Why is smoking legal?

What do people feel when they smoke? Is it that sensation that makes them addicted to it?

Not necessarily. You should look into the chemical that actually causes addictions: dopamine. It isn't just the nicotine that causes tobacco addiction. Most smokers don't actually have a sensation when smoking a cigarette, but rather a relaxation (even though it's a stimulant). It has also been suggested that the modified breathing pattern of smoking actually adds to the addictive properties present in the chemicals. Weird stuff.

The same modified breathing pattern can actually give some light smokers the ability to produce more PSI through exhalation than non-smokers. Light smokers tend to breath deeper and somewhat more naturally in rhythm and consistency. Nicotine patches have an extremely low success rate as an aid to quit smoking. Drugs like Wellbutrin in addition to deep breathing exercises are supposed to be much more practical and successful than nicotine treatment (gums, patches, etc).

Sort of discussion goes way back. Idle did a good job describing but here is a more detailed version. But in general I completely agree with Idle. Human lives have no inherent purpose or meaning and it really doesn't bother me. You may want to look into philosophy if you are interested.

Or....
Human lives are the most precious of life and the only opportunity to facilitate spiritual change to realize the potential of your soul.

Depends on which book you read. ;)
 
You "create" your own "inherent purpose" in life for yourself if you are fully aware of what is good and what is bad in this world for you. Next step should be to avoid doing things that harm others since life doesn´t revolve only around me/you. In short, smoking has no purpose in my life since it harms me/you and even other people. I had never! ever the intention to smoke. It´s an obsession that won´t get you/me anywhere in the long run but only making you feel good for a short period of time... Over and over again.

But in the end it will destroy you, so it will harm you more in the end.
 
What do people feel when they smoke? Is it that sensation that makes them addicted to it?

I never felt anything when I would smoke, not relaxed or anything. Then again I would only smoke whenever I would drink so maybe that's why. I can't see how people get addicted to smoking I just find it strange.
 
It's legal because it's a cash crop. With the current economic state of America if we banned smoking many states would virtually become bankrupt because they would lose their most profitable trade. If you think smoking should be banned, so should McDonald's, skydiving, driving, ...uh, everything outside of the house? Everything you do puts you at risk. Dying of lung cancer is the least of my worries.

I like smoking because it's baller though. Having an excuse to just bounce for 15 minutes and get your mind right is invaluable.

EDIT: That said I think smokers should respect others wishes and not smoke in restaurants/public places and such. If others don't want to smell it, or be fucked by second hand smoke, that's their right and you should respect it. Let people make their own decisions just as you have to smoke.
 
I never really understood why the government illegalizes only some acts of self-harm. Why is any drug or not using seatbelts illegal when tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy food, or anything that shortens your life legal? Do the other drugs just kill you quicker? How fast does it have to kill you for it to be too unhealthy to be legal? Why even make the dangerous stuff illegal?

Idk, but I can't help thinking about this from a game theory perspective. I'm going to assume most people already know the self-harming effects, but users still think it's worth it to use whatever. Making it illegal shifts the expected value against partaking. Even though value here can't be quantified, most would agree that risk of getting caught and being seen as a criminal, making it harder to get a job, and maybe even jailtime can contribute to the risks being considered in the decision-making process.

So maybe making the dangerous self-harming activities illegal is just a way of nudging the risk/reward out of the favor of something that shortens lives, which results in loss for the government. But really, that's what all laws do. We can do whatever we want, really. The law only presents risks to discourage certain activities in order to maintain the working order of the system of society.

Still doesn't explain why marijuana's illegal though.
 
I never really understood why the government illegalizes only some acts of self-harm. Why is any drug or not using seatbelts illegal when tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy food, or anything that shortens your life legal? Do the other drugs just kill you quicker? How fast does it have to kill you for it to be too unhealthy to be legal? Why even make the dangerous stuff illegal?

Idk, but I can't help thinking about this from a game theory perspective. I'm going to assume most people already know the self-harming effects, but users still think it's worth it to use whatever. Making it illegal shifts the expected value against partaking. Even though value here can't be quantified, most would agree that risk of getting caught and being seen as a criminal, making it harder to get a job, and maybe even jailtime can contribute to the risks being considered in the decision-making process.

So maybe making the dangerous self-harming activities illegal is just a way of nudging the risk/reward out of the favor of something that shortens lives, which results in loss for the government. But really, that's what all laws do. We can do whatever we want, really. The law only presents risks to discourage certain activities in order to maintain the working order of the system of society.

Still doesn't explain why marijuana's illegal though.

I'm all for equalizing the birth/death rates. Legalizing all drugs would be great for that. They are so out of whack that we'll run out of everything soon unless we go China and make it illegal to have multiple kids. Wait, this is the most sociopathic statement I've ever uttered on the internet or otherwise, haha.
 
I never really understood why the government illegalizes only some acts of self-harm. Why is any drug or not using seatbelts illegal when tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy food, or anything that shortens your life legal? Do the other drugs just kill you quicker? How fast does it have to kill you for it to be too unhealthy to be legal? Why even make the dangerous stuff illegal?

Idk, but I can't help thinking about this from a game theory perspective. I'm going to assume most people already know the self-harming effects, but users still think it's worth it to use whatever. Making it illegal shifts the expected value against partaking. Even though value here can't be quantified, most would agree that risk of getting caught and being seen as a criminal, making it harder to get a job, and maybe even jailtime can contribute to the risks being considered in the decision-making process.

So maybe making the dangerous self-harming activities illegal is just a way of nudging the risk/reward out of the favor of something that shortens lives, which results in loss for the government. But really, that's what all laws do. We can do whatever we want, really. The law only presents risks to discourage certain activities in order to maintain the working order of the system of society.

Still doesn't explain why marijuana's illegal though.

Signia just theory fought national drug policy. Now I've seen everything.

As a former poker player, let me tell you- life isn't all math.
 
You need help man. YOU NEED HELP.
Sarcasm aside, I don't view decision-making purely from a mathematical perspective. I just look at what influences decision-making. I understand that it's not always the risk/reward that drives decisions. There's more to game theory than that. It's a set of techniques not only to mathematically analyze risk/reward but also to manipulate the way the "game" is being played using psychological principles.

For example, often I throw out Mitsu 9A+B just to make myself look like a crazy player, then I immediately tighten up to fool with their perception of my personal movelist and risk-taking capability.

I don't think the game is just math, that life is math, etc. That only works for things you can count.
 
As a veteran smoker of 20+ years (yeah thats right i started when I was 13, arent I so cool), I can tell you that there is a sensation of some kind. When you first smoke, its the sensation of your lungs catching on fire. Now a days smoking helps me to not kill people. Im very cranky when I dont smoke. So there is a relaxing sensation to it of some kind.

But why is it legal huh? Do you know how big the tobacco industry is. And how long its been around. Probably one of the oldest conglomerants in US history. Theres no way your getting rid of it now. The got thier hand so far up the governments ass, they damn near control them.

I started from your normal reasons that you see on an "after school special". Pier pressure, blah blah blah. Then my parents didnt do anything to prevent me from smoking. In fact, they bought em for me. Its a horrible horrible habit. Its very expensive now days (back when I started I got smokes for $1.25 a pack, now they are $6.75 a pack).

People tell me all the time. Its all in your head man. You either wanna quit or you dont. Well yeah, that has truth to it. Its a habit I really wish I had never picked up. $200+ a month in smokes is just stupid crazy. But yet Im still the idiot buying em.

Dont smoke kids....it costs to much money to be cool these days

HRD
 
Sarcasm aside, I don't view decision-making purely from a mathematical perspective. I just look at what influences decision-making. I understand that it's not always the risk/reward that drives decisions. There's more to game theory than that. It's a set of techniques not only to mathematically analyze risk/reward but also to manipulate the way the "game" is being played using psychological principles.

For example, often I throw out Mitsu 9A+B just to make myself look like a crazy player, then I immediately tighten up to fool with their perception of my personal movelist and risk-taking capability.

I don't think the game is just math, that life is math, etc.

I know that man, I'm playing up the joke. I just find it amusing because they way you theory fight on the boards is not at all the way you actually play.

Oh btw all those CH 6B's you got at NCR catching backdash could've been B6's ;)

Edit: Part of the fun of the message board side of the community is the personas we develop accidentally. I mean shit, I'm nothing at all like the way I'm presented here, and I strongly suspect you aren't an emotionless computer in real life either- but enjoy it. Embrace it. It's fun.
 
I don't know about you guys...but i get breaks from everything, all day long. work? school? family reunion? i'm taking 5 minutes FOR ME. I get gossip and small talk time where there would be none. I have made best friends, secured long term jobs, closed many large catering jobs, gotten laid, scored killer dope, cured my OCD ticks completely...overnight... and generally made my life better in tons of ways, because i smoke cigarettes and cigars. Anyone who only looks at the health side effects and ignores the huge mental and social benefits of smoking is a fool, or just a pussy.

If you can't appreciate a good whiskey and a good smoke with friends on a nice evening, you are not a man. Period.
 
Ever heard of lobbying. Take a look at the Republicans, a big load of there money comes from oil companies...Don't you find it weird that every republican thinks that global warming is a myth when it's in fact reality. The government can't really make cigarettes illegal because that will be a big lost of revenue but at least they give us warnings of cancer and ect.
 
I don't know about you guys...but i get breaks from everything. I get gossip and small talk time where there would be none. I have made best friends, secured jobs, closed many large catering jobs, scored killer dope, cured my OCD ticks completely...overnight... and generally made my life better in tons of ways, because i smoke cigarettes and cigars. Anyone who only looks at the health side effects and ignores the huge mental and social benefits of smoking is a fool, or just a pussy.

If you can't appreciate a good whiskey and a good smoke with friends on a nice evening, you are not a man. Period.

For real. Smoking brings people together. It's like a really big community that is brought together against their will sometimes, haha.
 
Think about how prohibition went in the US. Now imagine the same thing happening again with cigarettes. There's your answer.
Ohio did the next best thing and made it illegal in any public building or within 20 feet of the door. Every state should have this law.

It's so nice to be able to go to a restaurant or bowling and not have to take an hour long shower just to get the stink off of me.
 
Ohio did the next best thing and made it illegal in any public building or within 20 feet of the door. Every state should have this law.

It's so nice to be able to go to a restaurant or bowling and not have to take an hour long shower just to get the stink off of me.

I cant speak for all of california. But there are several cities in san diego that have done that same thing!!
 
Florida has the same thing, with exceptions - if less than (some percentage, I think 60?) was food then you can smoke inside. For bars and cigar lounges, I think.

I think Illinois has no exceptions and you can't smoke inside or 20 feet of any building.
 
Smoking is one of the most stupid habits of all time.
I mean why would you pay to inhale toxic fumes? You can just find yourself a handsome exhaust pipe to suck on, it's fo' free and kills you faster?
I have people in my family who complain about bills but spend a considerable amount of money on cigarettes. When they complain about bills, I just show them a cigarette price chart.
My family loves me that way.
 
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