Children aged 17 or younger to face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes in the UK

[Petie Estie 5,707]

2 hours ago, Bronco said:

This will last for about 5 minutes before collapsing. 

It comes with no extra funding to enforce the ban or prevent illegal trading. 
The inevitable consequence will be the expansion of the existing black market for tobacco products which will increase gang activity, further stretch policing resources, increase demands on the health service through the sale of more dangerous unregulated products and cut tax reciepts while creating a growing need for government spending. 

are cigarettes even that enticing? I can't imagine somebody that never started smoking going to the black market for some marlboros like they're hard drugs. That sounds crazy lol

[Bronco 25,131]

8 minutes ago, Petie Estie said:

are cigarettes even that enticing? I can't imagine somebody that never started smoking going to the black market for some marlboros like they're hard drugs. That sounds crazy lol

I mean the current market is driven by existing smokers.

But demand by new smokers is being driven by influencers etc

[Petie Estie 5,707]

1 minute ago, Bronco said:

I mean the current market is driven by existing smokers.

But demand by new smokers is being driven by influencers etc

So if this is only for those born after 2009 then I suppose influencers their age wouldn't be smoking either and it kind of sounds like it'll be fine but idk. 

[waterfall 943]

good

[Bronco 25,131]

6 minutes ago, Petie Estie said:

So if this is only for those born after 2009 then I suppose influencers their age wouldn't be smoking either and it kind of sounds like it'll be fine but idk. 

Influencers are rarely the same age as the people targeted. Influencers are predominantly mid 20s with content targeted at tweens to teens. 

And these influencers are being paid to promote tobacco products by the tobacco industry. You also then have the likes of Charli XCX and similar acts like The Dare who are making these things "cool" again. 

It's the "cool" factor that helps drive teenage smoking, drinking & drug use. Which in turn creates demand for illegal access. 

[RAMROD 117,114]

Them on their 18th birthday 

[Oriane 22,778]

1 hour ago, Ladle Ghoulash said:

Ngl there are a fair number of nanny state advocates on here

Well I learnt a new expression

1 hour ago, RAMROD said:

Them on their 18th birthday 

I'm starting to think (hope?) that all the positive reactions are just because people misread the OP.

[Ladle Ghoulash 53,164]

1 hour ago, RAMROD said:

Them on their 18th birthday 

That’s not how the law works lol. It’s a lifelong ban for anyone currently under the age of 17, meaning that no one born in or after 2009 will ever be able to buy cigarettes.

Edited April 21 by Ladle Ghoulash

[RAMROD 117,114]

55 minutes ago, Ladle Ghoulash said:

That’s not how the law works lol. It’s a lifelong ban for anyone currently under the age of 17, meaning that no one born in or after 2009 will ever be able to buy cigarettes.

Man, you are fun napalm  

[Ladle Ghoulash 53,164]

7 minutes ago, RAMROD said:

Man, you are fun napalm  

Not really sure why you took this personally, sister, but that’s all good 

[IWantYourLove 1,457]

As a Brit already old enough to smoke so it doesn't affect me at all, I think this is a stupid idea.

It's a brilliant idea to regulate, tax, and discourage smoking, of course - but banning fully competent, capable (soon-to-be) adults from doing something we have done for CENTURIES as a species just rubs me the wrong way for some reason.

Yes, it's very harmful. The people who choose to smoke are completely aware of this, they're not utter morons. 

IMO, adults should be allowed to do as they wish as long as it isn't done with the sole intention of harming themselves and also doesn't harm others.

The fact it will still be a legal substance for other adults simply because they were born earlier is part of why this irks me so much. It just sits wrong with me that a government can make decisions like this for one set of adults, yet not another.

Just find ways to make it even less accessible and apply it to everyone. That would make SO much more sense. Don't just decide to put a blanket ban on what an entire generation can or cannot do to their own adult bodies. 

Idk I'm not sure why this is getting under my skin so much - I'm really don't care for cigarettes at all unless I'm like on holiday or something. I think it's the partial ban applied to people who will very soon be adults no different from those of us who already are. They're going to be 20, 30, 60 one day, too, and equally as capable as those of us who are proficient adults now. I would be mad as f*ck if I was caught on the wrong side of this - not because I couldn't start smoking, but because of the unfair control.

I know that smoking is awful for your health, and I also know that this is realistically one of the most effective ways to put a stop to it from harming people at the sheer volume that it does. But the selective ban kinda just p*sses me off on behalf of people who will one day be my age and have had a decision about their bodies made on their behalf without any consultation (not that it would've happened like that anyway, but you get my point). Maybe I take things like this too personally, even though it doesn't affect me. Banning something for entire generations (and all future ones to follow) just feels like crossing a line. Idk.

If they banned it for everyone, that would frustrate me far less tbh.

[Sepsami 20,977]

16 hours ago, PartySick said:

Prohibition doesn't work  

Exactly look at the church and the gays 

[liamgaga 795]

What frustrates me is that adults should be allowed to buy and do what they want. Cigarettes are taxed ridiculously high hete anyway which in theory pays for any treatment they need on the NHS in later life. Alcohol has been shown to be just as damaging. Not to mention the side effects of drinking which encourage things like drink driving etc and yet we have adverts for alcohol on TV, billboards, and just about everywhere else. I drink occasionally so im not here on a high horse, but you can't ban one without considering banning the other. Not to mention, in decades time imagine being 50 and wanting to try a cigarette and being asked for ID at the checkout, like wtf? 

[Sepsami 20,977]

2 minutes ago, liamgaga said:

What frustrates me is that adults should be allowed to buy and do what they want. Cigarettes are taxed ridiculously high hete anyway which in theory pays for any treatment they need on the NHS in later life. Alcohol has been shown to be just as damaging. Not to mention the side effects of drinking which encourage things like drink driving etc and yet we have adverts for alcohol on TV, billboards, and just about everywhere else. I drink occasionally so im not here on a high horse, but you can't ban one without considering banning the other. Not to mention, in decades time imagine being 50 and wanting to try a cigarette and being asked for ID at the checkout, like wtf? 

We need more ads and campaigns focussed on healthy living, and healthy habits.. but alas, making money is the only thing that matters.

Imagine an ad at night telling people to go to bed on time, drink a glass of water before they go to bed. Meditate, excersize.. That would be a good way to spend tax money imo. But companies have free reign to spam us with whatever junk they are trying to sell. 

[princedeeblebleble 3,648]

That kinda makes 0 sense  like younger generations smoke far less anyways, but prohibiting it generally goes to the way where it looks more tempting cause it's forbidden.  That leads to people going towards more dangerous ways to get something that otherwise you could pick in broad daylight in a safe store instead of doing it in the shadows.. and then the possible nonsense of jailng or making people pay for doing something that humanity has been doing for millennia.

I'm not a smoker, nor do I like it when smokers disregard people around them and I'm well aware of all the health risks, but why not take the time to educate people on the dangers and realities of it all, make them make their choices instead of banning it all?