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minir
05-22-04, 07:34 AM
Be a Quitter and beat the ban

By Himani Ediriweera


IT'S A breath of fresh air for non-smokers while thousands of nicotine addicts will be fighting the jitters as the final phase of a GTA-wide smoking ban kicks their butts out of bars and restaurants on June 1st.

"Smoke-free public places are good for health, good for communities and good for business," Councillor John Filion, chairman of the Toronto Board of Health, said yesterday.

On June 1, bars, casinos, billiard and bingo halls, race tracks, night clubs and adult entertainment lounges in Toronto, York and Peel become smoke-free. In Durham, all public places and workplaces become smoke-free on June 1.

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BE A quitter and butt out before the ban. If you're used to smoking while talking on the phone, driving your car or drinking coffee, change your behaviours until the cravings subside.

- Drink tea or water instead of coffee.

- Have plenty of candy on hand for phone chats and car rides -- chewing plastic straws also work.

Withdrawal symptoms include:

- Irritability, frustration, anger or anxiety.

- Difficulty concentrating.

- Restlessness.

- Increased appetite.

- Problems falling asleep or frequent waking.

- Slight depression or feeling down.

It's also good to see a doctor before you quit.

Health Canada says after a week to 10 days withdrawal symptoms should be gone.

To access Health Canada's On the Road to Quitting, go to

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/tobacco/quitting/ontheroad_pub/index.html


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regards

minir

vinnie
05-22-04, 09:02 AM
we became, so I'm told, the first country to ban smoking in an outdoor area. Some of our beaches and parks are now no-snoking zones and the number is to increase as more councils hop on the bandwagon.

I'm all for it. If they want to smoke, make them go and do it in their own home. I shouldn't suffer for someone elses stupidity.

minir
05-22-04, 09:46 AM
Hi vinnie

We've been fighting it for several years here with Bans in Restaurants, Bars, Public Places such as Hospitals etc. They are now going even further wherein the Bars, Restaurants, etc. that where allowed Smoking Areas with proper filtering and ventilation, are alas no more.

I feel sorry for those in Business that went to the expense of implementing these costly areas and are now told no more. Their investments down the toilet which seems highly unfair to me. Many cost $100,000.00 or more.

If the government agreed to such implementation in the first place then changed its mind, the Businesses should have the right to reclaim their investments re Taxes Refunds, or something to recoup their losses.

I was born when smoking was at its zenith and therefore became a Smoker for a good part of 40 years. I think we should be more tolerant of people who do smoke in Restricted Areas with proper filtering etc, for 10 more years at least. Education is doing its job and soon it will be a past faze.

My concern is Governments who tout the Medical Savings by banning smoking will soon i fear be after more Taxes to make up for the Billions in lost revenue from smokers.

Give it a little more time to wean both Governments spending and need to lessen it, with the the natural progression taking place of people quitting. It would be easier on us all in the long run i think.

I can't wait for some Lawyer to file a Suit against a prior Homeowner who smoked and it's lingering after-affects impacting on his health as a new owner of said Home. It will happen, of that i'm sure..

Thanks and Have a Wonderful day:)


regards

minir

Croc
05-22-04, 04:45 PM
Interesting article Larry. :thumb:
I am convinced smoking will eventually become a thing of the past. There's too much against it for it to survive as an industry. You and I may not see that day but Vinnie might.

Add to what Vinnie has said about what's going on in Au a recent comment from a TV news interview by the leader of our state's opposition party (Liberal) who stated if he won the next election, his party would ban it state wide....totally. All that will do is drive the supply underground from other states IMO.

I wonder if he will also ban the growing of tobacco in the Mareeba region of Nth Queensland as well. That would certainly cut out a lot of state and federal tax dollars which would have to be found from "other sources". I have my doubts. :D

Croc.

vinnie
05-22-04, 07:05 PM
Interesting article Larry. :thumb:
I am convinced smoking will eventually become a thing of the past. There's too much against it for it to survive as an industry. You and I may not see that day but Vinnie might.

I don't think it'll ever fade as an industry as such. Maybe someone will give it a try and it'll work even poorer than prohibition did. Not much point in trying. I don't see much benifit in it and I'm quite anti-smoking.

sito
05-22-04, 09:33 PM
It hasn't taken long to realize I don't like them taxing liberals.

Dalton Mcginty is taxing everything I enjoy. Beer, like it wasn't already expensive enough.

Ahren
05-22-04, 09:59 PM
It hasn't taken long to realize I don't like them taxing liberals. :nod:

Dalton Mcginty is taxing everything I enjoy. Beer, like it wasn't already expensive enough. :mad: :mad: :mad:

minir
05-22-04, 10:41 PM
Hi Croc. vinnie, sitosterol & Jarngrimr

No doubt it will fade to almost non existence in the more Health Conscious Countries such as yours, the UK, Canada, USA, etc. but the ?Companies themselves simply slide along to other Smoking Nations and Countries like France & China etc.

In Canada they've tried Taxing it to death, but as you suggested it simply went underground and the Native Indians here in Canada and the US made a fortune along with some colluding Manufacturers. Canadian Mfrs. were actually making the Cigarettes here and shipping them to the States Tax Free and then sending them to some Groups on the Reserves in the USA that in turn brought them back into Reserves here in Canada. All in all there was chaos with running gun battles in high speed boats etc.

The Government finally relented and things settled back down again.

Education is the way to go and it appears it is working, but more is needed.

My biggest fear as mentioned is after all the BS is over and the Government realizes their BS doesn't wash ( the money saved in Health Care will offset the loss in Tax revenue for Tobacco) Taxes will go sky high to compensate for the loss.

That is why i like say a ten year approach so that declining Tax Revenue from declining smoking will be hard for the Government to cover and They will have to learn to live without and they won't be able to BS the Citizens as easily about it.

As to Crops and Farmers the Government here paid Farmers to switch to other Crops, which was fair.

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vinnie

Yes i too think prohibition will not work.

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sitosterol & Jarngrimr

McFly of the Fiberals is a Weasel of the first order. They are taking him to Court to challenge him, but we are stuck with the A Hole for some time to come.

I said from the start he was and is a Lying Weasel and was not wrong in this case.

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I Butted out years ago thankfully and the 4 packs of large i smoked each day would be a very expensive habit in todays pricing.


Thanks to You all for responding and Do have a lovely evening.:)


regards

minir