Smoking Phased Out

Tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars should be banned from a specific date so all smokers can at least attempt to stop by then. So if the government said Jan 1st 2026 then thats surely enough time for everyone.
 


PeteFTM said:
I doubt it, there’s still plenty of idiots that would start in their 20’s
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Adults don't start smoking and tobacco companies know this. Their product depends on getting as many to start at a young age and then the addiction takes over and then you have a saleable product. It depends on getting young people addicted as young as possible, preferably as children.

In fact it's a product that depends on it's 'cool' factor and only kids believe that smoking is cool.
 
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girojim said:
what if they don't want to?
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Same as anything isnt it? What if I don't want to wear a seatbelt, or what if I want to do drugs, or what if I want to build an extension on my house myself without any proper training or safety equipment. There's rules and regulations around health and safety all the time.

Fair enough if you want to be libertarian and you don't like them, but the idea of banning or regulating something isn't exactly new
 
Fletch said:
just raise the legal age to 21 for both ciggies and vapes, job done , and ensure any shops selling to schoolkids are heavily fined

infact you can start with the shop at top of olive street selling all sorts of shit to kids
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100% - if there were substantial fines and then prison sentences for people selling to under 21's then it would stop tomorrow. The culture should be like America where you basically always provide ID if you are in your 40's etc. Bit annoying for those in their 40's but it would stop kids in school vaping.

Its the same as tax evasion. Rather than fining Bernie Ecclestone, Jimmy Carr etc. send them to prison and it would vastly reduce tomorrow. Jimmy Carr was joking about it for years after he was caught. The risk/reward is not a deterrent.
 
42 said:
But would it stop people starting at a younger age, as it didn't stop people starting earlier than the current/previous age limits
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It would if there was an actual deterrent for the shopkeepers imo. The vast majority anyway.

It was 16 and over in the 90's/00's. Now it's 18. Moving it to 21 is a fairly big jump imo.
 
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girojim said:
what if they don't want to?
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Then they can enjoy flashing their yellow teeth and finger tips to all and sundry whilst wondering why their health is eteriorating, looking wrinklier than others, receding gums and a god awful stink to boot. There will always be those who decide to keep going with it but probably look 85 when actually 45. Never worked a day in their lives but somehow pay £20 for a pack of Lamberts every second day then cost the taxpayer a shitload in medical bills. Not a lot of an issue really. Just hope they enjoy standing outside Steels in the January rain every 30mins between Carlings.
 
HarrogateMackem said:
Same as anything isnt it? What if I don't want to wear a seatbelt, or what if I want to do drugs, or what if I want to build an extension on my house myself without any proper training or safety equipment. There's rules and regulations around health and safety all the time.

Fair enough if you want to be libertarian and you don't like them, but the idea of banning or regulating something isn't exactly new
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Exactly. Trans fats, asbestos and creosote were banned along with many other things over the years as they cause cancer. Governments are supposed to have a duty of care to the public.
 
JonMc said:
Adults don't start smoking and tobacco companies know this. Their product depends on getting as many to start at a young age and then the addiction takes over and then you have a saleable product. It depends on getting young people addicted as young as possible, preferably as children.

In fact it's a product that depends on it's 'cool' factor and only kids believe that smoking is cool.
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Indeed. Just like religion, it relies on the next generation being tempted into the fold.

I've often wondered if a "Smoking's for losers" campaign would work. Famous (non-smoking) pop stars and athletes giving out that message all over the place.

At school, and this would have been about 1982 or 1983, we were each given a little comic book, presumably county or government sponsored. It was Superman crushing a pack of cigarettes after snatching them from the 'baddie' who was called Nick O'Teen. (It took me years to click the pun name!!). It was effective. The message that smoking is harmful and for losers was there from age 9 or 10 and is still there at 50. It was noticeable that in my friendship group when I was out with them for refreshments in Chester-le-Street on a Friday evening in around 1990 (pre-smoking ban) only 2 of us did not smoke. The other 10 or so all smoked. They were in the school year above and didn't get the comic. Maybe it's coincidence. They've all given up since. The smoking ban helped. More and more they were stood outside in the rain smoking tabs thinking "WTF am I doing out here?"
 

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