I've been reading about this for months, raising the cigarette taxes. So why do we care. I don't. Raise them $5 a pack if you want, it's more tax money for the state, and maybe the high cost will make a few of them quit smoking. They're a luxury, they're not a necessity to life, and there is nothing good about smoking, period. SO, why do they care, the legislators I mean.
There are now more non-smokers than smokers, and slowly but surely, we're pushing them out the door, literally. Some of them cry "smokers have rights too", but, non-smokers are the majority, and we have our rights as well.
I've noticed the smoking sections in restaurants are getting smaller and smaller, and at many places, they use the smoking section as the overflow for the non smoking section and will "declare" the smoking section non smoking if need be. Fine with me. If you have 10 smokers wanting a table, and 35 non smokers, who would you cater to?
Lets look at the health problems of smokers. They are normally, and this is according to studies I've read, much more chronic than non smokers, and after they roll over in their 50's, the health issues begin to compound themselves. Who pays, we do, the non smokers.
Actually, smokers should have their own health insurance company. They only take smokers. That way, they'll know the upcoming health costs of their clients, and they can charge them for their vice. The good side, for us non smokers, our insurance companies could lower our rates, and concentrate on our wellness instead of our sickness.
Just like drivers that drink and drive, let them pay the huge insurance premiums, and leave us safe drivers alone.
If you're wondering, why do I think this way. Well, 9 years ago, I worked in an environment where there was smoking allowed indoors, without designated smoking areas. They could smoke anywhere. I worked in this area for 14 months. After just a couple of months, my kids noticed I came home each day, and "stunk" as they put it. My clothing smelled, my hair, and my eyes were constantly irritated. After about 5 or 6 months, I began to have what I though were colds and allergies, constantly going to the doctor. Nothing he gave me helped. After about 9 months, headaches started, along with everything else. I was getting worried. Then, in the 11th month, I was sent on a trip to another location, to train new staff. Within a couple of weeks, the headaches were gone, my "cold" problem was gone, and my eyes were no longer puffy. The week I returned to my old work area, I had a followup visit to my doctor. I told him "i was cured". He laughed, and did some tests, and sure enough, no more problems. Until, I went back to work.
Within a few days, it was all back, all the health problems, from what I determined it to be from the "smoke cave" i worked in.
I went to my boss, threatened legal action if I was forced to work in an unhealthy environment any longer, showed him the second hand smoke danger articles I had compiled, and left it to him. I was out of that area in two days. Thank goodness he understood. My problems left again.
Who replaced me, well, take a guess. A smoker. He already had the problems I had experienced, from his own smoking, so what's the harm. He smoked, they smoked, they all smelled and coughed, so all were happy. Now, that work area is smoke free. Less sick time is used, the non smokers have no health problems, and they had to paint the walls, clean the computers, and replace the carpet. Now, the problem is the smokers taking their "smoke breaks". But that's another story.
SO, to my kentucky legislators, raise the cigarette taxes all you want. Make those that smoke pay the price. I don't care. And that's just the way it is.
