- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Quite the debate.
The problem is people have been programmed by modern society to have an instant negative reaction to the topic of smoking (as Obbi said earlier).
In some ways I can see a similarity between this part of society and Stalinist Russia-Control through fear. 'If you smoke you will get heart disease!' 'One puff, and you will be addicted' etc. (I realise Stalinist Russia was much worse)
If the US or UK goverments were REALLY worried about smoking, they would ban it. Why don't they? Because of the huge tax revenues they get from cigarettes. The irony is that the revenues are prob ploughed into the NHS, or used for anti-smoking campaigns.
Oh, and Obbi is in no way saying that smoking is 'cool'. If he was, he would have posted something like this.....
Posted by Obbi
Hey! Smokin iz well cool! If you smoke, you will make lots of friends and all the girls will like you! So go on, steal some of your parents cigarettes, and go for a smoke! Coolness awaits!
or something similar.
For the record, I think this is thread is perfectly fine for this forum. Obbi has raised a fair and interesting point. It is clear to me that a lot of people didn't even read Obbis first post. They just saw the word 'Smoking', and jumped on in to the debate with no idea what Obbis original point was.
Well, I am going to the pub tonight. I will have a few pints, a smoke, and enjoy myself a little. I am not going to go over the top. Just going to chill out a little. I have had a depressing week. My visit to the pub will no doubt cheer me up immensly.
[Edited on 8/27/2004 3:32:43 AM]