Anti-Tobacco Law In Spain

[Urloc]

I have read quite a few studies here, but none were really made by a trustworthy authority. What I can really tell is the anti-tobacco law in Spain (I am Spanish although living in Thailand).

Two years ago the government passed a law forbidding to smoke in any public place, including bars and pubs however, after being studied by the ministry of health, they allowed the use of water pipes in these locals because (and I translate this from Spanish language) "Although it contains tobacco it can not be related to cigarettes as it does not contain all the harmful substances that cigarettes have".

That said, the hookah industry in Spain is minimum and it is not a huge collective that could make a pressure in the government. Many pubs and bars in Spain had to close because smokers reject to go there and have to smoke in the street and the government still passed the law so, I guess this is quite a competent authority since it is not a bunch of students in a university but the minitry of health of a "quite" developed country.

[Epoch]

I think it's sad that governments can tell businesses what sort of smokers they're allowed to host.

[gramps]

From the very beginning the health effects of second-hand smoke have been exaggerated. Now it has been "common knowledge" for so long there's no point in challenging it. Politicians have it in their heads that second-hand smoke is the worst thing next to a lethal gas, and there's no changing their minds.

That said, it gets even worse. First they go for no smoking laws. Then they go for no tobacco of any kind. And finally they want to ban nicotine in all forms. Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile.

George Washington said, "Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." Therefore it's in our best interest to keep government as small as possible to keep it from eliminating all of our freedoms.

[Rani]

Let's not forget [i][u]health care insurance is a business![/u][/i] If you can collect insurance payments, while not treating much, thereby increasing your profits, wouldn't you do so? I admit it. I'm very anti-big business these days, thanks to some serious political systems research, but it does follow. If they can eliminate absolutely everything possible from treatment, we'll still die. Maybe it will take a little longer but that just means we'll be paying insurance premiums longer. And what's one of the biggest lobbies in the US? Health care insurance companies. And in those nations with Universal Health Care, who collects the premiums for insurance? Government.... In the words of great detective novels.... Follow the money.

'Rani

[gramps]

Do you know who rejects more claims than any insurance company? Medicare.

I'd rather trust "big business", though nowadays that's just about synonymous with government.

[Rani]

[quote name='gramps' timestamp='1347053309' post='555970']
Do you know who rejects more claims than any insurance company? Medicare.

I'd rather trust "big business", though nowadays that's just about synonymous with government.
[/quote]

Read "Profits Over People: Neo-liberalism and World Order" by Noam Chomdy and then get back to me about that big business thing.

'Rani

[gramps]

I assume you meant Chomsky, and no, I don't read drivel like that.

[Rani]

[quote name='gramps' timestamp='1347057600' post='555972']
I assume you meant Chomsky, and no, I don't read drivel like that.
[/quote]

Taking our thread jack private.

'Rani

[Urloc]

Well guys... that is not the case in Spain since hospitals there are paid by the government. Almost nobody uses private health in Spain because the public one is the best in Europe.