should the state continue to hand out welfare to smokers.

marcsignal · 08-10-2012 11:14PM

ted1 wrote: »

Treatments for smoke related illnesses cost the state hundreds of millions every year. As those on welfare are already a burden to society, should we as a nation continue to hand them out money so that they may become a even greater burden.

Smoking will eventually disappear. If you want to being in something progressive then raise the price of a Mc Donalds Happy Meal to 15Euro in order to combat the diabetes time bomb were sitting on. The money the state will have to spend on diabetes and obesity related diseases in the future, will dwarf anything they will ever have to spend on smokers.

lertsnim · 08-10-2012 11:15PM

candy-gal1 wrote: »

if the rumours ive heard are true that cigarettes are gradually going to go up to 15e then tbh anyone willing to pay that for them, even now their pricing is excessive, should be seriously thinking twice about quitting them if on the dole, thats an incentive in itself

It's no wonder the black market is booming

ted1 · 08-10-2012 11:16PM

Shryke wrote: »

I don't agree with calling people on welfare a burden. There are not jobs for everyone and the majority want to work.
They are not a greater burden and contribute plenty to the coffers.
A man with a decisive mind like yours should turn his gaze to very sick people and old people. Sure they're never going to work again, only suck up money and die. You might as well throw them all in a big fire and we as a nation can heat the water with this corpse fire and save on the electricity and turf.
Tax fat people more while you're at it. Clear health issue there. Fat people on the dole? Put them all on treadmills attached to generators and they'll help keep the lights on and get healthier, and if they collapse you can throw them in the corpse fire.

Read my post above, I was making a point that the amont of begrudgery that goes on here is crazy. Everyone wanting to take funding away from schools, yet when there free smokes and money is threatened they go bananas.

dirtyden · 08-10-2012 11:17PM

marcsignal wrote: »

Smoking will eventually disappear. If you want to being in something progressive then raise the price of a Mc Donalds Happy Meal to 15Euro in order to combat the diabetes time bomb were sitting on. The money the state will have to spend on diabetes and obesity related diseases in the future, will dwarf anything they will ever have to spend on smokers.

Is that just because you say it will, or do you have anything to back this outrageous statement up?

Littlehorny · 08-10-2012 11:17PM

But smoking is known as the poor mans tax!
Also for every million smoking related illnesses costs the hse, the government makes 9 million in tax! The government do not want us to stop smoking!

Stinicker · 08-10-2012 11:17PM

Smokers are ideal for the Government they pay a hell of a lot of taxes and usually die off early saving the state alot of money in pensions.

Chucken · 08-10-2012 11:19PM

ted1 wrote: »

Read my post above, I was making a point that the amont of begrudgery that goes on here is crazy. Everyone wanting to take funding away from schools, yet when there free smokes and money is threatened they go bananas.

Would you explain the bolded section please???

SimonLynch · 08-10-2012 11:22PM

MistyCheese wrote: »

No!
They should get cigarette vouchers, so that they won't be spending their welfare money down the pub.

Or, smokers should have a "smoker's supplement" taken from their benefit every week and this will be paid directly to the cigarette sellers. That way the cigarette sellers will be guaranteed their money every week. The "smoker's supplement" will allow for one 20 pack a day but there will be a minimum contribution of €2.64 that smokers have to make so the supplement will be €61.56 weekly.

And we should set up an Office of Tobacco Control that looks after this kind of thing

Meanwhile, in Germany, they still have open displays of cigarettes (4 euro for 20 cheapest), there's cigarette advertising on the street and you can smoke in pubs where there's no food, we must be the greatest Europeans ever.

marcsignal · 08-10-2012 11:28PM

dirtyden wrote: »

Is that just because you say it will, or do you have anything to back this outrageous statement up?

Plenty

According to Dr Donal O’Shea, a consultant endocrinologist and the director of the weight management Clinic at St Columcille’s Hospital, 20% of Irish children are obese or overweight

Article

Taking into account the knock on effects of obesity in kids today (not taking part in sports, and sitting on their arses on playstations all day etc) I would guess that figure will be a lot higher than 20% in ten years time, unless radical action is taken now.

There are no available stats for children who smoke, but in the 15 to 17 yr old age group it's only 14.2%

Chart

Full Statistical breakdown of smoking habits in Ireland.

mcmoustache · 08-10-2012 11:28PM

ted1 wrote: »

Treatments for smoke related illnesses cost the state hundreds of millions every year. As those on welfare are already a burden to society, should we as a nation continue to hand them out money so that they may become a even greater burden.

You do realise that almost everything they spend on fags goes right back into state coffers, don't you?

Assuming conservatively that 7 quid per box of fags is going back to the state, a 20-a-day smoker on the dole costs the state €49 per week less than a greedy non-smoking scrounger.

They don't spend so much time suckling from the udders of the state after retirement either.

You should be thanking smokers.

OneArt · 08-10-2012 11:28PM

themadchef wrote: »

A year passed: Winter changed into Spring, Spring changed into Summer, Summer changed back into Winter, and Winter gave Spring and Summer a miss and went straight on into Autumn... until one day...

we had something new to argue about.

Awesome. Now who's giving the punishment? *licks lips sadistically*

UDP · 08-10-2012 11:36PM

I'm not a big fan of smokers - can't understand the stupidity tbh but they pay their way when it comes to the extra burden of health costs on the state through the large extra tax they pay.

Considering bad diet kills more people annually than smokers should we monitor the diets of those on welfare? If you eat anything that is considered not healthy should your welfare payments be stopped?

ArtyC · 08-10-2012 11:37PM

Oh sweet Jesus..... What a stupid stupid tread

areyawell · 08-10-2012 11:40PM

I live the lifestyle of a Rock star Vatican Assassin. I have one gear gooo! Thank you all the people who work for allowing me to buy cigarettes, sit on my arse all day and play FIFA, go to the pub on weekends and get langered and take nice holidays around Europe and America with my friends with your tax euro's. Please stay working as I don't want my dole to go.

TangyZizzle · 08-10-2012 11:41PM

Shryke wrote: »

I don't agree with calling people on welfare a burden. There are not jobs for everyone and the majority want to work.
They are not a greater burden and contribute plenty to the coffers.
A man with a decisive mind like yours should turn his gaze to very sick people and old people. Sure they're never going to work again, only suck up money and die. You might as well throw them all in a big fire and we as a nation can heat the water with this corpse fire and save on the electricity and turf.
Tax fat people more while you're at it. Clear health issue there. Fat people on the dole? Put them all on treadmills attached to generators and they'll help keep the lights on and get healthier, and if they collapse you can throw them in the corpse fire.

To the right kind of psychopath, you are an inspiration.

mcmoustache · 08-10-2012 11:41PM

ArtyC wrote: »

Oh sweet Jesus..... What a stupid stupid tread

Yeah, but what can you do.

*lights up*

smokiebeverage · 08-10-2012 11:43PM

ted1 wrote: »

Treatments for smoke related illnesses cost the state hundreds of millions every year. As those on welfare are already a burden to society, should we as a nation continue to hand them out money so that they may become a even greater burden.

Assuming 4.4 Million Population, 20% Smokers, around €7.00 Tax per pack and the average smoker buys 6 packs a week, that comes to €1.9 billion on tax each year. I think you'll find the smokers are paying for you, cheapskate!

marcsignal · 08-10-2012 11:45PM

mcmoustache wrote: »

Yeah, but what can you do.

*lights up*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDgFrVCkGxE

Esoteric_ · 08-10-2012 11:52PM

Great idea! Then we can cut dole for anyone who drinks, drives (we should be using public transport to reduce carbon emissions ofc), eats anything other than lean protein, veg and a small amount of fats and carbs, anyone with any genetic disease who has a child ('cause they shouldn't be passing on their diseases, don't ya know?) anyone who buys anything that isn't 100% Irish made (we should support our own economy!) and anyone who drinks caffeinated drinks because caffeine is addictive and bad for you.

OR you could mind your own damn business about what people spend their money on. I've been a taxpayer since I was 15, and I'm on the dole for the past 2 months. If I want to smoke, I'll bloody well smoke, I've more than paid my dues for the 2 months I've been on the dole.

marcsignal · 09-10-2012 12:02AM

As it happens, and as a smoker, I have no issue with the smoking ban in pubs and restaurants etc. I think anyone who smokes knows how bad it is for you. I do however have a problem with extortion by the Govt because of the cost of cigarettes. They know people are addicted and will continue to smoke.

It's clear they've gone into overkill on the matter though. The illegal cigarette market is flourishing and they are losing a load of revenue because of it.

I don't buy illegal cigs. I went on to rolling tobacco about a year ago, and travel to Europe frequently. I buy my tobacco there, and I bring back (legally) 1Kg at a time. The saving nearly pays for my next flight over, and I simply repeat the process. I haven't bought tobacco here since last Christmas.

I'll gladly give my tax revenue to the Spanish, French, Italian, or German Govt instead of being shafted by our own shower.

edit : A 12.5g pack of Amber Leaf Tobacco costs Euro4.70 here ?? and you can get a 50g pack of the same in Spain for about Euro7.00.

admiralofthefleet · 09-10-2012 12:05AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

If we left the poor to die, jailed the rich, send all the furigners home, kicked the Brits out, hung the priests, set fire to the Dail and bombed the IMF, do you think we'd have radio silence in AH?

post of the year

B.A._Baracus · 09-10-2012 12:06AM

Ah yes. Another "anti smoking" thread.

But I laugh at the op (and people like him) Such hatred for smokers. Going as far as wishing to cut the social welfare of smokers :rolleyes: But yet at the same time, will never mention anything about the tax smokers pay. Oh no... that brings in too much revenue for the government. Gotta keep that in place.

KKkitty · 09-10-2012 12:11AM

OP did you get up out of bed the wrong side this morning? I'm a smoker and I'm sick to the teeth of people having a go at smokers. I'm on benefits and what I and others in the same boat do with our money is nothing to do with you. GTFO your high horse and be angry with governments past and present who did more to ruin this country than all the smokers in the land put together.

marcsignal · 09-10-2012 12:13AM

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Ah yes. Another "anti smoking" thread.

But I laugh at the op (and people like him) Such hatred for smokers. Going as far as wishing to cut the social welfare of smokers :rolleyes: But yet at the same time, will never mention anything about the tax smokers pay. Oh no... that brings in too much revenue for the government. Gotta keep that in place.

It's funny, I have a mate who's a militant anti smoking nazi, but drinks like a prostitute. If we're going back for a few tinnies to some smokers house after the pub, he's quite happy to leave his 'principles' at the door.

Snowie · 09-10-2012 12:14AM

ted1 wrote: »

Treatments for smoke related illnesses cost the state hundreds of millions every year. As those on welfare are already a burden to society, should we as a nation continue to hand them out money so that they may become a even greater burden.

Ahh here ya troll what the fvck like?

Is it the people on the dole que's fault that, the likes of anglo irish and aib bank of Ireland gave out loans of ridicules amounts with out any money to devlopers?

who sudddenly went broke fvckt of to america and the likes and never paid a cent back ?

OO yeah the people on the dole spending a couple of quid on a packet of fags is really going to break the allready broke banks at least there giving something back in tax! Which probably recirculates back in their dole and not fvcking of to Australia :rolleyes:

MistyCheese · 09-10-2012 12:14AM

Let the smokers pay the smoker's tax, I pay the Homer tax.

MadsL · 09-10-2012 12:15AM

Never mind Irish people getting their rightful allowances, shure Nigerians get free cigars from the welfare. I saw a black fella smoking one the other day.

KKkitty · 09-10-2012 12:17AM

MadsL wrote: »

Never mind Irish people getting their rightful allowances, shure Nigerians get free cigars from the welfare. I saw a black fella smoking one the other day.

You're joking? Please say you are!!

Chucken · 09-10-2012 12:19AM

MadsL wrote: »

Never mind Irish people getting their rightful allowances, shure Nigerians get free cigars from the welfare. I saw a black fella smoking one the other day.

The get free Zippo lighters too. And they just throw them away when they light up cos they'll get another one from the CWO the next day.

B.A._Baracus · 09-10-2012 12:20AM

KKkitty wrote: »

You're joking? Please say you are!!

Its only a joke

But dont get me started on the BLOODY NIGERIANS THO! ... I SAW ONE GIVEN A TAXI LAST WEEK!

.... also joking :pac:

should the state continue to hand out welfare to smokers.

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