Comment Re:it isn't the best thing for your health, but... (Score 1) 365
I agree with you in part, but stigmatised != outlawed. It isn't outlawed to drink. It is outlawed to drink and drive. Smoking is slowly outlawed - in most civilised countries it is illegal to smoke in public places, illegal to smoke in restaurants, cafes, bars, you name it. In some countries it is outlawed to drink in certain areas, but not a lot. Soon, it'll be illegal to smoke in one's own home or on its balcony/in the garden, which to me spells complete bollocks. And the worst part of this is that it's extended to electronic cigarettes extremely fast. Which is completely dumb.
Smoking makes people look down on you. At least it does in the last 15 years or so. Drinking - not so much. At all I'd say. I do make a difference between binge drinking, regular drinking and casual drinking, obviously. I also know for a fact that alcohol tolerances vary a lot and I also know that regular alcohol consumption sometimes leads to alcohol problems. You don't need to get drunk for that, not every time anyway. But then some people notice their hands are shaking without a drink and they're irritable without a drink and they can't go to sleep at night without a drink.
What I'm trying to say is that at the end of the day the sum of all vices is equal in all of us. Some prefer smoking, some prefer a drink, some both, others are serial daters, etc. But vices can do damage, damage that we've yet to quantify. It isn't easy, because studies are inherently flawed by the way they're conducted, low participants' numbers, etc. But overall, the media is blowing stuff out of proportion and instead of publishing neutral articles and let people draw some conclusions, they spoon feed sensational titles and conclusions that aren't always correct.
A balanced approach to life is key, so not being disgusted by somebody who smokes should be as common as not being disgusted by somebody who has a glass of scotch with their evening meal or (should they prefer) their tea time cigar. Bans against alcohol and tobacco aren't going to be efficient, what would be efficient is educating the consumers, the people - to think for themselves and be able to make an informed decision when deciding whether to have another drink, another cigarette or another jaegerbomb.