Should we get some political representation?

Denerick

Seems like smokers are the only stakeholder in society that doesn't have any interests representing them at the national level. Every conceivable group in the country has some kind of lobbying forum. Yet every year the government introduces new taxes, forcing the cigarette trade further and deeper into the black market, where its now at the stage that around 20% of smokers buy in the black market.

P.S. 'Thank you for Smoking' was a great film!

P_1

Good idea, unfortunatley the usual PC busybody brigade would make Joe Duffy explode with the sheer number of complaints. I can just imagine how that shower of 'lovely people' in ASH would react to the formation of such an organisation.

I think there's one in the UK though, can't be that influential though tbh, we probably would have heard about them.

red herring

It would be hard to find politicians willing to represent smokers in the current economic climate tbh, smoking is viewed as an ''unsavoury pastime'' by large sections of society.. I don't see political representation for smokers going down well with the public..

itsnotmyname

guys ........we know we should'nt b doing it , and theres no rational, in all fairness, that could win any debate on the subject ! :eek:..........well thats from the lungs !!!!

Denerick

itsnotmyname wrote: »

guys ........we know we should'nt b doing it , and theres no rational, in all fairness, that could win any debate on the subject ! :eek:..........well thats from the lungs !!!!

Oh I know that, all I'd want is a body representing us against these constant price rises. I don't want to buy on the black market, but the government forces my hand by making the price of tobacco uneconomical.

GA361

I think it would be good to have someone representing our interests. Nobody ever pretests about ciggarette price hykes in the Gov because they believe it to be too bad for their image (is what I'd assume). I don't understand the rationale behind the taxes anyway. We're told that it is to pay for the healthcare of smoker's if they suffer a smoking related illness. But do we not pay taxes like every one else (income tax and the likes etc). Does this not pay for the healthcare? Why should we have to pay extra tax on top of that?Why not start charging €8.50 for a tub of butter or pack of rashers because they cause high cholesterol? And what of people who have private insurance?

/rant

lord lucan

GA361 wrote: »

I think it would be good to have someone representing our interests. Nobody ever pretests about ciggarette price hykes in the Gov because they believe it to be too bad for their image (is what I'd assume). I don't understand the rationale behind the taxes anyway. We're told that it is to pay for the healthcare of smoker's if they suffer a smoking related illness. But do we not pay taxes like every one else (income tax and the likes etc). Does this not pay for the healthcare? Why should we have to pay extra tax on top of that?Why not start charging €8.50 for a tub of butter or pack of rashers because they cause high cholesterol? And what of people who have private insurance?

/rant

Well said. I've had this argument many times in the boozer but it usually comes back to "smokes are just bad for you"!!!!!!!

Imagine the price of a pint went up to €8.50 to combat drink driving! There'd be war. Vintners association shutting down streets of Dublin and talk of destroying the social fabric of the country!:mad::mad:

Rothmans

+ 1.
Vote Irish Smokers Party in the next general election

Denerick

Nominate me as President. I'd imagine we'd get between 9 - 10 seats and earn a place on the coalition government.

Our one and only policy - free fags for all.

Rothmans

Denerick wrote: »

Nominate me as President. I'd imagine we'd get between 9 - 10 seats and earn a place on the coalition government.

Our one and only policy - free fags for all.

lol, I'd thank you but you need at least 25 before you can do that lol