The ambivalence of smokers

Why are between 12 and 14 million smokers in this country so ambivalent about their treatment for enjoying that legal product tobacco?

How come a new e-petition, in a matter of days, can accumulate 100,000 signatures without really trying?

An e-petition calling for rioters to lose their benefits has hit 100,000 signatures and become the first to be considered for a Commons debate.

It has dwarfed others on the government website, which has struggled to deal with the volume of people accessing it.

The petition has now been formally referred to a committee which will decide whether to hold a debate.

And yet the petition to "Amend the smoking ban" can only muster a paltry 145???

Should we give up now and keep our tails between our legs like shivvering whippets I wonder.

Update: I've just checked the British Bullshit Corporation and can't find any petition with 100, 000 petitioners on it but did find "Convicted London rioters should loose all benefits." with 144,464 petitioners on it. Is this another case of journo's not checking their facts nor their figures. Nothing new there then..

ALL SMOKERS ARE GUILTY

We live in the UK, we pride ourselves on living in a country where justice always prevails, the true guilty will be found guilty, the innocents will be found innocent. If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear, ---- everyone is protected except law abiding tax paying smokers it seems. Yesterday Chris Minihan, from Liverpool was found guilty of a smoking offence with no tangible evidence and was fined £715.00 including costs of just because he is a confessed smoker who allegedly used a perfectly legal product an e-cigarette. in the cab of his vehicle. According to the smoking Gestapo officer enforcement officer Yvonne Taylor, she watched his arm come in and out of the window with a cigarette, which got smaller on each occasion. She said "I could clearly see smoke emitting from the cab and the motion of him flicking ash,"------ "I then observed the cigarette stub flying from the driver's hand on to the grassed area below." The trouble is as he is a confessed smoker, the prosecution do not need any evidence, They failed to Produce:- Any samples of ash:- Any Cigarette stub:- Any photographic evidence, even a picture of the alleged cigarette stub that was clearly indicated to have been on the grassed area below:- The smoking Gestapo officer enforcement officer was described as a credible witness by the chairman of the bench but failed to produce any tangible evidence, it seems that you do not need any tangible evidence if you want to prosecute a smoker. Quite rightly Mr Minihan is lodging an appeal and may take the appeal all the way to the European courts of human rights. In the true spirit of Elmer Fudd, council officials stated Mr Minihan had been offered the opportunity to pay the fines but had declined and opted for court action and the council will continue to enforce the legislation on littering and smoking in accordance with national guidelines and council policy. This begs the question why the fuck should Mr Minihan even consider paying a fine for alleged littering where is the evidence? --- He has broken no national guidelines by smoking an E-cigarette, --- and is the stated -- "council policy" --- a secret policy to persecute innocent smokers. And to any smoking Gestapo officer a*seho*e reading this in the words of Elmer Fudd:- Dis begs the qwestion why shouwd Mw Minihan even considew paying a fine fow awweged wittewing whewe is the evidence? He has bwoken no nationaw guidewines by smoking an E-cigawette, and is the stated -- counciw powicy --- a secwet powicy to pewsecute innocent smokews. Why don't you get a pwopew job instead of pewsecuting innocent waw abiding tax payews and acting wike a twumped up wittwe Hitwew.

THE BAD SAMARITAN

It is now the 21st century, we live in a so called civilised society, Gordon Brown our Prime Minister proudly boasts that he is listening, understands and is getting on with the job.

Has Gordon Brown listened to and understood approx 25% of the population?, namely high taxed law abiding smokers?.

The answer is a clear resounding NO--- the only job that he is interested in is supporting every initiative to bully smokers into submission and wasting millions of pounds in a Government quest.

Only yesterday it was announced that patients at Rampton failed to overturn a smoking ban.

The patients at the hospital have been in a legal battle for 2 years stating that the ban amounts to discrimination and violates human rights.

The poor souls at Rampton do not have the choice of popping outside for a therapeutic calming cigarette they are incarcerated with no choice, and now thanks to the ruling of the three appeal judges the patients are being forced to stop smoking against their will.

It was only 24 months ago that the smoking ban was introduced on the pretext of protecting workers from so called second hand smoke, this piece of legislation is now being used to bludgeon vulnerable people / patients into submission.

• Casting our eye back to April 2008 --- Mentally ill patients detained at a Chester hospital will have fewer rights than prisoners :-

• Depressed taxman kills himself over smoking ban --- We think the ban killed him, he was so depressed hardly ever went out :-

• NHS want to close smoking room to terminally ill patients --- It doesn't matter if patients are terminally ill, said Dr Spencer Jones :-

There are hundreds of other examples where the week and vulnerable smoker are being targeted in a crusade reminiscent of Medieval England.

Gordon "The Bad Samaritan" Brown should be aware that the smoking ban is based on bad science as described by Times online.

Whether Gordon likes it or not he is Prime Minister, --- he has the power to turn spiteful vindictive anti smoking policy into a fair balanced policy, --- he can offer choice and heal division, --- Gordon can give the OK for an indoor smoking facility at Rampton Hospital, he can ease the patients frustration and agitation, --- The good Samaritan would.

SMOKING BAN IS A ROAD TO FAILURE

The Government and main news media are keen to report that the smoking ban is a huge success, compliance here, compliance there they trumpet and herald.

While they have been concentrating on Pubs / Businesses etc, our motorists are firmly in the fast lane smoking the metaphorical Churchill cigar.

And at the end of the drivers working day there are no dead bodies to dispose of, no casualties to be piled up back at the works depot, no mountains of bodies hidden behind the factory gates, there are no second hand smoke victims.

Where are they hiding the victims of so called second hand smoke?

Stand besides any of our main roads, you will be pleasantly surprised:-

• White van man and his workforce all crammed in the drivers compartment, all enjoying their cigarettes while cocking a snoop at authority.

• Council vehicles all proudly emblazoned with the local authorities logo, council operatives all seated in the drivers compartment drawing on their Mayfair Lights.

• Mondeo man or todays equivalant, no smoking sticker in the window, representatives and their customers snug in the leatherette interior all enjoying a Super King or maybe a Berkeley.

Our motoring population are giving the big thumbs down to the smoking ban and long may it continue.

The Smoking ban is on the road to failure, help it on its way,:--- help consign it to history.

UNEMPLOYED? BECOME A SMOKEFREE MOUTHPIECE

There are now 2.38 milllion people unemployed in the UK, and I am one of the statistics, personally I am pissed off looking for that elusive vacancy with some decent pay.


We all know that job seeking is no fun, so when you see a glut of vacancies for dental hygienists with salaries ranging from £48,720 -- £50,400 you become curious to what they exactly do.

Well what does a dental hygienists lot consist of?.-- It appears that one of the main priorities of a hygieinist apart from raking in the cash is to be a smoking cessation officer. Out of the 80 jobs advertised at Trovit Jobs all vacancies quote smoking cessation in the job description.

Dental hygienists have become another government frontline anti smoking mouthpiece and you are paying through the nose for their unwelcome advice. Further investigation at the British Dental Journal outlines their mission.

• Dental patients that smoke need access to local services to stop them smoking.

• A dentist that recognises the patient as a smoker has a duty to inform the patient of the options open to them.

• And:- Dentist can help stop their patients from smoking by recognising the oral signs of tobacco use, informing patients of these and asking patients whether they wish to stop.

In other words the dentist or the dental hygienist have become the new anti smoking snoops, offering unwanted pressured methods to try to get you to stop smoking at all costs, all paid for by you.

A card arrived today advising an unemployed me that my dental check up is due. I will dutifully attend but look at the £50,000 a year Hygienist through gritted teeth, I am not entitled to free treatment.

There are now 2.38 million unemployed, there are probably more than 2.38 million vacancies in the anti smoking / smoking cessation sector. There seems to be enough vacancies in the anti smoking industry to cure unemployment.

Anyone willing to take the Kings Shilling or in this case £50,000 to become a smokefree mouthpiece?.

€106,840,000 Wasted, The Filter Tip Of The Iceburg By B7

If you have Freeview / digital TV you may have noticed the new EU anti smoking campaign on the minor digital channels.





The Cost of this new TV campaign is not readily available however its likely to cost tens of millions of Euros based on the following examples.

• 
  For a start there is Help 2.0 an EU-wide anti-smoking campaign using internet and mobile phones communication with a budget of €16.84 million Euros.


• 
  And the second wave of the EU-wide anti-smoking TV advertisements called EU’s HELP – for a life without tobacco budgeted at €72 million Euros.


• 
  Also the first major EU-wide anti-smoking campaign from 2004 ,the overall budget of this campaign was €18 million Euros.
  
  

The total without taking any other EU anti smoking projects into account or the latest TV advertising campaign is a staggering, eye watering, mind numbing €106.84 million Euros ( €106,840,000).

The *a*ta*d Uk government and the *u*t* at the EU are wasting multi millions of Pounds and Euros of your money on anti smoking propaganda. Result smoking prevalence is remaining static, how much more of your *uck*ng money are they going to waste?.

Have you missed the chance to scoff at the new Freeview / digital EU anti smoking adverts? you can enter a free completion to win a Freeview DVB-t USB stick and watch them on Freeview on your computer.

Simply register on the forum at freedom2choose go to general discussion, new competition area.

Good luck the competition is free but their anti smoking propaganda is costing you a f*c*in* arm and leg, tell your friends before the EU bans tobacco completely and beware there is more EU anti Smoking ice below the waterline.

€106,840,000 Wasted, The Filter Tip Of The Iceberg By B7

If you have Freeview / digital TV you may have noticed the new EU anti smoking campaign on the minor digital channels.





The Cost of this new TV campaign is not readily available however its likely to cost tens of millions of Euros based on the following examples.

• 
  For a start there is Help 2.0 an EU-wide anti-smoking campaign using internet and mobile phones communication with a budget of €16.84 million Euros.


• 
  And the second wave of the EU-wide anti-smoking TV advertisements called EU’s HELP – for a life without tobacco budgeted at €72 million Euros.


• 
  Also the first major EU-wide anti-smoking campaign from 2004 ,the overall budget of this campaign was €18 million Euros.
  
  

The total without taking any other EU anti smoking projects into account or the latest TV advertising campaign is a staggering, eye watering, mind numbing €106.84 million Euros ( €106,840,000).

The *a*ta*d Uk government and the *u*t* at the EU are wasting multi millions of Pounds and Euros of your money on anti smoking propaganda. Result smoking prevalence is remaining static, how much more of your *uck*ng money are they going to waste?.

Have you missed the chance to scoff at the new Freeview / digital EU anti smoking adverts? you can enter a free completion to win a Freeview DVB-t USB stick and watch them on Freeview on your computer.

Simply register on the forum at freedom2choose go to general discussion, new competition area.

Good luck the competition is free but their anti smoking propaganda is costing you a f*c*in* arm and leg, tell your friends before the EU bans tobacco completely and beware there is more EU anti Smoking ice below the waterline.

FOOTBALL IS BIG PHARMA THE REFEREE B7

A few weeks ago Chelsea fans were left scratching their heads after their team were robbed of a place in the Champions league final, by the Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo.

The old Shed enders were aggrieved, shouting, swearing but in the face of adversity failed to even spark up a Mayfair light or even a pre rolled old Holborn, the invisible referee was at work.

Referee Tom Ovrebo had denied them victory but who were the invisible referees who had red carded their smoking pleasure, a few clues to start from the football league.

• 
  Walsall FC stand is sponsored by NHS Txt 6446 are they going to let you smoke and upset their sponsors, like f*u* are they.


• 
  Oh and NHS Walsall sponsor Walsall shirts are they going to let you smoke and upset their sponsors, bo*lo*ks are they.


• 
  Preston North End has a stand two-thirds of the stand’s interior is for the use by Preston NHS PCT, are they going to let you smoke and upset the PCT my a*s* will they.

Before reading on lets remind ourselves the stands at the vast majority of Stadiums are not 50 % enclosed and therefore smoking is perfectly within the law, so there are other forces are at work.

• 
  Quite interestingly the Chairman of the football Leagues working party, Tim Davies of Leicester City seems to be lacking in mathematical skills.Out of a survey of 43,000 football league fans only 50% wanted a total outright ban , yet Tim Davies proudly announced that fans around the country were clearly in favour of going smoke free, since when was 50% a clear mandate for any policy.
  
• 
  And interestingly nearly 80% of smoking and non smoking fans in the survey were quite happy with some form of smoke free policy ie separate smoking and non smoking areas or a compromise.

You are probably following the plot, you pay your NI contributions, the government gives it to the NHS, they spend your money on football related projects, football clubs do not want to upset their NHS backers so a*se holes to you. No smoking they have delivered a yellow card.

You have waited patiently who is chief referee delivering the red card in the football league its none other than Nicotinell who are official Nicotine replacement Therapy of the football league.

It gives a whole new meaning to playing on your own patch so go support your local non league team.

Good Money After Bad

By Colin Grainger

You've got to hand it to this government. They really do have a black belt 4th Dan in wasting our money.

Figures just released indicate that they are spending a lot more money to force smokers to quit, and fewer are quitting. Terrific policy.

I think I'll try that idea at work. I'll do a really bad job and ask for a pay rise. Think it'll work?

No, me neither.

This is the whole story, encapsulated in the opening paragraph:

"THE number of people giving up smoking has dropped sharply despite the NHS spending more than ever on helping them quit".

We are not surprised in the least. You shouldn't be either. Not when you know that NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy) in the form of patches, gum and inhalators, are their preferred method. Recently we told you of a new study that said NRT has a failure rate of 98.4%. Not only are the NHS spending millions on useless cessation treatments, they steadfastly refuse to employ methods with a documented success rate of 58%.

This compounds the failure: anyone foolish enough to be bullied into quitting by these fanatics are doomed to fail because the very product they prescribe is criminally inadequate.

Why do they continually push this crap? Is it possible the NHS is actually run by the pharmaceutical companies? Or is it just that the NHS mandarins are addicted to wasting our money?

Time for the weasel words:

"A Department of Health spokesman said there was a big rise in people quitting in 2007 when smoking in public places was banned, so it was unfair to compare those with last year's figures".

"It's unfair to compare".

We said before the ban came in that there would be a rush to quit. I even suggested that you dump your tobacco stock and invest in pharma stock, but, I was quite specific at the time, I did say that you had to reverse that after about 90 days. We know that bans initially cause a dip in smoking, and a rise in quitting, but it always settles down and smoker prevalence usually increases again. We were right. Again.

The last line of the very short report says this:

"Smoking-related diseases cost the NHS £2.7 billion a year"

This tells us a couple of things. It tells us that the reporter, Anna Davis, went shopping for her facts at ASH Central. Only the zealots at ASH use this figure. Two months after they started telling this lie, we heard from the Health Minister who, when speaking in the House of Commons, told the House that the figure was £1.5 billion per year. Who are we to believe? I know, I know, it's a tricky one. The most mendacious, slimy government we have been exposed to for several hundred years, or ASH, the sales division of Nicorette?

So, we will run with £1.5 billion, just for laughs.

Even that figure is more than likely inaccurate. When you know that the term "smoking related diseases" is a misleading term, (because non-smokers can contract every disease a smoker can, without exception), you begin to realise the truth. How many non smokers are diagnosed with "smoking related diseases" and lumped in? What is the true and accurate number of smokers requiring treatment? We don't know. Neither does the government. And ASH have no clue either.

What we do know for certain is that HMG has thrown hundreds of millions at this. And with each new report about the "success" of the smoker ban, we know for sure it has all been wasted.

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Irish Government Says "NO"

By Colin Grainger

They said "NO!" to the Irish Cancer Society.

They said "NO!" to ASH Ireland.

They said "NO!" to the Irish Heart Foundation.

They said, "No tobacco increase in this budget".

They saw sense and were persuaded by various groups that to increase tax on tobacco was to invite container load after container load of smuggled cigarettes.

Well done! It is about time a government, any government, saw the light. We have been saying this for years. The higher the price of tobacco products, the bigger the smuggling problem gets.

Keep an eye on the Irish press in the next few days. All three of the above groups will be squealing like stuck pigs. They were wrong to bleat for more and more tobacco tax increases and today the Irish Government put them firmly back in their boxes. Long may it continue.

The British government loses up to £4.2 billion every year because of their infantile approach to tobacco taxation. They directly encourage smuggling and the criminals that take advantage of the high cost of tobacco. Maybe it's to ensure that our bobbies have plenty of work, who knows?

Since the British government foolishly copied the Irish smoker ban, will Chancellor Darling now copy the Dail again, and refuse to increase tobacco taxes in our upcoming budget?

Please! That would entail the use of common sense. This government ran out of that particular commodity about 11.3 nanoseconds after the 1997 general election.

Still, credit where it's due. The Dail did good work today.

Next step, amend your ban, and revitalise your pub industry. Your bars suck without customers. I know, I visited several empty, dismal bars in Dublin. The "craic" is gone, along with the smokers.

Get 'em back inside, where they belong.

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