lis-smoking is a physical addiction. it's not all in the head-some of it is but to say 'just quit'-isn't always realistic.

sk8 - You can quit if you choose to quit. Your posts scream that you are weak minded. Your posts are full of excuses. IF you really want to quit then quit.

shutup.... and sk8, thanks for the posts that creak and collapse under the weight of their own "reasoning."

The only people these taxes are hurting are the people that can't afford it. It's going to backfire. The people that can't afford to smoke and can't quit are going to become more reliant on the government and the social programs. The taxes alone from cigarettes will not cover the costs from these people. But, remember diamond Jim Doyle is not out to disenfranchise poor people. Yeah right!!!

gazettefan: As I mentioned before, quitting isn't easy. There are a lot of things that none of us can afford these days. I add up on a daily basis how much I could save if I could quit....I could actually take a vacation. Smoking is a choice and if I could choose to quit right now, I would, but I can't afford the medication to help me quit. It's actually cheaper for me to keep smoking, if you can believe that. Really? This article is about our government dictating to business owners, who've worked very hard to have what they have. It should be there choice to allow or disallow smoking in their establishments. Everyone thinks that the U.S. is a free country, but it's not as free as we would like to think.

higher......, did the tax stop your brother from smoking?

Governor Doyle wrote to my brother that he would NEVER do anything to tax smokers and he claimed to be on the side of what is right. Well he CHANGED his view very quickly. My brother still has that letter and plans to tell DOYLES opponent if he decides to run again just how TRUTHFUL he is. I am a non smoker who grew up with smoke filled rooms my whole life. Both of my parents lived long lives and smoked heavily for years. Neither has lung problems. I was fine until I went to a factory and breathed in REAL bad chemicals and now I have breathing problems because of that. I have never smoked. I think people are being way to sensitive and baby-like. Get a grip and stop this bashing against smoking, which is legal. My brother cannot afford this huge tax increase. How about you? Do you have any habits that others don't like?? Like I say, Get a Grip and leave smokers alone.

Here is something to consider:
People who smoke get cancer and die; people who don't smoke get cancer and die.
People who drink get cancer and die; people who don't drink get cancer and die.
People who drive and use seatbelts die, people who drive and don’t use seatbelts die.
The one common link to everyone is water. We need water to cook with, to take a bath with, brush our teeth with, to clean our house, to grow our food and flowers. You cannot go a single day without using water in some form.
Now consider the mass hysteria that would be involved if the government actually came out and said that we should no longer use water or drink eight glasses a day because of all of the chemicals used to make our water “safe”.
By the way, I am a non-smoker!

I'm digressing back to the smoking ban issue. But all in all-it's the same. People's rights. My kids have a right to not be exposed to smoke, I do to. We have so many places we can go to that are smoke free. Smokers-it's a bad habit. It's an addiction. Business owners-those who have worked so hard to realize their dreams-why should you be told that you can't allow something that is legal in your establishments? Where will it end?

It's just that there are so many non-smoking places out there already. I'm a non-smoker and I don't support a smoking ban. It's not about smoking being bad for you-it's about business owner's rights in this case. To say to bar owners-you can serve legal alcohol even though it's bad for people but you can't allow legal smoking that's bad for people doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Yeah-smoking affects others but as I stated before there are so many non-smoking establishments for people to go to. (and alcohol affects others too-drunk driving, violence, being a jerk, etc)

latinmami2, I too am a smoker and completely agree with everything you said. I respect the rights of those who don't smoke. In fact, I don't like to smoke in public places at all. I do it in my car or in the privacy of my own home and not even inside our home.

ljs64: Do you drink? Do you take medication? Do you eat red meat? Get plenty of exercise? Do you get colds? Do you have any sort of a chronic disorder, like arthrits or fibromyalgia or MS? I could throw numerous questions at you. The fact of the matter is, you too go to the doctor and every one of your visits also drives up insurance rates. Quitting isn't as easy as you seem to think it is. The medications to help you quit aren't covered by most insurance companies. I don't see the doctor because I smoke, I see the doctor because I have a chronic disorder and even then I don't go when I should. Do I want to quit? Absolutley. Have I tried? Yes. If you've never had an addiction to anything, even pain medication, you don't know how difficult it is to break that habit. I used to smoke over two packs a day and now I smoke less than a half a pack and some days only a quarter of a pack. I've come a long way, but I don't appreciate being judged by someone who has no idea just how difficult it is! I'm not making any excuses for my habit....it's just that MY habit. I respect those around me. I don't even smoke around my kids. I appreciate your concerns, but unless you can tell me that you or your family never visit the doctor or go to urgent care or any other type of health facility, don't point the finger just at the smokers. We pay much higher premiums where I work for being smokers. Our rates go up drastically, while the non-smokers may take a couple dollars a month increase. I pay my dues and my guess is so do you.

latinmami2: You absolutely have the right to smoke. And you absolutely don't have the right to smoke around other people who care about the air they breathe. I totally support your right to do anything you want, as long as it doesn't harm others. You are one of those that care! There are so many I encounter in bars and restaurants who do not. I don't agree that the state should force the owners of these establishments to control smoking - that should be the right of the business owner. But at the same time I hope that business owners recognize there is a market for smoke-free establishments.
Thanks for being considerate.

Very considerate, latinmami

i think that for people who do want to smoke (i am a smoker) that you should just have respect and do it away from the people who do not, i don't smoke in my home i have kids and my husband does not smoke, i don't smoke inside my job because illinois has now banned that, well i don't smoke inside anywhere and if i do smoke and people are around that don't i kindly step away, it saves on all the lectures of why i should not and it does not make the other people uncomfortable or mad.

mark707, I went to the page you referred to about smoking statistics. I remember stats similar to these from about 15 years ago. I believe they were from either The American Cancer Society or The American Lung Association. Basically, the more education a person had, the less likely they were a smoker. And the greater their income, the less likely they smoked. More men smoked than women. Also, more minorities were smokers.

Well all you smokers have more health issues which in turn cause you to go to the doctor thus cost the insurance companies more money and thus raise my premiums. So your self righteous rant about "It's my choice" is WRONG.
What military branch did you serve in freddog? You talk so much about your freedoms and rights, what have you done for society?

Here is some interesting info I found out about this survey.
1. It was funded by the "Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention & Control Program"
2. The survey was conducted by the "2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System"
Here's the statistics:
http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/tobacco/pdffile...
3. The survey was done by randomly calling 600 home phones.
4. Those 600 phones were all "land lines".
5. No cell phones were called.

Hmmm! They sure were able to gather a lot of impressive looking statistics from 600 people who were home, not at work, and were not contacted by cell phone. Did these 600 even have a job?
How accurate do you think these statistics are?

For all those whiners about government 'infringing' on your rights. I'm tired of paying for your 'freedom' to injure yourself by not wearing a seatbelt (higher insurance premiums), smoking (higher healthcare costs and insurance), drinking (higher healthcare cost, prisons, and innocent deaths), etc. So I don't have a problem with government mandating curbs on people who lack good judgement around/for others!!!!!

I have noticed something similar, just in the neighborhoods I have lived in Janesville and Beloit areas. The lower the income, the more likely it is that a person is going to smoke. Also, the higher the education a person has, the less likely they are going to smoke. Of course, there will be variations to this, but this is an overall observation.

Mr Obama is a smoker.....

Libertarians...UNITE!!!!!!!!

almost every great leader of our country smoked, cigar, pipe, whatever, they used their tobacco, now we are in a terrible economic mess, and who's been running the country...non-smokers, give me a guy who can light up, sit back, relax and think about things everytime..

thanks mark, and critisism dosen't bother me, I always remember, people who understand never need a lot of explanation and people who don't can never have enough,,

fred--I give you credit for having the integrity to admit an error, which is something many posters can't bring themselves to do.

Hey freddog - Thanks for all the great information. It really does matter to me. I was wondering though, is this article your homepage? Seriously. XOXOXO

I stand corrected, thanks, hope everyone reads the quote, thanks again..

freddog--You're absolutely wrong about the quote, and yousureitsme is right. It can be found in at least six online encyclopedias. It is Benjamin Franklin's line, and the full quote is: They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety

you didn't hurt my feelings dave old boy, all you did was show everyone else how little you know about anything..seems to me I heard somewhere that there once was a man who was treated very badly, made fun of and abused by the masses, then they nailed him up...anyway, you can't help being you, you're the one who has to live with it,,, poor guy..

I've seen people driving with a book in front of them, a newspaper, their foot out the drivers side window, on the dash, eating, drinking water, soda, looking for things, and it bothers u if someone holds a cigarette, why not ban it all, no food, no drink, nothing to distract the driver, you make one thing so huge, make it look so terrible, what do you call a sweet old mom with a dog in her lap going 65 MPH, some things are worse then others, you really need to think things through, you're trying to single one thing out because you don't like it, it's what you want for your own satisfaction, you want to make one group, one thing bad in everyones eyes, make fun of things, it's all you have to offer, I pity you, what a lonely life you must have...

freddog: I am so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings? Friends again? :O)

if I counted right, Dave hasn't had one intelligent thing to say, just verbal abuse, going the make the other person look small route, shows what lack of education is...and does...

I don't use a phone when I am driving, it's not safe, my choice, and it's common sense...do you?

If I counted right, freddog posted 12 of the (as of right now) 23 comments here. I hope he is not texting these on his cell phone as he drives down the freeway with a cig in the other hand and the driver side window cracked open a half inch as he blows the smoke out the window.
Hey - this stream-of-conciousness thing is fun!

Gazettefan calls all the thousands of people who have died in the last 200 years defending freedom nonsense, defending his right to speak here nonsense, let me guess, you are for abortion and for laws banning all things bad for us and for government protection agaist all the things that go bump in the night for us..

They target the lower class income on this issue as those that smoke cant afford the high costs they charge for the " stop smoking" aids available. Not in this article but they raise the taxes on cigarettes and it just mainly affects the lower income people. I am trying to quit and the price for certain help aids is very costly. But I will do it and it may be hard but my health is priority. It is not easy after years of smoking.

I been working at the same place 10 years now, sorry some folks are out of work, that will change, grateful I have a job, don't see where I work has any place in this discussion tho, and by the way I work where I choose to work, at least that right hasn't been taken away yet, I can see that coming tho, hope not, I wouldn't make a good potatoe farmer...maybe you would?

I don't have a picup truck, maybe someday, handy to have and with the kids grown, don't need a lot of room..

Don't like guns, never owned one, don't like hunting, have a hard time killing things, never once said someone else shouldn't have the right to own a gun, never once said it's wrong to hunt, it's the right that has been given us in our constution, I would willingly defend your right to own a firearm, as a matter of fact, a lot of young men are overseas right now defending that for you...

it dosen't matter if I smoke or not, what we are talking about is the freedom to choose, how many fat burgers do you eat, how many times have you rolled through a stop sign, just made the yellow light, how many times have you had just a few then drove home, don't throw so many stones, unless you can truly say you have commited no sin against me or anyone else, you're free, to move away from the fire, you don't like smoke don't go around it, my health is mine, not you'rs to control. worry about your own faults, I'll deal with mine..

Hey fred,
Ex-GM worker?
Pick up truck owner?
Gun owner?

time for a nap Dave...

freddog, you seem to be really enjoying the freedom to just makeup a lot of nonsense. How many cancer sticks do you suck on a day?

I never tire of talking of freedom, any real American will work to exhaustion in it's defense...

Most often I do not comment. We are becoming a socialist country. The person that owns this business should decide on if they want no smoking or smoking, if they want union or non union etc. It is their hard earned money that started this business and keeps it running. If you go into a place and it is either smoking or nonsmoking and you do not like what way it is leave. Same goes with workers if you do not like smoking and you apply to work there knowing it is a smoking place do not work there same with nonsmoking. It is becoming where no one owns anything. The government jumps in and decides how you are going to run your business yet it is not their money running the business. The more rules the government puts on us it makes this country more socialist every day.

do you realize, with our present laws, Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant minds of the last century, would be killed in the womb because he would be diagnosed early with ALS, and be aborted as a imperfect fetus...pass your yuppie laws, defend your ideas of what moral and what is right, and keep on killing our future, someone should advocate a law about keeping busy-body noses out of other peoples lives...

mark707: Hilarious.
freddog: Wow, what a brain dump. You must be exhausted now.

Thomas Paine, read more...

the decision to smoke or not is a persons right to choose for themselves, it's their life, it;s their health, not yours to decide whats best, so many people want to control, want control over others, are not happy unless they are running the show, I agree smoking isn't in a persons best health, but I also agree with our forefathers decision to let us be free to choose, it's the people who are deciding how a parent should raise a child that is causing the problems we are having with gangs, with drugs, no parent is allowed to punish, abuse is anything now, simply using a loud voice is called abuse, I am not advocating beating children, but don't you think it's a good idea to be stearn and let the child know what is right and what is wrong, the state and federal government wants to run every aspect of our lives, wants to be in control of every move someone makes and little by little laws are passed, chipping away at our freedoms, if we as americans let them continue taking as little as one percent a year away, what will the United States be in 100 years...as long as the things I do cause no harm to anyone else(and don't tell me about second hand smoke, you people who whine about that have no fear of it when you drink yourselves into a stupor at some local bar without complaint)..as long as I live my life doing my best to be happy and allow other people to live their lives without interference, then keep your laws to yourself, stop trying to control mine, it's a short walk from controling my life to wanting to control my mind, you remind me of 1930's Germany, pick a cause, pick something to rally the people around and dwell on it, keep the hate for it growing and burning, fan the fires, pretty soon a lot of people are really miserable, and the world and it's people suffer...

freddog: I believe that is a quote from Benjamin Franklin not Thomas Paine.

most non smokers are namby pamby yuppies who follow blindly and never really contribute to man's welfare, opinions and ideas, very little action, tho they hold a lot of meetings...

Einstein smoked....

Wow! An anti-smoking group (UW Health) did an expensive study and found out that smoking is bad and that blue collar people smoke more.
I could have reached the same conclusion in an afternoon of bar hopping.

It shows that non-smoking correlates with higher intelligence. And that a comprehensive statewide smoking ban is needed here.

big brother needs to stop passing laws for our own good and let us decide as free americans whats good for us, I don't need someone forcing their views on me, seatbelts kill as well as save and non-smokers die from the same things smokers do, I don't like other peoples opinions forced on me,,,anyone who gives up any of his freedom for temporary safety deserves neither freedom or safety..Thomas Paine

I'm "quite" sure, we should "quietly" "quit".!!!

quite or quit??

That is the question.

we all need to quite i guess

What is the point of this study? Is this just a prelude to more legal restrictions?