Comments on: Stogie News: Governments to Require Licenses to Smoke? http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html Blowin’ Smoke on Everything Cigars - cigar reviews, news and commentary 7 days a week Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:36:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jon http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html/comment-page-1#comment-25816 Jon Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:53:00 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html#comment-25816 I was born and raised in Southern California (Los Angeles, specifically) -- a region that has always been on the forefront of the anti-smoking crusade. And I can see the argument from both sides. On one hand, I genuinely do believe that most of the anti-smoking regulations here in California (and the US) were made with good intentions, and were predominantly directed at curbing secondhand smoke. At the same time, I disagree wholeheartedly with them. The road to hell, as they say, is paved with good intentions like these. I guess you could call me a libertarian and a strict Constitutionalist. I believe in personal liberties, as old-fashioned as lawmakers these days would seem to think they are. So it disturbs me to see "nanny state" government interfering with personal choice any time it happens. Smoking just happens to be a very easy target for the government, because it's tough to argue logic against emotion. Now, this idea -- of charging for permits, of willfully imposing a bureaucratic nightmare on would-be smokers -- seems downright fascist. What we have in California is just misguided liberalism run amok. But what seems to be going on in the UK is a slow, steady march toward really scary government. Not just with this issue, but with any number of other liberty-curtailing laws and regulations they've been discussing there. I feel bad for my brothers and sisters in the UK who may soon have to deal with this crap. I was born and raised in Southern California (Los Angeles, specifically) — a region that has always been on the forefront of the anti-smoking crusade. And I can see the argument from both sides. On one hand, I genuinely do believe that most of the anti-smoking regulations here in California (and the US) were made with good intentions, and were predominantly directed at curbing secondhand smoke. At the same time, I disagree wholeheartedly with them. The road to hell, as they say, is paved with good intentions like these.

I guess you could call me a libertarian and a strict Constitutionalist. I believe in personal liberties, as old-fashioned as lawmakers these days would seem to think they are. So it disturbs me to see "nanny state" government interfering with personal choice any time it happens. Smoking just happens to be a very easy target for the government, because it's tough to argue logic against emotion.

Now, this idea — of charging for permits, of willfully imposing a bureaucratic nightmare on would-be smokers — seems downright fascist. What we have in California is just misguided liberalism run amok. But what seems to be going on in the UK is a slow, steady march toward really scary government. Not just with this issue, but with any number of other liberty-curtailing laws and regulations they've been discussing there. I feel bad for my brothers and sisters in the UK who may soon have to deal with this crap.

]]> By: Ricky http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html/comment-page-1#comment-25809 Ricky Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:40:24 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html#comment-25809 This kind of stuff makes me sick. It'll be an idea that's adopted here in the US soon enough and there won't be enough people standing up for personal freedom to prevent it from happening. This is the Prohibition of the 21st Century, the only problem is this time nobody cares. This kind of stuff makes me sick. It'll be an idea that's adopted here in the US soon enough and there won't be enough people standing up for personal freedom to prevent it from happening. This is the Prohibition of the 21st Century, the only problem is this time nobody cares.

]]> By: License to Smoke « Great Cigar Articles From The Web http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html/comment-page-1#comment-25549 License to Smoke « Great Cigar Articles From The Web Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:40:56 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html#comment-25549 [...] UK Government to curb your bad habits. They’ll require you get a license to smoke. Read the full article at Stogie Guys. Posted by stogielover Filed in Cigar Articles Tagged: smoker rights, smoking [...] [...] UK Government to curb your bad habits. They’ll require you get a license to smoke. Read the full article at Stogie Guys. Posted by stogielover Filed in Cigar Articles Tagged: smoker rights, smoking [...]

]]> By: dk6 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html/comment-page-1#comment-25544 dk6 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:21:17 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html#comment-25544 I think it's more about revenue generation than health concerns I think it's more about revenue generation than health concerns

]]> By: Sean http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html/comment-page-1#comment-25540 Sean Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:46:04 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html#comment-25540 "A senior government advisor in England is publicly proposing that smokers be required by law to purchase a £10 ($19.61) permit to purchase tobacco." ...possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. "A senior government advisor in England is publicly proposing that smokers be required by law to purchase a £10 ($19.61) permit to purchase tobacco."

…possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

]]> By: Gilster http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html/comment-page-1#comment-25536 Gilster Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:26:22 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html#comment-25536 Click onto 'Gilster' for the website link Report written on Feb 16th Click onto 'Gilster' for the website link

Report written on Feb 16th

]]> By: Gilster http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html/comment-page-1#comment-25535 Gilster Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:24:59 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/02/02182008-stogie-news-governments-to-require-licenses-to-smoke.html#comment-25535 From the linked website. From Simon Clark at Forest ~snip~ Sept, 2004 When we finished, Reid turned to his senior advisor and asked: "What do you think?" Julian Le Grand didn't hesitate. "I agree with them," he said, nodding in our direction.(Activists from Forest) Reid thought for a moment, then said (I paraphrase): "Yes, I've always been pretty dubious about passive smoking." ~snip~ On Friday Feb 15, 2008 On Radio Five's Stephen Nolan Show I reminded Le Grand of what he had said. He claimed not to remember but added, helpfully: "I don't actually think the arguments on passive smoking are all that strong." From the linked website.

From Simon Clark at Forest

~snip~

Sept, 2004

When we finished, Reid turned to his senior advisor and asked: "What do you think?" Julian Le Grand didn't hesitate. "I agree with them," he said, nodding in our direction.(Activists from Forest) Reid thought for a moment, then said (I paraphrase): "Yes, I've always been pretty dubious about passive smoking."

~snip~

On Friday Feb 15, 2008

On Radio Five's Stephen Nolan Show I reminded Le Grand of what he had said. He claimed not to remember but added, helpfully: "I don't actually think the arguments on passive smoking are all that strong."

]]>