Category Archives: English

In this category you will find contributions in English.++++ In dieser Kategorie finden sie Beiträge in englischer Sprache.++++Dans cette catégorie, vous trouverez des contributions en anglais.++++

Throwback Thursday: Forbidden Conference

smokingbandits Posted on by

Ten years ago, on January 27 – 28, 2009, the first (of two) big conferences of TICAP (The International Coalition Against Prohibition) took place. This organization, founded the year prior as an umbrella organization especially against Tobacco Control, was in its budding phase.(The then) active groups, such as FORCES international, its Italian and Dutch divisions, Netzwerk Rauchen from Germany, Freedom2Choose from Britain, various Canadian and Danish associations as well as other smaller associations united and prepared to hold the first international conference of independent opponents to tobacco prohibition on European soil. And why not to hold this conference in the … Continue reading →

New alternatives in Austria

smokingbandits Posted on by

An acquaintance from Germany asked me to provide a comment concerning the Austrian anti-smoker’s petition. We first met online in the noughties, when we both were somehow surprised, flabbergasted, as well as horrified about the strictly choreographed wave of hatred and  destructiveness towards smokers, that had come over from the USA to us in Europe. Mostly in agreement, we were sure that the aggressiveness against smokers would cause a fragmentation of society and the destruction of the coexistence we had been used to, and that this would become a longer lasting development. We should be proved right. Indeed, a lot … Continue reading →

Vaping vs Smoking?

smokingbandits Posted on by

The “electronic cigarette” has quite a history not many people know about. It was invented in the 1920s and proved to be a commercial dead end until the year 2000. “E-cigarettes” were introduced to European and American markets in 2006/07, after the decades of anti-smoking measures and anti-tobacco rhetoric had borne fruit. With high tobacco taxes and increased denormalization of smoking, vaping became an object of commercial value. Tobacco Control, notoriously pushing it’s pharmaceutically produced nicotine replacement aids and other smoking cessation medicine, as well as the anti-smokers in general, had not anticipated the electronic cigarette’s increase in popularity and … Continue reading →

Throwback Thursday: Smoke, lies and Joe Jackson

smokingbandits Posted on by

Joe Jackson, who has been a globally successful musician for more than 40 years, with more than a dozen studio albums and hits like „Steppin’ Out“ or „Is she really going out with him“, has also acquired a reputation as a critical mind within our movement. Besides his profession as an artist, he has regularly attacked tobacco prohibition and healthism with opinion pieces and interviews. The Briton, who escaped the smoking bans in New York and in the UK by moving to wild Berlin, in 2007 took over the patronage of an initiative by Netzwerk Rauchen. In the same year, … Continue reading →

Throwback Thursday: Brussels Declaration

smokingbandits Posted on by

Our new column „Throwback Thursday“ (at irregular intervals) is intended to highlight events that have been of importance for our movement. We start the column with the „Brussels Declaration on Scientific Integrity“, that was published in December 2009. It was initiated by the International Coalition Against Prohibition (TICAP), a federation of various organizations (including Netzwerk Rauchen among its German participants), which was very active at that time. The declaration is the result of the TICAP Conference held in Brussels in 2009. “In the global crusade against alcohol, tobacco, and “unhealthy“ foods, health politicians have drawn on alleged scientific evidence that … Continue reading →

Participate: The future of EU tobacco taxation

smokingbandits Posted on by

Legislative procedures often involve the consultation of various lobbying groups and people concerned, either in writing or verbally, by the Government and/or the Parliament. There are also such “consultations” at EU level, also regarding tobacco control policies.  At present, corporations, interest groups and individuals may have their say about the proposed changes in tobacco taxation. Versions are available in all various languages. This opportunity remains until the 3rd of September 2018. After all, the German tobacco taxes are not determined exclusively in Berlin, but are subject to an EU framework concerning their extent and configuration. Netzwerk Rauchen wants to see … Continue reading →

Smokers die older (3/3)

smokingbandits Posted on by

Mabel Dooings, the eldest resident of Swindon GB, started her 107th birthday by doing something for her health. “She still lives in her flat but she’s a little less active than in previous years,” says her son Ken. “But she gave up smoking last year. She has been smoking all her life, but I think she just does not feel like it any more. “ This statement is indicative of today’s state and media manipulation by interested parties in the background. Lust is being abolished in our society. We have lost the ability to think for ourselves and question the … Continue reading →

Raucher werden älter (3/3)

smokingbandits Posted on by

 „Mabel Dooings, die älteste Bewohnerin Swindons [GB] hat ihr 107. Altersjahr damit begonnen, etwas für ihre Gesundheit zu tun. ‚Sie lebt immer noch in ihrer Wohnung aber sie ist etwas weniger aktiv als in früheren Jahren‘, sagt ihr Sohn Ken. ‚Sie hat aber im letzten Jahr das Rauchen aufgegeben. Sie hat ihr ganzes Leben lang geraucht, aber ich denke, sie hat einfach keine Lust mehr.‘“ Diese Aussage ist bezeichnend für die heutige Staats- und Medien-Manipulation durch interessierte Kreise im Hintergrund. Die Lust wird in unserer Gesellschaft abgeschafft. Uns ist das Denken und Hinterfragen der Medien und Politiker abhandengekommen – irgendwann … Continue reading →

Hooray, I survived (2/3)

smokingbandits Posted on by

Since the turn of the millennium, we have a hypocritical, highly duplicitous state consisting largely of malicious do-gooders, who are only after the money of the poor, instead of toasting to the well-being of the citizens and not begrudging them their one of the last existing joys of life. But the state prefers antisocial exercise of power aided by its monopoly on violence and, together with its 25 percent of servants on its payroll (one out of four citizen now works for the state, all paid by us) it can exert its morbid suppression and control addiction with relish, in … Continue reading →

The price of smoking and drinking (1/3)

smokingbandits Posted on by

Smoking is a great thing. Tobacco soothes in stressful times and smoking stimulates when you are tired and exhausted. Tobacco allows me to do my business on the toilet in the mornings and I am settled after that all day long. Tobacco increases my ability to concentrate and makes it easier for me to write my articles. But according to a study by the WHO in 1998, I should have died about 50 years ago. I hope for your understanding that I did not comply with this request of the WHO. I was born by a hysterical, ecclesia-manic and depressed … Continue reading →