# So, found a basket 'o' smokes in the bargain bin @ Kroger (Rant: mild and menthol-y) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 3, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756 "2009-01-03T23:50:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/41 "2009-01-04T19:39:50Z")
The OP reminds me of those people who used to cover up the adult books with more family fare, in the days before they were put on the top shelf. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/42 "2009-01-04T19:44:37Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > See, it seems that teenagers that smoke can indeed bum their cigarettes off older friends or siblings. Not so much for _kids_ who try it. The folks I mentioned above all talked about having to steal the stuff when they were that little because NO one would just give it to them. Even understanding brothers and sisters said “No way!” to a smoking 10 year old. My husband’s parents, no joke, thought it was hilarious to give him smokes when he was a toddler. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/43 "2009-01-04T19:49:18Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > My husband’s parents, no joke, thought it was hilarious to give him smokes when he was a toddler. :eek: :eek: :eek: Does he smoke as an adult? And dear Og, is that not so completely wrong! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/44 "2009-01-04T19:52:04Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > :eek: :eek: :eek: > Does he smoke as an adult? And dear Og, is that not so completely wrong! He smoked as an addict from age 8-9 until one month after we met in person. So for nearly 30 years. Something like 4 packs a day at his highest. His family is like something from a horrifying movie. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/45 "2009-01-04T19:56:12Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > I think it’s damned odd for a basket of cigarettes to be left unattended next to candy. I see this all the time. For some reason it’s usually the bargain brand cigs that are being sold, but sometimes it’s little cigars. In clearance baskets, right at the end of the candy or snack food aisle. Curious thing about the practice of doing this. Know what it is? The fucking world hasn’t ended because of it! Get a grip! ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/46 "2009-01-04T20:03:01Z")
Have you never heard of The Butterfly Effect, **pkbites**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/47 "2009-01-04T20:05:07Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > …His family is like something from a horrifying movie. So basically, we’re related. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/48 "2009-01-04T20:07:17Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > The fucking world hasn’t ended because of it! Get a grip! Equally astoundingly, the practice hasn’t resulted in a sudden outbreak of world peace, either. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/49 "2009-01-04T20:24:11Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Equally astoundingly, the practice hasn’t resulted in a sudden outbreak of world peace, either. In other words, it hasn’t affected the world in any way whatsoever? I agree. Therefore, it’s nothing to get upset about. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/50 "2009-01-04T20:47:33Z")
> [@Merkwurdigliebe](#): > > Cigarettes in NYC are about 10 dollars a pack here. That’d make a carton around 100 dollars. :eek: Damn! That’s pricey! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/51 "2009-01-04T20:55:25Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > In other words, it hasn’t affected the world in any way whatsoever? Well, no. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m only pointing out that your statement is absurd because something doesn’t have to result in world-shattering destruction to be undesirable. **Tripler** obviously feels that his corner of the world would benefit from having cigarettes less readily available to minors. You don’t. There’s nothing wrong with either opinion, but castigating the man for having it and doing something which, in his opinion, improves the situation is silly. Now, if you want to argue that he went a little overboard about it, you’ll get no real argument from me. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/52 "2009-01-04T21:55:15Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Now, if you want to argue that he went a little overboard about it, you’ll get no real argument from me. Aw, that ain’t no fun!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/53 "2009-01-04T22:03:48Z")
Okay, we can argue about pie. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/54 "2009-01-04T23:00:34Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Okay, we can argue about pie. No point in arguing about pie when the obvious answer is Key Lime.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/55 "2009-01-04T23:03:40Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > **bienville** , **Elysian** , get off your high fuckin’ theatrical horses, and come down to the “real world” where actual people live. Don’t dress up a fairly simple situation with histrionics (either your own, or those you want to imply I performed). Based on what I _thought_ was the law and my own irritation at what I saw, I brought a situation up the ‘food chain’ to the manager. I still feel as if someone just “dumped” them there absentmindedly. But, it’s been shown in this thread that it in fact, _isn’t_ the law. I’ve been wrong before, and I’ll be wrong again. > > We’re going back for a newspaper. Like we always do. And we’ll continue to shop there. Like we always do. I’m not about to blow things out of proportion with a simple absentminded drop of the ball (which is what I think it is), and start picketing the damn store. You’re the one who acted like a 1930s film star, fainting onto your couch at the sight of cigarettes so close to candy, and then raising hell by talking to three different employees about the oh-so-dreadful situation, and THEN going and peering into the bargain bins on the pretense of getting a newspaper the next day because you simply couldn’t drop it. Those of us in the real world wonder what you’re so upset about. If you actually saw an eight year old smoking up after being lured to the location by the candy, I would almost understand, but as it is… You may want to have a word with the manager of [this](http://s3.amazonaws.com/media.photobasement.com/redneckchristmastree.jpg) store as well :eek: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/56 "2009-01-04T23:28:35Z")
So are they discontinuing Virginia Slims? They are in a bargain basket at my local Harris Teeter, though this one is kept on the customer service counter and therefore presumably there will not be outbreaks of smoking in Alexandria primary schools. ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/57 "2009-01-05T00:01:12Z")
> [@Elysian](#): > > You may want to have a word with the manager of [this](http://s3.amazonaws.com/media.photobasement.com/redneckchristmastree.jpg) store as well :eek: 😛 Man, if that tree had miniatures hanging off of it, it would be be perfect! ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/58 "2009-01-05T00:03:04Z")
More importantly, where the hell is a carton of smokes $20? ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/59 "2009-01-05T00:41:10Z")
> [@rolandgunslinger](#): > > No point in arguing about pie when the obvious answer is Key Lime.😉 Depends, is it Key Lime pie, or the _Perfect_ Key Lime pie? ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756/60 "2009-01-05T02:36:59Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > I don’t get it - I’m dumb because I think a kid who is stealing is more worthy of concern than a kid who is smoking? > > A kid who smokes is dumb, but there is pressure by advertisers and the fact that smoking is a legal activity that would give the kid that idea that smoking is okay. > > A kid who steals is ignoring the social contract, probably has a parenting problem, and is committing a property crime. > > I’m taking it you disagree? Damn right I disagree, especially when you talk about my mom that way! I went through a shoplifting phase - lots of kids do. It wasn’t because of blah-blah-blah-social-contract-bad-parenting-blah-blah. No, it was because my friends were doing it, and it was a bit of a rush. The last thing I stole was in the 10th grade and I’m 30 now, so I think I turned out okay. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-found-a-basket-o-smokes-in-the-bargain-bin-kroger-rant-mild-and-menthol-y/479756.md?page=4)