[News] Government smoking ban.

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Can’t help thinking that this is electioneering gubbins. Prohibition has never worked, how long have drugs been illegal? It is already illegal for under 18s to vape yet over 100,00 every year try it out. It will make the black market bigger so someone will get rich.

But you don't see people at the bus stop in Faversham with a needle hanging out of their arm.

Things aren't black and white and to argue that all the while someone somewhere is illegally buying it and making someone else rich, nothing should be done, is an idiotic argument.

You can use the same idiotic argument to advocate making kiddie porn legal.

I would suggest that all these spurious arguments are being levelled by people who want to smoke.

 

[Guinness Boy]

It isn't. Labour supports it. The only people to 'win' electorally from this, if there is a backlash, is Farage and chums.

I'd love to point the finger at Sunk for electioneering, but on this occasion....

It's the second policy Sunk has stolen from Labour, the other being the non-dom tax status changes. It IS electioneering because he's trying to stop Labour having a manifesto by plundering anything they declare.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

It's the second policy Sunk has stolen from Labour, the other being the non-dom tax status changes. It IS electioneering because he's trying to stop Labour having a manifesto by plundering anything they declare.

That can't be right, I'm regularly assured that it's not worth voting for Labour because they don't have any policies.

 

[maidstoneseagull]

Vaping feels like it's the next emerging issue, and might be dormant for a few years but can't be great breathing that in either

 

[Justice]

But you don't see people at the bus stop in Faversham with a needle hanging out of their arm.

Things aren't black and white and to argue that all the while someone somewhere is illegally buying it and making someone else rich is an idiotic argument.

You can use the same idiotic argument to advocate making kiddie porn legal.

I would suggest that all these spurious arguments are being levelled by people who want to smoke.

You obviously haven’t been to Camden lately people are openly shooting up Cesspool of a place.

 

[Fungus]

The “what next” always seems like the start of a pointless strawman argument.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

In 2023-24 it is estimated that tobacco duties will raise £10.4 billion in tax according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Sounds like smokers are more than doing their bit.

(I'm in favour of the ban BTW)

This reminds me of that bit in Yes Prime Minister

"It's been shown that if those extra 100,000 people had lived to a ripe old age, they'd have cost us even more in pensions and social security than they did in medical treatment".

 

[dsr-burnley]

In 2021 smoking was estimated to be costing the NHS £2.5 billion.

Two and a half billion pounds.

The ban is a good thing.

As an aside I wonder if people like Liz "The Lettuce" Truss would be crying "BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR FREEEEEEDOMS!?!" if the subject were legalisation of cannabis.

The financial argument, just like it is re. healthy eating, is false. The Alzheimer's Society reckons that dementia costs the country £34 billion per year. People with dementia get pensions, get nursing home fees, and they still get other illnesses too and they still die, usually of something that needs treatment first. There are powerful reasons to ban smoking but cost isn't one of them.

As for this law, where is the logic in saying that someone who is 15 can look forward to buying tobacco, someone who is 14 cannot? Or in thirty years time, someone who is45 can buy tobacco, someone who is 44 cannot? If they want to ban it, then ban it. If they don't, then don't. Pratting about with illogical inconveniences shouldn't be a function of government.

 

[Javeaseagull]

It isn't. Labour supports it. The only people to 'win' electorally from this, if there is a backlash, is Farage and chums.

I'd love to point the finger at Sunk for electioneering, but on this occasion....

Of course it’s electioneering, straight out of the Daily Mail which Starmer is afraid to upset. There is already a black market for under age vaping which can only get bigger. It was ever thus and I repeat, prohibition does not work, never has, it just increases crime.

 

[fly high]

It's the second policy Sunk has stolen from Labour, the other being the non-dom tax status changes. It IS electioneering because he's trying to stop Labour having a manifesto by plundering anything they declare.

Thought New Zealand came up with it first, they have since dumped the idea, not sure why.

 

[Justice]

Disgusting habit, ban it.

Why do you feel the need to say that? It’s highly addictive most us smokers probably wished we never started. Funny how NSC has sympathy for alcoholics and not smokers.
At least we are still functional after a ciggie and don’t go around killing innocent people like drunk drivers do.

 

[Javeaseagull]

But you don't see people at the bus stop in Faversham with a needle hanging out of their arm.

Things aren't black and white and to argue that all the while someone somewhere is illegally buying it and making someone else rich is an idiotic argument.

You can use the same idiotic argument to advocate making kiddie porn legal.

I would suggest that all these spurious arguments are being levelled by people who want to smoke.

I am pointing out that prohibition never works and would welcome being proved wrong, if you can. Most of the billions made in the drugs trade ends up in the banks. I would like to see you prove that wrong as well.

 

[The Clamp]

This kind of bullshit should be banned IMMEDIATELY.

 

[BLOCK F]

But you don't see people at the bus stop in Faversham with a needle hanging out of their arm.

Things aren't black and white and to argue that all the while someone somewhere is illegally buying it and making someone else rich is an idiotic argument.

You can use the same idiotic argument to advocate making kiddie porn legal.

I would suggest that all these spurious arguments are being levelled by people who want to smoke.

But you don't see people at the bus stop in Faversham with a needle hanging out of their arm.

Things aren't black and white and to argue that all the while someone somewhere is illegally buying it and making someone else rich is an idiotic argument.

You can use the same idiotic argument to advocate making kiddie porn legal.

I would suggest that all these spurious arguments are being levelled by people who want to smoke.

Possibly not at the bus stop Harry, but maybe more likely to be in your local ‘spoons, by the sounds of it!

 

[HeaviestTed]

I would say either everything is legal (cannabis, heroin, etc) or some things can be illegal (tobacco).

 

[jordanseagull]

I’d ban the sale of alcohol from shops, only pubs, bars and restaurants.

Cool, another poor person tax!

 

[Justice]

I can’t remember the last time a couple of teens outside a newsagents asked me to get them a packet of fags, They all vape like crazy and the shop keepers oblige.

 

[Brovion]

In 2023-24 it is estimated that tobacco duties will raise £10.4 billion in tax according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Sounds like smokers are more than doing their bit.

(I'm in favour of the ban BTW)

And having paid all this additional tax smokers die early and thus save the State on pensions. Also, we've all got to die, so if the NHS isn't going to treat smoking-related diseases it'll still spend the money treating the other diseases non-smokers develop.

So purely from a financial viewpoint we as a country will be worse off - we'll have lost the £10.4 billion income, we'll be paying out more in pensions, and people are still going to get ill, make demands on the NHS, and then die anyway. However that is a bit like the argument that Royalists put forward about how much tourist income the royal family bring in - it's not about the money.

(On balance I'm probably marginally just opposed to the ban, but it's not a hill I'm going to die on).

 

[A1X]

When you look at who opposes it, and the fact they're basically all funded by the tobacco companies, then that rather makes my mind up for me

I also don't buy the "libertarian" arguments made unless they're also willing to decriminalise all other drugs too

 

[Peteinblack]

I'd like to see a ban on MPs receiving donations and sponsorship from corporations - I wonder how many MPs who voted against the ban last night are sponsored or wined-and-dined by tobacco companies? It's a recipe for corruption and conflicts of interest.

https://tobaccotactics.org/.../tobacco-industry.../
https://inews.co.uk/.../british-mps-tobacco-firms-2787523
https://www.scotsman.com/.../tories-linked-to-tobacco...