Barely Squeaking Bye - BSB

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

I listen to Rollye James on XM 165 each night between 9 pm and midnight - prior to listening to Coast to Coast.

There was a caller (a lady from Florida) commenting on the their financial status and the new taxes on Tobacco. She said she was "barely squeaking bye" and couldn't afford the new taxes on tobacco ($24 on a pound of tobacco, $7 on a package of tubes - whatever those are). If I were "BSB" I think tobacco would have been one of the first things I would have given up VOLUNTARILY. I wonder what else she has given up to continue her tobacco addiction??

[Snowdancer]

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

I wonder what else she has given up to continue her tobacco addiction??

Probably health care or insurance for her kids, maybe using lower quality foods. I've heard so many people say they're just squeeking by and then they go on about the cost of cigarettes, booze, HBO/cable tv & other non-essential 'luxuries'.
It is hard to feel any sympathy for people who choose addictions over their families financial health and then there's those who think they have some god given right to luxuries at affordable prices.

[kitaye]

MOst people I know who consider themselves as BSB do not and will not give up tobacco or alcohol. They will skip meals or eat from the food bank but God forbid they give up their tobacco.

[bluemoonluck]

Originally Posted by kitaye

MOst people I know who consider themselves as BSB do not and will not give up tobacco or alcohol. They will skip meals or eat from the food bank but God forbid they give up their tobacco.

Unfortunately this has also been my experience with people complaining of BSB........

[Jerngen]

I believe Tobacco to be one of the most powerful drug in the world. I finally escaped it's claws last year but it literally took me 5 years to be able to quit.
That lady has my sympathy. At least she's smart enough to be rolling her own which is far more cheaper then buying the brand name packs.

[Simpler Times]

Fortunately, I've never smoked. I've had more than one addict, however, tell me that tobacco was harder to quit than anything else they ultimately quit. One was a heroine addict. She quit heroine cold turkey but couldn't rid herself of the cigarettes until she pleaded with God for help on those specifically. Her story was so moving I always feel that I have to share it anytime the subject of smoking comes up. I agree though, it is pretty bad when you trade off anything else in your life just so you can continue to pollute your body with such a nasty toxin.

[Backfourty,MI.]

Unfortunately smoking cigarettes is an ADDICTION. Not everyone has the power to just quit if they feel like it. Unless you have or been addicted to smoking it is hard to say what you would & wouldn't do or give up. I smoked for 30 years & quit at one time because of money 20 years ago. I have now quit & this June will be 2 years but I try not to put other people down for anything or generalize if I have not walked in there shoes before.
People that don't & have never smoked also don't realize that all the taxes they keep putting on cigarettes is paying for alot of things that the states needs money for.
Most cities & states are so short of money when they finally do force people to quit smoking all the extra money they get from tobacco products will be coming out of our checks!
Don't get me wrong I think smoking is a terrible thing & am so glad I quit but I also try to remember how hard & what a long road it was to get here.

[o&itw]

Originally Posted by Jerngen

I believe Tobacco to be one of the most powerful drug in the world. I finally escaped it's claws last year but it literally took me 5 years to be able to quit.
That lady has my sympathy. At least she's smart enough to be rolling her own which is far more cheaper then buying the brand name packs.

Some people can quit easily, for some it is easier to give up food. Having been one of the latter earlier in life... I would ask people to remeber to check out the 2x4 stuck in their own eye.

[lickcreek]

Isit a "given" that a smoker has to be supporting their habit by not feeding their children or providing health care coverage?

I'm sure I could look at where others spend their money and think "I would just stop doing that!" From their shoes, it's just not that simple.

She may have started smoking by choice, but it's not a "voluntary" addiction. It's not so easy to voluntarily give it up. She may be forced to now, but that won't make it easier. Not that she won't be better off in so many ways.

I feel for her too.

[homesteadforty]

To me whether smoking is an addiction or not is less of a concern than the guberment raising taxes on anything by 2148% (yes... that is 2148).

If they feel they can justify that kind of tax increase on tobacco... a mere 200% or 500% increase on other more essential stuff should be easy to get through.

People are eager to let the "sin" taxes go through because they think it doesn't affect them... seems many have a difficult time seeing the big picture.

[o&itw]

Originally Posted by homesteadforty

To me whether smoking is an addiction or not is less of a concern than the guberment raising taxes on anything by 2148% (yes... that is 2148).

If they feel they can justify that kind of tax increase on tobacco... a mere 200% or 500% increase on other more essential stuff should be easy to get through.

I suspect it will be ammunition next.

[nodak3]

I'm getting old I guess. Back when smoking and drinking and drugging and porn and chasing were called vices, rather than addictions, folks seemed to quit them more easily. Maybe it would be an act of kindness to do so again.

[Snowdancer]

Originally Posted by nodak3

I'm getting old I guess. Back when smoking and drinking and drugging and porn and chasing were called vices, rather than addictions, folks seemed to quit them more easily. Maybe it would be an act of kindness to do so again.

Yup, when it was a habit it was a persons choice to indulge, now it's an addiction and out of a persons control.
Lack of personal accountability seems to be the name of the game wrapped up in labels such as addiction, not to mention the other fancy labels the psychiatric community has started attaching to every aberrant or undesirable action..

[rambler]

I am stupid. I can figure out the piont of 'BSB' here, but I can't figure out what it actually stands for? I'm sure I'll whack myself on the head & 'coulda had a V8' when someone explains it to me....

Never smoked, so I can't identify with those who have the moxi to quit. My gut reation is to just stop that expensive habit, but my head knows it's more difficult than that.

The 'sin taxes' will come back to bite governments, as now what is their goal - to keep the high-dollar taxes coming in, or to help stamp out a bad vice???? Not a good position for the govt to put itself! It becomes easy for voters to pick off 'other' things to tax that they don't use, and put a high bill on minority members of the country. Not good.

--->Paul

[Snowdancer]

Originally Posted by rambler

I am stupid. I can figure out the piont of 'BSB' here, but I can't figure out what it actually stands for? I'm sure I'll whack myself on the head & 'coulda had a V8' when someone explains it to me....

--->Paul

BSB= Barely Squeeking By.

I smoked since age 18 and quit cold turkey 3 yrs ago. Going from close to 3 packs a day to 0 was not exactly my idea of fun or something that was easy but it IS doable. I made the choice to quit just like up till then I made the choice to smoke. I accept responsibility for both of my choices-one was much cheaper and healthier than the other but they were both under my control.

[Michael Kawalek]

This reminds me of a debt counselor talking about a "client" she was attempting to help get out of deep debt. One of the things she identified was the high payment for his new truck. She suggeted he get rid of the truck to eliminate the payment and drive a less expensive vehicle. He responded that he can't give up the truck because he needs it to tow his boat! And this guy just can't understand why he's so deep in debt.

[aimeeday1972]

Another ex-smoker (2 years and counting, after 20 years as a smoker) weighing in here. Also as a nurse, I know that nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to man. It is a physical addiction, unlike most of the other things we call addictions, which are psychological (which is not to say they aren't also powerful.). Of course personal responsibility is the ultimate key, but it's silly to pretend that addictions don't exist. Good for everyone who manages to overcome this killer!

[mnn2501]

I smoked for 17 years - been 'clean' for 22 years now. Is it hard? yes, but the cravings go away. All you need to do is decide you really want to quit (yes, thats the hard part) most smokers don't really want to quit.
My Brother is BSB -- can't pay his taxes, eats bologna sandwiches but he smokes 3 packs a day and wonders why I won't "loan" him money to help him out.

[turtlehead]

Originally Posted by lickcreek

Isit a "given" that a smoker has to be supporting their habit by not feeding their children or providing health care coverage?

In general, no, but if the smoker is complaining of barely squeaking by then you do question what they *have* given up while continuing to purchase tobacco.

[homesteadforty]

Originally Posted by nodak3

I'm getting old I guess. Back when smoking and drinking and drugging and porn and chasing were called vices, rather than addictions, folks seemed to quit them more easily.

Originally Posted by Snowdancer

Yup, when it was a habit it was a persons choice to indulge, now it's an addiction and out of a persons control. Lack of personal accountability seems to be the name of the game...

Yep... and back in the day, people were locked in 4x4x4 foot cells if they were deemed to be insane and they were bled with a fleem or leeches to treat most illnesses too.

Funny how science, knowledge, understanding and compassion changes things ain't it? It's also funny how many seem to be lacking in one or more of the above.

No one is saying that it is out of a persons control to quit... I believe the point is that it's not as easy to quit as many seem to imply and that it's easier for some than it is for others.