Scientists debate a license to smoke cigarettes

CBS News ^ | 11-13-2012 | Stephanie Pappas

[Renfield]

They do it for coal-burning power plants. So how about something for what many consider to be a walking smokestack -- the cigarette smoker?

Yes, a license to smoke. Simon Chapman, a professor of public health at the University of Sydney in Australia, offers this radical proposal to help reduce the damaging health effects of tobacco, both for the user and the recipient of second-hand smoke.

You may think this is brilliant -- or crazy -- or both. Chapman's proposal appeared Tuesday in the online journal PLoS Medicine, accompanied by an opposing view put forth by Jeff Collin, a professor of global health policy from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland....

[SampleMan]

I’ve never smoked. This kind of crap is tempting me to start. I’m thinking there is an enormous amount of money to be made in untaxed tobacco.

[stuartcr]

Ingest, not necessarily smoke. One can eat pot while but not tobacco.

[massgopguy]

Breathing will be cause for a personal carbon tax and instead of getting a deduction for your children they will constitute an additional tax.

[Dr. Sivana]

I’ve never smoked. This kind of crap is tempting me to start. I’m thinking there is an enormous amount of money to be made in untaxed tobacco.

The most successful dealers don't partake.

[DarkWaters]

Sure, after all this is where its heading anyway. I am not joking by the way. If you cannot get one or get it renewed based on the every morphing criteria that the overlords create, then its off to the gas chamber for you. I can just see it now, the interview, the rectal exams you will go through just to have the privilege of getting a license to breath. And if you are flagged in there database just like people are on the TSA database for flying for example, then tough luck, your time is up.