25 Responses

1. rmcdaniel423

   2010 Dec 08 1

   @beavervalley1 This is what anebt was alluding to. By your standard, we should then also find a way to tax obesity, type-II diabetes, hypertension, etc. They are preventable and cost $ disproportionately. What about people who neglect their education? Where do you draw the line when you correlate a bad behavior with a costly outcome? Can I suggest a tax on war-mongering Republicans or big-government Liberals?

   I’d like to discourage smoking too. I just think it’s not govt’s job to do so.

2. beavervalley1

   2010 Dec 08 2

   @rmcdaniel423 by your accounts smoking should not be taxated and yet the added pressure that smoking has put on our health care systems is costing our country billions and billions of dollars that eventually get passed on to the tax payers that ass you said as a majority they don’t smoke. how is it fair that the non smokers would pay and equaly share of the money smoking causes…….. would you voluntarily by a car for someone who wants to destroy it… taxes on cigs save non smokers money.

3. anebt

   2010 Dec 08 3

   @rmcdaniel423 What the anti-smoking gang doesn’t realize is this: When the Boomers begin retiring (starting in 2011), they are going to live a lot longer. Smokers on average (and this is mostly pseudo-science) live an average 6-8 years shorter. If 95% of people smoke, they will live longer and longer until the Social Security/Medicare behemoth implodes. My grandmother quit smoking at around 45, began collecting SS when she was 62, and is now a healthy 98!

4. rmcdaniel423

   2010 Dec 09 4

   @anebt I get where you’re coming from, but your revenge tax only works if you can specifically tax obese people who vote for high smoking taxes. LOL Instead of different groups hating on each other, we should all work together to get gov’t out of our personal lives.

5. anebt

   2010 Dec 09 5

   @rmcdaniel423 I’m not referring to people like you, who happen to be in the minority. The majority of the people don’t like to be taxed–unless it’s someone else who’s going to be taxed. Smokers are the current scapegoats for taxes to pay for wasteful spending. The majority don’t smoke (80%), but they are just fine with the cig taxes. I’m only returning the favor. I hate junk food–sodas, candy bars, even pizza. It’s just time for them to get a taste of their own medicine.

6. shawnsbigtube

   2010 Dec 09 6

   @yenyoo: I have a friend in Japan who has lived there for 17 years, and she notices the change. She pointed out that there are more “western” businesses than before. Western influence has effected them. However, overall, Asians are still MUCH better than we are preventing obesity.

   I think fat camps for kids AND adults would be great! It’s about time we did something about this. Hell, it severely limits my dating options since I will NOT date a woman who’s obesity. It’s disgusting!!

7. rmcdaniel423

   2010 Dec 09 7

   @anebt You’re a smoker. Did the tax make you quit? Obviously not, by your own admission. I wish people didn’t automatically turn to legislation and taxation as a means of trying to solve complex social and personal problems. If people want to eat themselves to death, or smoke themselves to death, that’s their own business. I say NEITHER should be taxed.

8. yenyoo

   2010 Dec 09 8

   @shawnsbigtube the trend in asia of obesity is going up, but i know in some asian countries like singapore they crack down on obesity by sending fat kids to fat camp and only allow kids a certain number of calories in school meals.

9. somename1235465

   2010 Dec 09 9

   @Andreazor yeah, but Americans are lazy.

10. shawnsbigtube

    2010 Dec 09 10

    @Andreazor: So explain why Asians don’t seem to have much of a problem. I’ve spent some time in Japan, talk online to other people of Asian decent, and they’re fine. We (Americans) are just greedy, lazy, and wants things to be convenient like McDonalds, high salt frozen meals, etc. Plus, we’re programmed like robots. Who says that when you get home from work, dinner can’t be fruit and a bowl of whole grain cereal, tuna salad, chicken breast and veggies, etc.

11. shawnsbigtube

    2010 Dec 09 11

    This is part of the problem. As a former personal fitness trainer, I have to say the BMI scale is bullsh*t and causing more harm than good!! I’m 5’11, 218 pounds with 15% body-fat. Am I obese? Hell no! I lift weights once a week and play tennis a total of 4 hours each week! My weight is mostly lean mass!

    The American Council on Exercise lists having a body-fat percentage of 25% or greater as obese for men.

    BODY-FAT PERCENTAGE IS WHAT WE SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO, NOT BMI!!

12. afadin

    2010 Dec 09 12

    Dr. Melanie Jay is pretty

13. anebt

    2010 Dec 09 13

    Junk food taxes will go into effect. The media is warming people up to the idea. I’m all for it, as I don’t eat junk food at all. I smoke, and the public loves to gang up on me. Okay, it’s time to turn the tables and tax pizzas, candy, sodas, and all that pre-made junk that is packed with sugar and salt. I’m writing to my new legislators about the dangers of obesity and the link to junk foods. To all smokers, write, write, and write–let’s gang up on them! $5 tax on a large pizza, $1 soda tax .

14. Knepperify1

    2010 Dec 09 14

    @Andreazor.
    .
    Stop making excuses.
    .
    Most people in Asia, Russia, Europe and South America are not fat, they have more than enough money to eat as much as they want.
    .
    Put the fork down and go for a walk.
    .
    The USA is the Society of Addictions.

15. jaroncreed

    2010 Dec 09 15

    George W is overweight? Bullshit, he’s a pole

16. LetsRapeAdamLambert

    2010 Dec 09 16

    W-w-what the fuck? My weight in pounds is 70 (Im fat) and my height in inches is 61… 70 x 703 is 49, 210. 61 squared is 3721. Dividing the first figure by the second is 49,000 something. WTF? MY BMI IS NOT 49,000!

17. XSoulStormX

    2010 Dec 09 17

    Fat people need to turn into candles and soap.

18. eurasianchica

    2010 Dec 09 18

    @Andreazor So, even if you buy your own food in the USA, in most places unhealthy stuff is cheaper than healthy stuff.

19. eurasianchica

    2010 Dec 09 19

    @Andreazor I didn’t mean specifically McDonalds, rather I was using that as an example- in the US unhealthy fast food types are cheaper than the healthier foods.

20. Andreazor

    2010 Dec 09 20

    @eurasianchica
    Correct. But I still think it’s a bit odd. Me not being American, I can see this from another angle.
    I live on welfare currently as I’m unemployed (until next autumn) and I don’t go buying McDonalds food or anything of that sort. Why? Because it costs me much less to buy cheap ingredients for food and whenever there is a lowered price on meat/fish/chicken at the store I mostly go to.
    Ain’t it the same way in the US? That it would be cheaper to buy your own food.

21. Andreazor

    2010 Dec 09 21

    @Knepperify1
    Having a strong will is not as easy as you think.

    You should also know that the ingestion of food makes people feel good, it releases endorfins into your body. People with depression or people with a vulnourability to getting food addiction can have a seriously hard time putting that fork down.
    But ofcourse, most of it is just plain dumb. Not all fat people are lazy and irresponsible. Trash food is a problem, and needs to be adressed.

22. mokugin81

    2010 Dec 09 22

    Anyone Interessed About This Topic please Read The Obesity Epidemic by Zoe Harcombe.. its a Great book and its busting loads of the Diet Myths there are around since the 80s.. Enjoy it!!

23. bcroger2

    2010 Dec 09 23

    @PaijePeace
    Not over eating

24. bcroger2

    2010 Dec 09 24

    skinny and proud.

25. SlumberCloud

    2010 Dec 09 25

    Her voice annoys me