New smoking ban for anyone born after 2009

[Volbeat]

Hey all, just wondering what people's thoughts are on the smoking ban that will come into force which mean anyone born after 2009 will never legally be able to buy cigarettes.

My opinion is that it will be good for public health in general and I say this as a smoker. But what about all the tax etc generated from cigarette and vape sales?

Apologies if this is already being discussed, I've not seen it anywhere on here yet.

@JustEatTheOneInTheBallPit o totally agree with everything you've said. Smoking isn't comparable to other drugs because almost all who smoke are addicted to it and the public health risk from second hand smoke is massive. It also doesn't really have any upside? Do people really enjoy smoking? Just seems to me like they keep smoking coz of the addiction rather than it being in any way fun.
Sure alcohol is bad for your health.. but it's actually really fun to have a couple of glasses of wine at a party. I don't view it as any worse than getting a takeaway once in a while... eating red meat every now and then. These things can give you cancer if done to excess but I'm not about banning life's pleasures just to try and eek out my lifespan a little.
But smoking honestly, what is even the point of it? It has such an impact for so little gain. For me it's the public health issue that really swings it.
Yeah you can be effected by other people's drinking if you walk thru the city centre on a sat night... but more than anything it's an annoyance. They can't give you cancer passively can they!? And it's not everyone who drinks.
Every single smoker who smokes in public or around people, is damaging the air quality a little.
Seems a no brainer as much as low emission zones or banning wood and coal fires in populated areas.

Ex smoker - regret my first cigarette and am incredibly proud of no longer being a smoker.

At this moment in time I think I’d like stricter controls and tax on vapes - the consequences of which are known to be “better” than smoking but realistically are unknown.

my concern is that in the future if you get a smoking related disease (post 2009/10 age group) I.e if dc (2011) got a smoking related disease because they had lived with a smoker (but not smoked)- this could open the door the door for the “nhs” (in whatever its form) to refuse to treat them……

but I am fully supportive of stopping someone from starting, just not sure that this is the right answer but don’t have better ones 🤔

Exactly. I wonder how many people who actually smoke wish they didn't. It's addictive.

I can't see why they don't just ban smoking outright. I get that some people are already addicted, but why can't they be prescribed nicotine patches in the same way other drug addicts get methadone? I do realise that this will drive the tobacco industry underground, much in the same way as other drugs, but surely it's worth a try?

Well I'm sure they have.

It's probably that smoking the cigarette wasn't the cause of the action.

I bet thousands of people have crashed through juggling cigarettes while they have been driving.

I used to know someone who seemed to have a limp rollup permanantly dangling from their bottom lip, like it was glued on.

I'm all in favour. @Suchardchoccy I think most wish they didn't, really.

Well they could try I guess. But I'm a smoker and already buy my cigarettes abroad as they're cheaper. So an outright ban wouldn't stop me. I'd keep buying them abroad and smoke them at home!

Plenty of little local shops sell cheaper foreign cigarettes under the counter, so to speak. I guess they'd just continue as they're already breaking the law now. In fact they'll be the ones selling to the people affected by the upcoming age ban in a few years! It is just going to drive it underground and bring in profits for criminals.

While I am a smoker, I'm in my 50s so this news doesn't affect me in the slightest. However, I do think it's a slippery slope. Everyone's cheering right now, but what will they come for next?

I foresee huge increases in tax on alcohol in years to come. They're going to need to claw back money somewhere. Even then, MN will probably be supportive of it and say it's only an issue if you drink too much! Then after alcohol, who knows. We already have the sugar tax.

I personally don't want to live in a world where every unhealthy choice is either removed or becomes prohibitively expensive. I work and pay my taxes (although yes, not on my cigarettes!). I want the freedom to make unhealthy choices in my own time, if that's what I decide to do. But while you have so many people cheering on the government in restricting us more and more, it's inevitable it will get to that stage. Luckily I'll probably be dead by then!

Well said @GasPanic and I totally agree @EmpressSoleil

@EmpressSoleil are you not worried about what you are buying. I've heard horror stories about fake cigarettes being sold as "foreign"

Most veteran smokers can tell a fake cigarette at 50 paces, not least because it probably wouldn't give them a nicotine buzz.

I guess you could cut tobacco with something, but it would be hard to get it to burn right and the ash wouldn't look the same and the taste would probably be rotten.

It's far to say though some brands are pretty rough without being fake.

Then I would simply say, I don’t agree with this law, I would take each one separately.
This one I do agree with. I’m interested to know why you don’t agree with this particular one without bringing in other laws you don’t agree with.

@cadygal257

I actually go and buy them from abroad from legitimate outlets so no worry about them being fake.

Someone did once give me a pack of cigarettes from a black market seller and they tasted weird and gave me a horrendous headache! So I am wary about buying cheaper cigs in this country. But it is worrying that this is the route some people will go down when they can't buy them legally. Who knows what's in them.

It's great in theory.

Can you imagine in another 50 (or however many) years. 60 year old wanting to buy cigarettes, getting asked for ID? Can't buy cigarettes but their partner can.

If they can be bought by that stage.

I think it is a very good idea and I hope alcohol is next.

Then I would simply say, I don’t agree with this law, I would take each one separately

Which would get you precisely nowhere. As we have all shown how happy we are to just roll over when a law is brought in for the "greater good". How people don't find that worrying is really concerning.

I think probably because there are enough people on here who don't smoke or drink more than the occasional glass of wine, they eat a healthy diet etc. So yes, you're all bring it on because it won't ever interfere with us. Because we live perfect lives and fully support forcing people to do the same.

But people aren't perfect. Their lives are not always perfect. Who is anyone to judge what someone else uses as a coping mechanism.

If the government actually cared, maybe try properly funding social services so that kids don't have to grow up in abusive homes and have to live with trauma for the rest of their lives. Fund decent mental health support which might then actually help people overcome addictions. But no, Rishi is just interested in feeding his own ego and wants to say he's done something revolutionary, even though he copied it from NZ.

Do you know what the smoking ban in prisons did? I do because I work in that field. People who would have otherwise smoked turned to drugs. Because they were cheaper and more freely available in prison than cigarettes. Drug use in prisons has rocketed since then and is more out of control than ever. But hey, prisons are smoke free now. Fantastic.

See. It's frightening, truly.

I think it's an excellent idea. I think the next stage after this is that cigarettes are removed from sale and are only made available on (paid) prescription for registered addicts.

I’m well aware that my opinion doesn’t have any impact on any decisions made in parliament. It’s just my opinion. It’s not banning smoking for smokers either it’s preventing children from starting so it’s different to the prison issue. I work with disabled and disadvantaged families I don’t need lecturing on their needs and I despise the Tories and their lack of care for poor and disadvantaged people. This is what I mean about taking one issue at a time.

@EmpressSoleil The fact that drugs are more available in prison than cigs is something everyone should be truly worried about. Because I'm guessing then that once those prisoners are released, then that addiction comes out into the community?! Then we have a rise in violent crime and that affects everything!
I never understood why they couldn't find a better solution to allow people to smoke in prison. I'm in no way for criminals having a cushy life, but I can also see that being locked up and having limited access to tobacco, must be awful. Awful enough to have to find another addiction to replace the cigs.

How many teenagers are smoking these days ?
I have a 17 year old who doesn't smoke and none of his friends do ,when I teen in the 80 s and 90,s loads of people smoked. .

i don't smoke but feel it's too much of a nanny state. People are not robots and shouldn't be told what they can and cannot do with their own body. seems abit big brotherish to me...i can't see it happening

i know loads that vape

Yes i see that more is that going ti be included in the ban or just smoking ?

Yup, somebody drove into the back of me at a busy junction because he had dropped a lit cigarette into his rigger boot.

I do hope all those who support the ban will be ready to open their cheque books to pay more tax as revenues fall from the legal sale of cigarettes.