New York is discovering this. The latest news to come down the pike is that New York State, nearly bankrupt and desperate for money, is going to have to slash it’s state-funded “Anti-Smoking” program.
ALBANY — New York’s fiscal crisis is now expected to have to take another $10 million from the anti-tobacco program to help balance the state budget. Anti-smoking forces believe the proposal would end a TV ad campaign and eventually cost more in health care costs.
“That means a tremendous fall off of service,” said Russ Sciandra, the director of the Center for a Tobacco Free New York. He said the latest cut is about three times the reduction most other state programs have faced, cutting funding to about $58 million this year from about $85 million a year ago.
Good riddance, said Audrey Silk of New York City Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment.
“That department should be eliminated completely,” she said. “While they report they have been effective, their reports are based on surveys of people reporting their own smoking habits. In a climate where you are so stigmatized and demonized for being a smoker, who will answer honestly?”
Here here! I’m not a smoker and I really dislike the stench of cigarettes, but this demonizing of smokers has GOT to go. It’s become, like, the Eleventh Commandment in our culture. THOU SHALT NOT SMOKE. Oh sure, people can fornicate like rabbits, but YOU’RE GOING TO HEEEELLLLL if you smoke a cigarette!
What has our culture come to?
Anyway, I don’t think government should be bankrolling ANYTHING like an anti-smoking program, or an anti-obesity program, or netbooks-for-disadvantaged-homeless-people or any kind of goofy social-engineering program! For one, it’s none of the government’s business, and two, it’s costing taxpayers an arm and a leg!
That Nanny State business sure is pricey, isn’t it? Maybe New York should slash ALL such idiotic programs. We’d all be a lot happier, healthier, and wiser. Because while I may not smoke or use cell phones for fear of New York State’s Social Engineering Gestapo, I’m about to blow an artery from all the stress, trying to keep up to pay all these taxes to stop people from smoking and using cell phones! Give me a break!
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
I’d prefer privately-funded rather than government-funded anti-smoking campaigns too. However, I disagree with you on the relative impact of smoking versus fornication on third parties. Second hand smoke affects me adversely. As far as I know, two people fornicating doesn’t affect me at all, unless they’re doing it while trying to drive down the street.
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Second-hand smoke affects people immediately. Sexual immorality in a society (fornication, adultery, etc) affect people indirectly and over time, which is the reason for much of the non-chalant attitude in our country and other Western cultures like it. Allow me to offer an example: fornication (i.e., sexual relations outside a monogamous, binding relationship), leads to both a coarsening of society (loss of civility) and things such as unwed mothers, unwed mothers needing welfare, fathers who have no interest in rearing children or producing more responsible citizens, etc, as well as abortion. I don’t feel the need to elaborate on what the welfare state has done for our country, but think of abortion. 35 million children have been eliminated since 1972. Beyond the atrocity of such blatant infanticide, it has wreaked havoc on our economy as well. The Social Security System is defunct. In only a few years, there will be more people drawing from the system than contributing to it. Why? Well, because we have fewer workers per “retirees” now than at any time before in history. Why is that? Why, partially because of abortion; some small blame goes to mismanagement, too. But an ENTIRE segment of an ENTIRE generation has been wiped off the face of the earth– the people of MY generation (I am Gen X).
Sexual licentiousness DOES affect society. Unrestrained sexual behavior coarsens society. Whereas we as members of our families and communities should have the attitude “How can I serve/help the members of my society,” the attitude becomes “How can I use/gain from the members of my society.”
Now certainly promiscuous sexual behavior cannot be blamed for ALL the ills of an uncivil and selfish society, but it sure can be blamed for a good lot of it.
In rereading my comment, I realize that I sound just like Thomas Sowell or Pat Buchanan. Oooo I just LOVE Thomas Sowell and Pat Buchanan!! Hee hee! That ought to make everyone ELSE crabby today! :D
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
If you really want to talk about long-term or indirect effects, you could also add that even a lone smoker, puffing away in his own home would eventually decrease the property value of his house which would–over the long haul–have an adverse effect on society in general. Both smoking and fornication have long-term, indirect consequences. I was speaking specifically about the immediate effects. Either way, I hope nothing adversely affects your indomitable crabbiness! You go!
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Indomitable crabbiness!! Haha I live that! Nay, my dear Patricia, I shall never lose that! ;)
I absolutely agree about the smoking after-effects. I used to live in an apartment and the people next door were smokers. I thought I was going to DIE from the putrid stench! I was actually quite happy when NYS passed the anti-smoking laws. I guess I’m not against public laws like that, and I’m not against taxation on such things (Alexander Hamilton called them “vice taxes.”). But I very much dislike the State treating us like we are babies, who need coddling and coaching.. all at taxpayers’ expense!
As always, thank you for your very thoughtful comments! I appreciate them greatly. :D