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lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)

7. Would you say that smoking contributes to their problems or mitigates them?

Thu Jul 17, 2014, 04:23 PM

Jul 2014

Last edited Thu Jul 17, 2014, 05:06 PM - Edit history (1)

Since you threw that out as the first post, it seems you at least must have found this observation obvious.

In New York state, the cost of a 1 pack a day habit is 70% of federal poverty level income for a family of two.

To say it another way, a couple living at the poverty level who each have a 1 pack a day habit spend 70% of their gross annual income on cigarettes.

It is apparent that the help that the individuals in the album get is ineffective and the outcomes tragic.

The photo album from which these images are taken is... shocking. Setting aside the financial costs of smoking there is also the medical costs. The little guy on the left with the nebulizer is the same kid being held by his mom Kayla in the OP.

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Highlight:

Heartbreaking....Life Below the Poverty Line in Troy, New York....pics [View all] one_voice Jul 2014 OP

3...2...1 til some assclown says 'well if they can afford smokes...' leftstreet Jul 2014 #1

How much is a pack of smokes in NY nowadays ? Bonx Jul 2014 #6

Price may be unknown if one receives them as a gift. LanternWaste Jul 2014 #99

Would you say that smoking contributes to their problems or mitigates them? lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #7

Does smoking contribute to Obama's problems or mitigate them? leftstreet Jul 2014 #12

Does the cost interfere with his ability to provide nutrition for Malia and Sasha? n/t lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #13

Taxpayers are meeting the nutritional needs of politicians n/t leftstreet Jul 2014 #15

Indeed. And when that form of public support is misspent I complain. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #17

That's good. I'm betting the DOD hears from you regularly leftstreet Jul 2014 #18

You'd win that bet. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #20

unless we plan to put the poor in camps so we can micromange there every move dembotoz Jul 2014 #26

We could send them free cigarettes Bonx Jul 2014 #30

We're all a product of our environment. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #31

Yeah but not everyone is you... SomethingFishy Jul 2014 #37

Yet when anyone suggest that "right" choices should be taught lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #40

Depends on how you are talking about teaching them... SomethingFishy Jul 2014 #43

BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nikto Jul 2014 #50

If the cost of that education was DOUBLE the amount spent on TANF AND WIC it'd be a bargain. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #51

Yup and we aren't going to get out of it if we just ignore the problem... SomethingFishy Jul 2014 #57

That's just it, it's *self-perpetuating*. Individual choice is a relatively minor factor nomorenomore08 Jul 2014 #91

Here's the photographer's takeaway from her experience. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #102

I absolutely agree that it's psychological as well as economic. nomorenomore08 Jul 2014 #104

I don't believe that it's insoluble. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #106

I agree. But stagnating wages have been absolutely ruinous to much of Middle America. nomorenomore08 Jul 2014 #107

It can be bigoted and prejudicial leftstreet Jul 2014 #48

No other group is in such great need of help yet getting the wrong kind. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #54

You miss my point leftstreet Jul 2014 #61

I know THAT feeling....one thing that I learned here Jeff..... clarice Jul 2014 #97

Thank you. whathehell Jul 2014 #62

Perhaps that woman's check should be taken away because of her spending on cigs???? nikto Jul 2014 #36

Relax. Maybe the cigs are stolen. Okay? Is that better? nt valerief Jul 2014 #42

I'm mainly just posing the question... nikto Jul 2014 #55

Choices have consequences. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #59

and I was just being cheeky. :) valerief Jul 2014 #67

What's the source of that graphic? Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #34

It's arithmetic. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #38

Don't people buy by the carton? And don't they buy the cheap ones? valerief Jul 2014 #44

In my experience, poor people buy at the convenience store, one pack at a time. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #46

You can buy em 1 cig at a time at some stores -nt Bonx Jul 2014 #71

I just checked the average price of a pack in IL. Its $11.59/pack! I had no idea riderinthestorm Jul 2014 #60

It also calls into question the taxing policies of some states. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #64

Regressive taxes suck. That's at least something we can agree on. nomorenomore08 Jul 2014 #92

Are you saying that you are the source of the graphic Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #68

True enough. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #72

No, what I'm saying is that one needs data to have a robust estimate. Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #82

I think that it's fair to take what we know (cigarettes in NY cost $14.65 on average) lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #89

Throwing random numbers at the wall is not a convincing argument. Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #96

The family depicted in the album is a mom, her children... lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #100

You have a point. I really don't know where to fall on these issues. smirkymonkey Jul 2014 #109

The bit of illogic I can get past is this: lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #111

Since you know the question, what's the answer? rickyhall Jul 2014 #9

It's predictable as the earth's course around the sun leftstreet Jul 2014 #73

With your first post, you correctly identified 67.3% of their problem. n/t lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #77

Why not make smokes 10 cents a pack? leftstreet Jul 2014 #79

Absent any other changes, it still results in kids on nebulizers. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #80

A Nebulizer in Every Pot! leftstreet Jul 2014 #84

Here's the money quote from the OP. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #90

You called it. Skeeter Barnes Jul 2014 #21

It's a terrible way to squander limited resources if you are poor Bonx Jul 2014 #25

Addictive substances don't care how much money you make or how few resources you have. Skeeter Barnes Jul 2014 #32

Poor people would still be poor without the smokes. Ignoring that fact is just stupid. n/t nomorenomore08 Jul 2014 #93

Was that reply meant for me? Skeeter Barnes Jul 2014 #94

Yes, I was agreeing with you. Sorry for any confusion. nomorenomore08 Jul 2014 #95

In all fairness, it would be the first thing I would cut. liberal N proud Jul 2014 #52

I go through Troy quite often sharp_stick Jul 2014 #2

That last picture of what I assume is a woman crying while holding her baby..... a kennedy Jul 2014 #3

heartbreaking. aikoaiko Jul 2014 #4

bookmarking for later reading Liberal_in_LA Jul 2014 #5

Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 2014 #8

We would have to be careful that murielm99 Jul 2014 #11

don't be so sure. greyhound gets a fair amount of 1 way tickets bought by bodies of government dembotoz Jul 2014 #28

Sounds kind of like the ideas: Works Progress Administration and the Tennessee Valley Authority... Moostache Jul 2014 #22

You know your nation Aerows Jul 2014 #53

Greatest Nation On Earth! Arugula Latte Jul 2014 #10

Sure is !!!! nt clarice Jul 2014 #98

Wait! Wait! I see a refrigerator! KansDem Jul 2014 #14

5.2% own a photocopier? OnlinePoker Jul 2014 #24

I was thinking the same thing... KansDem Jul 2014 #29

Cheap multi-purpose printers would be my guess. Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #39

I see printers in there, that's why I'm confused by the term "photocopier". n/t OnlinePoker Jul 2014 #88

If you ask someone with a multi-purpose device these questions Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #103

Bill Maher talked last week about how SomethingFishy Jul 2014 #49

Well said, again nikto Jul 2014 #58

Thanks... SomethingFishy Jul 2014 #63

I agree----I like his "gov't store for the poor" idea. nikto Jul 2014 #78

is that coffee being poured into a baby's bottle? grasswire Jul 2014 #16

I went to the article at the link JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #70

I agree with you... one_voice Jul 2014 #75

Amen JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #76

Well, I've had some of the same experiences as these kids Gormy Cuss Jul 2014 #105

And repukes want to make getting birth control more difficult PowerToThePeople Jul 2014 #19

They want expendables born for slave labor and cannon fodder, IrishAyes Jul 2014 #23

I personally know this city. TRoN33 Jul 2014 #27

Here's a practical solution: lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #33

I like that idea nikto Jul 2014 #65

this is why so many who gain weight through eating bad foods are lower income people JI7 Jul 2014 #45

That right there is the problem. smirkymonkey Jul 2014 #110

There is poverty like this everywhere in America marions ghost Jul 2014 #35

it's so stupid also, and it's usually those who have money that could do without tv, phone fridge JI7 Jul 2014 #47

They have no concept marions ghost Jul 2014 #66

They may look pitiful now... nikto Jul 2014 #41

WTF are you talking about? Skittles Jul 2014 #56

"Fairness", like France's guillotine? Or what was done to the Romanovs in Russia? nikto Jul 2014 #74

riiiiiiiiiiiiiight Skittles Jul 2014 #86

What a vulgar thing to say leftstreet Jul 2014 #69

That's your interpretation of what I said, not mine nikto Jul 2014 #83

Anger?? phil89 Jul 2014 #81

That's what the elites surely would want them to feel nikto Jul 2014 #85

the elites? Skittles Jul 2014 #87

Yes, the elites. nikto Jul 2014 #108

RPI HockeyMom Jul 2014 #101