How to shoot your foot off
There is a little conundrum that has been puzzling me for some time.
As the tide of anti-smoking Nazism sweeps the world, you would imagine that smoking levels would drop, or at the very least would remain the same. This is, after all, supposed to be the object of the exercise? Yet I have heard from various sources now that in virtually every country, once a ban is introduced, smoking levels rise. I know that in Ireland, levels were on the decline for a long time, up to the point where The Ban was introduced, and suddenly levels increase by two to three percent.
Why?
I can think of a few possible reasons.
One is that it’s a sense of rebellion, but I don’t think that washes well. More people may stubbornly refuse to quit, but I can’t see non-smokers taking up the pleasure just to show solidarity with their mates?
Another is the number of people who join their friends outside the pub or office or wherever, because the craic is better, and they start smoking to be with the friendly lot. That isn’t really a runner though? I know a lot of people have taken up smoking for that reason, but I can’t see it accounting for an increase of two to three percent?
I can only think of one logical reason why smoking is on the increase. Smokers used to enjoy their pastime in the privacy of their pub or their office. Naturally, you wouldn’t see them unless you entered their premises. Now however, they have all been forced out onto the street. Where once you could walk the length of a town without seeing a single smoker, now there are clusters of them outside every second door. There are smokers everywhere. What better example for the young?
The Nazis are very worried about example and visual stimulus. Why else would they ban advertising or the display of cigarettes? Yet, by their own actions they have made smoking into a high profile sport. They have created their own equivalent of advertising hoardings by making people smoke in the most public of places. No advertising executive could dream up a better scheme.
Personally, I don’t give a flying fuck whether people smoke or not. It’s nothing to do with me.
I do love to see the Nazis shooting themselves in the foot though.
Heh!
Within a year of the smoking ban being introduced the newspapers in Ireland were carrying articles stating that bar staff were now ‘80% healthier’.
Amazing what they can do nowadays. How did they separate the other health risks bar staff endure such as walking down a polluted street to work? Coal fire fumes? Urban Harneyfarts? Joe Duffy?
Amazin’. I’m all agoggle.
Don’t give them ideas! Only a matter of time before they ban outdoor smoking.
“The first modern, nationwide tobacco ban was imposed by the Nazi Party in every German university, post office, military hospital, and Nazi Party office, under the auspices of Karl Astel’s Institute for Tobacco Hazards Research, created in 1941 under orders from Adolf Hitler.” Hmmmmmmm.
Con – Along with all the articles stating how the rate of heart attacks had dropped by 500%, and the incredible number of pubs that had opened since the ban came in?
Robert – They will try. You can count on it.
TT – I was well aware of the Nazi connections. Their “research” was adopted by the British after the war, and it is that, rather than science that still drives the movement to this day. Hitler must be laughing in his grave.
Funny, you never mentioned it in yor numerous references to Nazis.
TT – Too obvious, maybe? At this stage, I know one hell of a lot about the history of the anti-smoking movement.
There’s plenty of ‘research’ which other governments took on after the war. Other leaders were actually very envious of Hitler. His tactics are used by America and Iran. Make people stupid, then scare them. Job done.
Yep, you’re on a mission alright.