[gambleingsites]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/1...tml?hpt=hp_bn9

(CNN) -- On a trip to New York this summer, I was in the newsstand/gift shop of a hotel, and a man in front of me in line was purchasing something. I heard the clerk say to him: "That will be $18.30."

He handed her his money, and she handed him a pack of cigarettes. He thanked her and left.

"A pack of cigarettes costs $18.30?" I said to the clerk.

"That's our most inexpensive price," she said. "Some of them are over $20."

"And people pay that for them?" I asked.

"All day long," she said.

Really? $18 for a PACK of cigarettes? I never understood how people pay so much for cigarettes. Yes I know addictions cause people to do crazy things. I tried smoking, smoked a few times, didn't like it so I didn't do it. I guess I don't have as much of an addictive behavior as others...but $18?!

I've tried to tell friends "you know how much you would save if you quit smoking..."

[b7RKli4l]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/1...tml?hpt=hp_bn9

(CNN) -- On a trip to New York this summer, I was in the newsstand/gift shop of a hotel, and a man in front of me in line was purchasing something. I heard the clerk say to him: "That will be $18.30."

He handed her his money, and she handed him a pack of cigarettes. He thanked her and left.

"A pack of cigarettes costs $18.30?" I said to the clerk.

"That's our most inexpensive price," she said. "Some of them are over $20."

"And people pay that for them?" I asked.

"All day long," she said.

Really? $18 for a PACK of cigarettes? I never understood how people pay so much for cigarettes. Yes I know addictions cause people to do crazy things. I tried smoking, smoked a few times, didn't like it so I didn't do it. I guess I don't have as much of an addictive behavior as others...but $18?!

I've tried to tell friends "you know how much you would save if you quit smoking..."

Well, I don't smoke cigarettes...but I do enjoy a nice cigar. I'd probably cut drastically back if they cost $18 though!

Anyway, if it's something someone enjoys...I say go for it. Life it too short to not take pleasures. I think nothing of spending $18 on a bottle of wine...and if all cigars cost that much, I'd still enjoy one from time to time, just less often. Sure, I could save a lot of money if I quit drinking, smoking, eating out...but what's the point if you're not doing the things you enjoy?

OTOH, if he's just feeding an addiction and doesn't get any enjoyment out of it...well, that sucks.

Of course...for $18 a pack in the city? I'd think a quick train ride to Jersey once a week for a carton would be well worth it.

[Hedkffiz]

Well, I don't smoke cigarettes...but I do enjoy a nice cigar. I'd probably cut drastically back if they cost $18 though!

Anyway, if it's something someone enjoys...I say go for it. Life it too short to not take pleasures. I think nothing of spending $18 on a bottle of wine...and if all cigars cost that much, I'd still enjoy one from time to time, just less often.

OTOH, if he's just feeding an addiction and doesn't get any enjoyment out of it...well, that sucks.

Of course...for $18 a pack in the city? I'd think a quick train ride to Jersey once a week for a carton would be well worth it.

I'm all for indulging in pleasures once in awhile but when I know something will eventually kill me if I do it all the time, I don't think I"ll do it. I know eventually we all die but I'd rather it not be cancer and be slow and painful, or hacking up blood, etc.

But would you spend $18 on a bottle of wine every day?

I was just saying that most people who smoke packs a day do so usually because they get addicted. They probably enjoy it but it's the routine and the addiction of it. Man my friend stayed with me two weeks, didn't really have money when he got here and asked me to buy him a pack. I said no. After one week, I saw the withdrawal from the nicotine. Fidgety, pacing the apartment, it was irritating. I gave him some money to buy a pack and then we went somewhere - he realized later on that he left the pack with four cigarettes left and his lighter on a park bench. I said tough shit, you're out of luck til you get home lol. I don't usually buy cigarettes for my friends though but he was driving me nuts pacing around my apartment and even after we went for a walk didn't help.

I don't think putting the pictures on the packs will stop anything. If nothing has stopped them now with knowing the hazards, nothing will until they get sick.

[Rounteetepe]

I'm all for indulging in pleasures once in awhile but when I know something will eventually kill me if I do it all the time, I don't think I"ll do it. I know eventually we all die but I'd rather it not be cancer and be slow and painful, or hacking up blood, etc.

That's fine for you. I'm all for letting people make their own choices...especially if they are informed choices.

But would you spend $18 on a bottle of wine every day? no, not every day...some days I drink cheap wine ;-)

I was just saying that most people who smoke packs a day do so usually because they get addicted. They probably enjoy it but it's the routine and the addiction of it. Man my friend stayed with me two weeks, didn't really have money when he got here and asked me to buy him a pack. I said no. After one week, I saw the withdrawal from the nicotine. Fidgety, pacing the apartment, it was irritating. I gave him some money to buy a pack and then we went somewhere - he realized later on that he left the pack with four cigarettes left and his lighter on a park bench. I said tough shit, you're out of luck til you get home lol. I don't usually buy cigarettes for my friends though but he was driving me nuts pacing around my apartment and even after we went for a walk didn't help.

I don't think putting the pictures on the packs will stop anything. If nothing has stopped them now with knowing the hazards, nothing will until they get sick. Well, I'd say that most folks who smoke a pack a day make a choice to do it...

I do think jacking up the prices by adding "vice taxes" on products is BS...unless those taxes are being used to pay for some type of consequence of the product....i.e. it costs the govt. X millions of dollars to have alcohol counseling centers...then I don't mind alcohol taxes paying for that...but don't add taxes just to try and encourage me to quit...I'm a grown man and can make my own lifestyle choices, thanks.

[TravelMan]

10 years ago, I said people will quit in droves with prices skyrocketing from taxes. I was proven wrong. Very wrong. It amazes me how much people will pay to smoke. I see a married SSgt smoking every hour on the hour and I'm wondering what is sacrificed at home for that pleasure. I am a former smoker. I quit 15 years ago mostly to improve my health, but also I saw the writing was on the wall about prices. Back then, you could get a carton for like 10 bucks at the commissary. Now, I see gas stations advertising $5 per pack specials. You quickly start doing the math on a pack a day and you are at $150 for the month. I can't believe it but then there is no shortage of people huddled around the smoke shacks.

[wantedLOX]

You quickly start doing the math on a pack a day and you are at $150 for the month.

It's just a matter of what you choose to waste money on...you quit cuz the price got too high...good on ya.

I know people that give more than $150 every month to their church? How much could they save there?

Or people that spend 4 times that on a car payment that uses that much more in gas...

Or people that spend more than that on their skydiving hobby...or gambling...or golf...or buying shoes

EVERYBODY wastes their money on something...if not, then their life is probably boring.

[Fuerfsanv]

It's just a matter of what you choose to waste money on...you quit cuz the price got too high...good on ya.

I know people that give more than $150 every month to their church? How much could they save there?

Or people that spend 4 times that on a car payment that uses that much more in gas...

Or people that spend more than that on their skydiving hobby...or gambling...or golf...or buying shoes

EVERYBODY wastes their money on something...if not, then their life is probably boring.

Definitely. As long as you are not hurting your family financially, do whatever. There are people who spend more eating out every month. I see more people get in trouble with horrible car loans than just smoking. People work too hard for money to have society dictate their spending habits.

[Opislossy]

Definitely. As long as you are not hurting your family financially, do whatever. There are people who spend more eating out every month. I see more people get in trouble with horrible car loans than just smoking. People work too hard for money to have society dictate their spending habits.

But you could be hurting them physically with all the second hand smoke. Some people are retarded and smoke in front of their kids, etc.

All I was saying is I don't see how people spend money on it that's all.

[86GlSqSK]

But you could be hurting them physically with all the second hand smoke. Some people are retarded and smoke in front of their kids, etc.

All I was saying is I don't see how people spend money on it that's all.

...and all I'm saying is I'm sure you spend money on something that others don't see the point.

[paulaglober]

...and all I'm saying is I'm sure you spend money on something that others don't see the point.

Not really. I don't really spend a lot on myself very often which is why I have a savings. If anything the amount of money I've loaned to family and a few friends people might say why but I know they'd help me out if reversed. But otherwise, the most I've spent money on the last couple years is what Tuition Assistance doesn't cover for my Master's.

[juliannamed]

Not really. I don't really spend a lot on myself very often which is why I have a savings.

see, some people would say, "what's the point? you can't take it with you...enjoy it while you're young"

If anything the amount of money I've loaned to family and a few friends people might say why but I know they'd help me out if reversed. But otherwise, the most I've spent money on the last couple years is what Tuition Assistance doesn't cover for my Master's. ...and some smart folks say getting a Master's is a waste.

The point isn't really to get into your personal finances...I just don't like the idea other people know what's best for me and my family.

I waste some money, sure...but I do it on things we enjoy...and that's the point of living if you ask me.

Some people don't believe in using credit cards or living beyond your means...so when stationed in Europe, these folks saved $5K, but didn't get to see England, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Holland, France, etc. but heck, when I was there, we ran up some credit card bills traveling...cuz when am I gonna get that chance again? Screw it if it took me a year to pay it back, I'd do it again.

...and this Friday night, I'll open up a $20 bottle of wine, maybe 2, with my wife and have a $7 cigar, cuz that's what we enjoy...if you'd rather put that $47 towards a school book, more power to ya...hope you get out of it what you hope for.

My mom held back from traveling and spending on herself so she could have savings...and then she died at 49.

[ZZChristopher]

see, some people would say, "what's the point? you can't take it with you...enjoy it while you're young"



...and some smart folks say getting a Master's is a waste.

The point isn't really to get into your personal finances...I just don't like the idea other people know what's best for me and my family.

I waste some money, sure...but I do it on things we enjoy...and that's the point of living if you ask me.

Some people don't believe in using credit cards or living beyond your means...so when stationed in Europe, these folks saved $5K, but didn't get to see England, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Holland, France, etc. but heck, when I was there, we ran up some credit card bills traveling...cuz when am I gonna get that chance again? Screw it if it took me a year to pay it back, I'd do it again.

...and this Friday night, I'll open up a $20 bottle of wine, maybe 2, with my wife and have a $7 cigar, cuz that's what we enjoy...if you'd rather put that $47 towards a school book, more power to ya...hope you get out of it what you hope for.

My mom held back from traveling and spending on herself so she could have savings...and then she died at 49.

I never said indulging in different things is bad - but consistently smoking when it's bad for you AND your loved ones - to me that's a bit ridiculous. And the fact all the money those people spend could go to taking care of bills, kids, or take a vacation to somewhere that's what I'm saying.

I said I'll buy things once in a while but honestly I have it set up so if something happens to me in the military the money in my savings goes to a friend of mine who is a single mother with four kids; my dad gets 90% of my 400,000 and someone who is a second dad gets 10%. I'd rather know those I love are taken care of if something happens to me.

And if the Army's gonna pay for me to get another degree - AFTER they already paid off my college loans - then I'll take advantage of it. Plus I'm in the Army so I get to see things and travel basically for free or for less than if I wasn't in the Army so I don't need that much money for that. And if I wasn't in the military I wouldn't have the money saved I do.

So bottom line - it's fine to indulge once in awhile but people who do things like smoke packs a day or drink bottles and bottles of alcohol a day knowing how it will affect their health and those around them, to me that's ridiculous. Or gorging on food, etc. Too much of anything is bad and that's my point - and the fact that smoking doesn't only hurt the one who smokes but those around him or her, well that's what makes me wonder. I make my friends all go outside and smoke when they visit me or I go outside if they want to light up in their house. Most of them don't smoke around their kids in the house and do go outside though. But some people don't.

[Lapsinuibense]

I say to each their own but man those are some expensive ass cigarettes! 20 bucks a day! Would you give somebody that much money every day to kill you? Cause that's what they're doing now for the privilege to smoke. Of Course we're all gonna die some day. But do we have to pay for it? Do we have to actually throw hard-earned dollars down on the counter and say, "Please Mr. Merchant-of-Death, please, sell me something that'll stink up my breath and my clothes and fry my lungs."

[pertikuss]

I've tried to tell friends "you know how much you would save if you quit smoking..."

I have known a number of people like you who make those comments to us smokers.. BUT when you then look at how much a lot of those people spend on an average friday and/or sat night of partying, i will take my smoking. Currently i go through 2 packs of smokes every 3 days (roughly 14 a day). So that is a Carton every 15 days, or 2 weeks. A carton is 28.99 for Pall malls.. Some of those partiers go through 100 a NIGHT, compared to my habit which is 30 every 2 weeks.. give or take.

I'm all for indulging in pleasures once in awhile but when I know something will eventually kill me if I do it all the time, I don't think I"ll do it. I know eventually we all die but I'd rather it not be cancer and be slow and painful, or hacking up blood, etc.

In the 20 years i have been in, i have known over 3000 smokers. Add in their kin who smoke, those i grew up with who smoke (And still do), that is more like 8000 people over the past 36 years. Of them, i know of only 3 who have died from something that 'gets attributed to tobacco. BUT i know over 20 who have died from 'tobacco causing illnesses, who never smoked in their life...

I do think jacking up the prices by adding "vice taxes" on products is BS...unless those taxes are being used to pay for some type of consequence of the product....i.e. it costs the govt. X millions of dollars to have alcohol counseling centers...then I don't mind alcohol taxes paying for that...but don't add taxes just to try and encourage me to quit...I'm a grown man and can make my own lifestyle choices, thanks.

Thanks for the back up on that. As a smoker, i am getting sick and tired of places jacking up the taxes on tobacco products, just to help fill in budget holes, when most of those holes are NOT to pay for things related to tobacco's ills.. And worse yet, when places put a new tax on smokers, to 'pay for x' then BAN us from smoking in that zone; such as Santa Barbra who put a tax on smokers to help pay to beautifying and clean up the beach front (by putting in smoker canopies with ash trays in, rather than having us just drop the butts all over) then went and banned smokers from lighting up on the beach front. WTF OVER?

It's just a matter of what you choose to waste money on...you quit cuz the price got too high...good on ya.

I know people that give more than $150 every month to their church? How much could they save there?

Or people that spend 4 times that on a car payment that uses that much more in gas...

Or people that spend more than that on their skydiving hobby...or gambling...or golf...or buying shoes

EVERYBODY wastes their money on something...if not, then their life is probably boring.

Very true.. I know plenty of people who spend around 300 a month for golfing.

But you could be hurting them physically with all the second hand smoke. Some people are retarded and smoke in front of their kids, etc..

Sorry, but i call BS on that 'retarded for smoking in front of kids crap. I knew plenty of people growing up who were all ways around smokers (such as those next door who worked with their kin in a local pub in England, which was ALWAYS full of smoke).. 2 went on to do track and field at Uni, while the 3rd went to the RAF.. NONE have had health issues from being around smokers..
As far as Asthma, i know a hell of a lot more people who have had it, who grew up around NON SMOKERS than i know of who grew up around those who DID smoke... Almost 17 to 1..

[TimoDassss]

I have known a number of people like you who make those comments to us smokers.. BUT when you then look at how much a lot of those people spend on an average friday and/or sat night of partying, i will take my smoking. Currently i go through 2 packs of smokes every 3 days (roughly 14 a day). So that is a Carton every 15 days, or 2 weeks. A carton is 28.99 for Pall malls.. Some of those partiers go through 100 a NIGHT, compared to my habit which is 30 every 2 weeks.. give or take.



In the 20 years i have been in, i have known over 3000 smokers. Add in their kin who smoke, those i grew up with who smoke (And still do), that is more like 8000 people over the past 36 years. Of them, i know of only 3 who have died from something that 'gets attributed to tobacco. BUT i know over 20 who have died from 'tobacco causing illnesses, who never smoked in their life...



Thanks for the back up on that. As a smoker, i am getting sick and tired of places jacking up the taxes on tobacco products, just to help fill in budget holes, when most of those holes are NOT to pay for things related to tobacco's ills.. And worse yet, when places put a new tax on smokers, to 'pay for x' then BAN us from smoking in that zone; such as Santa Barbra who put a tax on smokers to help pay to beautifying and clean up the beach front (by putting in smoker canopies with ash trays in, rather than having us just drop the butts all over) then went and banned smokers from lighting up on the beach front. WTF OVER?



Very true.. I know plenty of people who spend around 300 a month for golfing.



Sorry, but i call BS on that 'retarded for smoking in front of kids crap. I knew plenty of people growing up who were all ways around smokers (such as those next door who worked with their kin in a local pub in England, which was ALWAYS full of smoke).. 2 went on to do track and field at Uni, while the 3rd went to the RAF.. NONE have had health issues from being around smokers..
As far as Asthma, i know a hell of a lot more people who have had it, who grew up around NON SMOKERS than i know of who grew up around those who DID smoke... Almost 17 to 1..

Your first comment: I don't go out and party all night so I don't blow my money on alcohol and let's take what you said on your smoking. That's about 780 dollars you could have used for something else but that's your choice. I never said people can't smoke but I've seen plenty of people who died from tobacco related causes or get sick. My best friend's dad finally went to the doctor and he has emphysema. Ooh sounds like a fun time.

You call "bs" on people who smoke in front of their kids? Okay so because they don't have anything wrong now means they won't later in life? That's like when my soldier used to tell me "well I run 13 min 2 miles" and smoked all through the day, drank energy drinks like water. I said "yeah now you do but just wait."

You can smoke if you want to - but I'm just saying I don't see the point in doing something that is known to be bad for health. I'm sorry I care about my friends. But I bring up to them how much they could save because they complain about living pay check to paycheck but yet you have money to spend on cigarettes?

Smoke all you want and hope you have fun.

[adultcomicssitedessaa]

I wasn't mentioning the "partying comment" specifically at you, but in general to those who complain about how much us smokers spend.

Onto the BS flag / kids.. I hear it a lot where people call/lable smokers as heartless bstrds/gits/(insert cuss word of choice word here) if they smoke around kids cause they "Obviously don't give a hoot" about their welfare, but as mentioned, i know a LOT of kids who grew up around smokers and in the 20+ years since have not had problems health wise.

[BenWired306]

I wasn't mentioning the "partying comment" specifically at you, but in general to those who complain about how much us smokers spend.

Onto the BS flag / kids.. I hear it a lot where people call/lable smokers as heartless bstrds/gits/(insert cuss word of choice word here) if they smoke around kids cause they "Obviously don't give a hoot" about their welfare, but as mentioned, i know a LOT of kids who grew up around smokers and in the 20+ years since have not had problems health wise.

I don't call them "heartless bastards" or whatever. So because of the people you know that haven't had issues (yet) means that all people who are affected by second hand smoke or who smoke don't ever have problems? The world is a big place.

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerC...condhand-smoke

Secondhand smoke causes other kinds of diseases and deaths
Secondhand smoke can cause harm in many ways. In the United States alone, each year it is responsible for:

•An estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease in people who are currently non-smokers
•About 3,400 lung cancer deaths as a result of breathing secondhand smoke
•Other breathing problems in non-smokers, including coughing, mucus, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function
•50,000 to 300,000 lung infections (such as pneumonia and bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months of age, which result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations annually
•Increases in the number and severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to 1 million children who have asthma
•More than 750,000 middle ear infections in children
•Pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke are also at increased risk of having low birth- weight babies.

So it affects a lot of people. It's a good thing the kids you know weren't affected but people are and it's widely known that tobacco is bad for people. There are always exceptions to everything of course.

[werkeeque]

So I've been reading through this and I see where both parties are coming from. Something I would like to add though is this. Salt (causes high blood pressure), sugar (Diabetes), any high imact activity (bad for knees, ankles, back), cafeen, and even breathing (smog, or near cows, methane) can kill you. if you look at the news, water is killing people (brain eating amoeba),

What the US government and many buisnesses are now is doing to smokers is discrimination. You don't see any adds or commercials about not using salt or sugar, you don't hear anyone saying don't run, drink water, and that small thing about breathing. Just saying before you start knocking someone for their choice of vice, remember EVERYTHING KILLS YOU...

[BinasiDombrs]

Everything does kill but some things are more expensive to kill us than others. If a beer started costing 20 bucks for a 6 pack, I'd probably cut back significantly. I agree however that smokers are starting to be more and more discriminated against. You've probably heard someone call cigarettes cancer sticks but I have yet to hear someone order a bottle or a glass of cirrhosis at the bar.

[adoreorerie]

So I've been reading through this and I see where both parties are coming from. Something I would like to add though is this. Salt (causes high blood pressure), sugar (Diabetes), any high imact activity (bad for knees, ankles, back), cafeen, and even breathing (smog, or near cows, methane) can kill you. if you look at the news, water is killing people (brain eating amoeba),

What the US government and many buisnesses are now is doing to smokers is discrimination. You don't see any adds or commercials about not using salt or sugar, you don't hear anyone saying don't run, drink water, and that small thing about breathing. Just saying before you start knocking someone for their choice of vice, remember EVERYTHING KILLS YOU...

Okay yes using excess of anything can kill you - got it. Not a total retard. But my point was that smoking is an expensive and unhealthy habit and also pointing out that I have so many friends who complain that they don't have money and it's hard to pay bills. Well if they stopped or cut back on their smoking, they would save money.

Actually the government has been trying to regulate how much salt is used in food, and sugar. On the amoeba thing - it's not water that's killing them it's the amoeba that lives in certain types of water. So you can't really say water is killing people. It's the type of water they were in that happened to harbor brain eating amoebas.

I really don't see the US government as "discriminating" against smokers. Smoking is a choice as is any other vice. All they're doing is telling people the risks involved as everything has a warning on it somewhere, and the ingredients listed, etc.

Look I can't stand the anti-tobacco commercials anymore than anyone else because honestly people can not smoke and so they take on that risk but I get annoyed when people complain about not having money or they try to sue the tobacco company for getting cancer. Well sorry jackass but everyone knows today that it can possibly kill you.

Also depending on where you look if you research running, it will tell you that too much is bad. With water, it depends on where you go in the world and you can find out where not to drink it (those people with the amoebas didn't drink the water they swam in it); and I'm pretty sure if you stop breathing you're going to die eventually. You know what, you take one for the team and try that not breathing thing out for us.

Oh and if I want to "knock someone" on their choice of vice, I have every right to do so but thanks.