General Discussion for politics in the UK.
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I really dislike this law because it seems like a gimmick. We've already had declining smoking rates in this country and there is a risk that banning cigarettes for youngsters could make them seem "cool" again due to the forbidden fruit factor.
More broadly I'm uncomfortable with the precedent being set where we as a society create two classes of people who are legal adults but have different rights.
You want to really help repiratory health you actually go after industrial polluters with a regulatory body with teeth and bite strength of several rottweilers... but that's none of my business. Sips tea
As well as this?
Both? Both. Both is good.
If I understand this proposal they're not making smoking illegal for those born after 2009, just the purchase of tobacco products. As such, I can't really see what this is going to achieve.
One would assume a significant drop in the number of smokers in the age range affected due to the inconvenience in buying the product, no?
Sure some will work around it. Definitely not all though.
Why not just forbid cigarette companies from selling their products after a certain year? Or even immediately?
Because if you think BAT et al are trying hard to stop this legislation, just imagine how much effort they'd put into stopping the UK going "right, off you pop"
such a dumb law, are we really going to be IDing people in 20 years time to see if they are 37 or 38? If you want to do more to discourage smoking put up the tax on it and use that money to fund health interventions. Of course that would pose a minor inconvenience to rich retired people so cant expect the tories to do that.
I used to think this was a solid argument but it really doesn't work
I quit smoking around the price being £5 my brother in law is currently paying 15 and going strong having never worked a taxed job in all that time.
Sadly if you want it bad enough you will find a way.
Of course it isnt 100% but I know my parents gave up because it got too expensive. That's also why the money raised should be funnelled into intervention programs.
Oh I absolutely agree the funding should pat for the NHS.
More on topic recently they raised the smoking age to 18 (I think it was scotland only though) I did find it cruel that they made some legal smokers suddenly illegal for 2 yrs more.
While implementation seems tricky, it's the right thing to do and would lead the world in stopping this once and for all.
Oh yes because prohibition has worked so many times in the past. You'll take my smokes from my cold cancer ridden hands
That'll be easy because te chemotherapy will have reduced your grip strength to that of a baby.
Seems pretty much same as whenever they raise the drinking age and grandfather in everyone already qualified to drink.
I doubt that the UK could lead anything on this front. Drugs which are already banned in the UK are still consumed in the UK and beyond. I do not think it's possible to stop humanity from consuming drugs (incl. tobacco and alcohol). It's something we have done for thousands of years for a wide variety of reasons.
Banning alcohol didn't work in the long-term during the Prohibition era in America. People will always find a way to access these things, they will just be less safe whilst doing so and their money will not be taxed.
New Zealand tried a similar tobacco ban in 2022, and it got repealed about a year later in order to fund tax cuts (if I am remembering correctly). I forsee this going the same way if it actually passes.