# Politics and News > UK, Canada, Oz, NZ >  Australia's wild plan to eliminate smoking

## kazenatsu

This is how politicians actually think, in a country like Australia.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...7aba1fef95724f

*Smokers could be made to buy cigarettes with a prescription or at a pharmacy, in an ambitious new plan to wipe out smoking in Australia almost entirely.* *And here we have yet another example of the government control and social engineering practiced in Australia. 

Currently, Australians are paying the equivalent of $25 USD per pack, due to the intentionally high taxes designed to discourage smoking.
Clearly the Australian government uses taxes as a means of social engineering**.*

Another plan in the works calls for raising the taxes so high that Australians would have had to pay AU$ 48.50 per back of cigarettes, equivalent to $34.50 US dollars. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...pack-year.html


Since the Australian government heavily subsidizes its healthcare system, the Australian mentality is that government has the right to force people to be healthy, because if they don't it will end up costing the government.

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Foghorn (10-13-2020),Lone Gunman (10-12-2020),Rebel Yell (10-13-2020),Rutabaga (10-13-2020)

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## JustPassinThru

Yup.

Legalize pot but criminalize tobacco.

And no, pot is not better for the lungs.  It's better, though, for Leftist politicians - who do best when the electorate is confused and scrambled and unable to think clearly.

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Brat (10-13-2020),Foghorn (10-13-2020),Lone Gunman (10-12-2020),Oceander (10-13-2020),Quark (10-13-2020),Rebel Yell (10-13-2020),Rutabaga (10-13-2020)

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## Lone Gunman

*Since the Australian government heavily subsidizes its healthcare  system, the Australian mentality is that government has the right to  force people to be healthy, because if they don't it will end up costing  the government.*

where does the government get its money?

moreover, say this moronic effort is successful, what's the next group to be marginalized, vilified, extorted and eventually extinguished?

it won't end with smokers.

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Brat (10-13-2020),Foghorn (10-13-2020),Quark (10-13-2020),Rebel Yell (10-13-2020),Rutabaga (10-13-2020)

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## Quark

Marxism marches on and eventually wins. This is what happens when guns are outlawed the government really goes crazy.

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Brat (10-13-2020),Northern Rivers (10-13-2020),Rebel Yell (10-13-2020),Rutabaga (10-13-2020)

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## Sled Dog

Hmmm....nicotine addiction is one of the strongest, third to cocaine and heroin?  

And the fascists running that island continent want to turn tobacco into a controlled substance...?

I can't imagine what can go wrong with this plan.

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Brat (10-13-2020),Quark (10-13-2020),Rebel Yell (10-13-2020)

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## Sled Dog

> *Since the Australian government heavily subsidizes its healthcare  system, the Australian mentality is that government has the right to  force people to be healthy, because if they don't it will end up costing  the government.*
> 
> where does the government get its money?
> 
> moreover, say this moronic effort is successful, what's the next group to be marginalized, vilified, extorted and eventually extinguished?
> 
> it won't end with smokers.


 @Northern Rivers will have to send us some video when he graduates from Goose-Step School.

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Northern Rivers (10-13-2020),Quark (10-13-2020)

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## Rebel Yell

> Hmmm....nicotine addiction is one of the strongest, third to cocaine and heroin?  
> 
> And the fascists running that island continent want to turn tobacco into a controlled substance...?
> 
> I can't imagine what can go wrong with this plan.

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Quark (10-13-2020)

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## Foghorn

The Asians that control the black market are licking their lips.

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Oceander (10-13-2020),Quark (10-13-2020),Rebel Yell (10-13-2020)

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## Sled Dog

I can imagine some enterprising American turning their 45 foot ketch into tobacco boards and smuggling it into Perth, like Cheech and Chong turned a van into weed to get it across the border....

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Oceander (10-13-2020),Quark (10-13-2020),Rebel Yell (10-13-2020)

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## Northern Rivers

> @Northern Rivers will have to send us some video when he graduates from Goose-Step School.


_Why? I don't smoke. I'm watching my sister-in-law lose her battle with smoking-related lung disease...and...it just killed Eddie VanHalen. And, yet...idiots still think they're the one that will live to be 100.

Eh. Not my circus, not my monkeys....

Goose-Step School? So long as it ain't ducks, I'm okay with it.

_

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Quark (10-13-2020)

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## Northern Rivers

> Hmmm....nicotine addiction is one of the strongest, third to cocaine and heroin?  
> 
> And the fascists running that island continent want to turn tobacco into a controlled substance...?
> 
> I can't imagine what can go wrong with this plan.


 :Smiley ROFLMAO:  Don't worry about our fascists...they probably won't let you in the country.

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## Northern Rivers

> Marxism marches on and eventually wins. This is what happens when guns are outlawed the government really goes crazy.


This is the first I'm hearing about it.....

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## JustPassinThru

> *Since the Australian government heavily subsidizes its healthcare  system, the Australian mentality is that government has the right to  force people to be healthy, because if they don't it will end up costing  the government.*
> 
> where does the government get its money?
> 
> moreover, say this moronic effort is successful, what's the next group to be marginalized, vilified, extorted and eventually extinguished?
> 
> it won't end with smokers.


The emerging term is, "Medical Tyranny."

This is only a start.

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Brat (10-13-2020),Quark (10-13-2020)

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## Sled Dog

> _Why? I don't smoke. I'm watching my sister-in-law lose her battle with smoking-related lung disease...and...it just killed Eddie VanHalen. And, yet...idiots still think they're the one that will live to be 100.
> 
> Eh. Not my circus, not my monkeys....
> 
> Goose-Step School? So long as it ain't ducks, I'm okay with it.
> 
> _


You better start caring.

Once they get that aspect of private life strongly under public control, the Karens Down Under will be seeking another project to control.

Might be your music.

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Brat (10-13-2020),JustPassinThru (10-13-2020),Quark (10-13-2020)

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## Quark

> _Why? I don't smoke. I'm watching my sister-in-law lose her battle with smoking-related lung disease...and...it just killed Eddie VanHalen. And, yet...idiots still think they're the one that will live to be 100.
> 
> Eh. Not my circus, not my monkeys....
> 
> Goose-Step School? So long as it ain't ducks, I'm okay with it.
> 
> _


 I don't smoke either but I look at the big picture and look at how freedom and liberty is eroding and fast and how Marxism (totalitarian) and Fascism (authoritarian) government states are gaining strength throughout the world. What will they outlaw tomorrow.

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## Oceander

So, should all prescription drugs be no longer controlled, and allowed to be sold OTC without any authorization?

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## Quark

> You better start caring.
> 
> Once they get that aspect of private life strongly under public control, the Karens Down Under will be seeking another project to control.
> 
> Might be your music.


 You've got that right.

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## Sled Dog

> So, should all prescription drugs be no longer controlled, and allowed to be sold OTC without any authorization?


Their body, their choice.

Why should they be controlled?  So long as minors are prohibited from buying them, what's the problem here?

The prescription is the doctor telling the patient what medicines he RECOMMENDS for the best treatment.  Why should a third party or the government come between the doctor and the patient?

And if a fool wants to be his own doctor, simply absolve the pharmacist and the drug manufacturer from all liability resulting from misuse of the product.  Which doesn't mean they still aren't liable for proper quality control and safety testing.

Shooting the lawyers is a good first step towards liberating any modern society.

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Quark (10-13-2020)

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## Oceander

> Their body, their choice.
> 
> Why should they be controlled?  So long as minors are prohibited from buying them, what's the problem here?
> 
> The prescription is the doctor telling the patient what medicines he RECOMMENDS for the best treatment.  Why should a third party or the government come between the doctor and the patient?
> 
> And if a fool wants to be his own doctor, simply absolve the pharmacist and the drug manufacturer from all liability resulting from misuse of the product.  Which doesn't mean they still aren't liable for proper quality control and safety testing.
> 
> Shooting the lawyers is a good first step towards liberating any modern society.


Why should minors be prohibited?  Isn't that a private matter between them and their parents?

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Northern Rivers (10-13-2020)

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## Sled Dog

> Why should minors be prohibited?  Isn't that a private matter between them and their parents?


Do you get paid for stupid questions?

Minors are considered inferior under the law on the assumption that they lack the maturity to make complex life-changing decisions wisely.

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Quark (10-13-2020)

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## Oceander

> Do you get paid for stupid questions?
> 
> Minors are considered inferior under the law on the assumption that they lack the maturity to make complex life-changing decisions wisely.


Do you get paid for stupid answers?

Now you're falling back on legal presumptions to buttress a position that has gone too far.  tsk, tsk, tsk.

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## Quark

> So, should all prescription drugs be no longer controlled, and allowed to be sold OTC without any authorization?


Yes after a period time and some are as I'm now able to get some drugs that were prescription only.

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## Oceander

> Yes after a period time and some are as I'm now able to get some drugs that were prescription only.



Including Fentanyl?  Oxycontin?

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## Sled Dog

> Do you get paid for stupid answers?
> 
> Now you're falling back on legal presumptions to buttress a position that has gone too far.  tsk, tsk, tsk.


Yes.

That's why I'm living in poverty.

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## Sled Dog

> Including Fentanyl?  Oxycontin?


What part of "the federal government under the Constitution has no authority to regulate substances" did you fail to understand from your high school civics class?

If stupid people want to play with Fentanyl, their body, their choice, just the same as if a pair of them decided to put 5 rounds in a revolver and play Russian Roulette.

So long as they were over the age of consent.


I am a real libertarian, after all.

Their body, their choice.

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## Northern Rivers

> You better start caring.
> 
> Once they get that aspect of private life strongly under public control, the Karens Down Under will be seeking another project to control.
> 
> Might be your music.


Perhaps. "All this" seems to be the problem of the gentrified city folk...of it is a problem. Most are glad to see the end of tobacco...including, me.  :Dontknow:

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## Northern Rivers

> Do you get paid for stupid questions?
> 
> Minors are considered inferior under the law on the assumption that _they lack the maturity to make complex life-changing decisions wisely_.


_That's why Democrats want to drop the age of voters to sixteen.

_

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## Sled Dog

> _That's why Democrats want to drop the age of voters to sixteen.
> 
> _



I've seen morons seriously recommend the age of 3.

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## Physics Hunter

> What part of "the federal government under the Constitution has no authority to regulate substances" did you fail to understand from your high school civics class?
> 
> If stupid people want to play with Fentanyl, their body, their choice, just the same as if a pair of them decided to put 5 rounds in a revolver and play Russian Roulette.
> 
> So long as they were over the age of consent.
> 
> 
> I am a real *libertarian*, after all.
> 
> Their body, their choice.


That explains a lot.  I expected you lot to drag your butts out and try to disrupt this election after Kamala announced free MJ for everybody...

I fought in that online war.  We won.

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## Northern Rivers

Finally. Some news that I saw on this thing:

https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/cigar...7JSR12FpvBvUqU

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