Smoking ban

[OnHerSolidFoundations]

Why would you not support this?

God knows. I think they should ban it totally.

I'm passionately anti-smoking. With a dad terminally ill with COPD due to a decades-long smoking habit (I've never smoked myself at all. Not once) a total ban can't come soon enough.

Well I'm not against it, but I don't know what good it will do. People born after 2009, will just get someone born before 2009 to buy their smokes! And eventually people will turn to the black market. I am not sure it will stop people smoking if they really want to smoke.

It seems a bit draconian and controlling. I loathe smoking and the stinky stench it makes, but something about this 'ban' and trying to stop people born after 2009 buying cigarettes isn't sitting well with me. I can't explain why.

Should have done it years ago! It has my full support.

I see that Penny Mordaunt has now been influenced by the lobbyists. Hope she loses her seat. Her constituency has high rates of smoking related diseases and she knows it, and kids who vape.

No mettle.

Banning vapes also? Well hang on, they’re not fags are they?

Not 100% sure, this coming fron someone who's uncle died of lung cancer from smoking.

The problem with banning things is they then tend to just go underground and actually become more dangerous due to no controls over what is in the product. It may put some people off bit being illegal can also be a draw to young people.

Also the way the government wants to do it is just stupid. I would end up with one child who could smoke and one who couldn't. Surely they will then just end up with a black market of older people selling to younger people. If your going to ban it really you need to do it straight away, but as it's an addictive substance I could see how this would be problematic for a lot of people who already smoke.

Let to me, I'd ban it in public from today and on the spot fines for the law breakers

Smoking stinks and is dangerous to those that have to inhale their awful habit

Today at the hospital, we had to walk through a gauntlet of patients smoking away at the entrace - its got a no smoking policy but rarely enforced -

At another hospital the smkoers smoke outside a maternity unti where signs are platers = NO SMOKING

DISGUSTING

I don't support it because I think it is wrong for a 28yo to be able to smoke legally while a 27yo can't.

I'd prefer a total ban to this, or serious universal restrictions on where/how cigarettes are sold.

I think it's fairly unenforceable because adults will be able to buy cigarettes on the black market.

In most areas in life I'm liberal and tolerant. But, not when it comes to smoking. That's the one thing I am totally illiberal about.
It's a foul foul habit. It kills. The tabacco companies are evil and exploitative. It wrecks the environment. Passive smoking causes discomfort and misery to the vulnerable.
Ban it. Totally. Make smokers feel ashamed of their foul habit. But, also, of course masses of help and support to help them give up.
I (in case you haven't noticed) am very passionate about this issue! Most people who've watched family members suffer terribly due to smoking related diseases feel the same.

The problem is total bans haven't worked for other drugs. They just become more sought after.

I worry that tobacco is so addictive it'll cause a massive black market if made illegal.

Make smokers feel ashamed of their foul habit FFS. Nicotine is seriously addictive. People don't need to be shamed by sanctimonious arses.

@Ruminate2much I hear ya! And I hate smoking too. I wish smoking was banned forever tomorrow! But I am just not sure this 'can't buy if you were born after 2009' thing is a good idea. Well intended yeah probably, but I just don't think it's going to work.

As I said, people will just get others - born before 2009 - to buy their ciggies. And as I said earlier, and other people have said, people will just go underground/to the black market to buy ciggies.

I think it’s great, in principle. However I’m under no illusion there will end up being some sort of blackmarket / unregulated fake cigarettes doing the rounds, and god knows what they’ll have in them.

It's not about sanctimony. Shame will encourage people to give up
My dad is seriously ill as a result of having smoked for decades. I wish he'd been shamed into giving up earlier, and so does he.

In fact most smokers do feel embarrassed/regretful already, and afraid of the damage - but it is very hard to quit.

It is so cunty to talk of shaming them.

Shame makes it harder to give up, but it makes the person doing the shaming feel better.

We heard all the same 'anti' arguments about banning smoking in pubs, for under 16s, for under 18s, in workplaces, etc etc. And it has been OK.

Meanwhile tobacco compainies make billions while developing vaping products containing toxic chemicals in their labs, and the UK's net loss (NHS costs and revenue losses) after tax equates to £7 billion annually.

My son's first encounter with a tobacco company was at a careers fair when he was in sixth form. They were giving out contact cards ffs.

If they can't stop under 18's buying vapes how do they think they are going to stop them buying cigarettes?

Great idea but how on earth are they going to be able to enforce it?

Ban in public areas I could get on board with but an altogether well this is just banned now no, people have the right to do it in their own time and space, just like they can with alcohol. It’s ok to say well that’s really bad for you so it’s not for me but it’s another to decide what people can and can’t do when it’s something they previously had free range with. Prohibition has not worked historically for a reason.

What unpleasant language.

If you were in the throes of caring for a family member suffering dreadfully, you'd understand more why I feel as I do.

Smoking is an utterly foul habit.

I stand by what I say. I do think smokers should feel ashamed. It's so antisocial. I do also think there should be masses of help and support to help them give up.

Tobacco companies are totally immoral.

The amount of high strength cannabis and cocaine getting used in my street is unbelievable. Yet nobody does anything about it. Probably as not enough police to enforce and courts still in covid backlogs.

Any type of ban for certain age groups will too not have enough police/courts to enforce either. So it's a waste of time. Until more cops and courts are in use.

Well, ban it in public as i dont want free smokers stench and health dangers.

If you cared about smokers you'd want to help, not shame.

It is disgusting to want to shame people who are addicted.

Do you think you're the first person to care for someone who is dying as a result of smoking?