alberta.

Faith, I understand your love of smokes. I lived it. I quit when I was ready to do it and I’m happy I did because I feel better and I save lots of $$$. When I smoked, many times I NEEDED IT. It often served me well and I discarded anyone who tried to lecture me……..but I’m sure they did it out of concern for my health. Regardless of your choice about cigarettes, keep up the good work you do with The Rebel. You, Lauren and all The Rebel team are FANTASTIC.

Great show tonight FAITH
I’m hoping you will quit smoking one day. When your still young

That RORY ONEIL , heck of a fraternity, I would like to see that spread across Canada based on that model

Big government has claimed far more victims in the past century than tobacco has – if you want to regulate dangerous things things regulate and control big government – every government act should come with a scary graphic warning label depicting the human misery and death caused by errant government policy, agendas and pogroms.

If we’re going to engage in fear conditioning the public let’s concentrate our effortss where it will do the most good -

“WARNING, BIG GOVERNMENT IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH”

- I stopped smoking many years ago. I stopped for my own reasons – the government had nothing to do with it. Packaging had nothing to do with it. I don’t like being around cigarette smoke but I like the nanny state far, far less.

- Christians with guns teaching self reliance – the ultimate liberal trigger warning. I can practically see their heads melting.