General Chat

Oh Stray .. I love my Blankie <3

But seriously I don't believe plain packaging will make one iota of difference to those who already smoke and although the tobacco lobby appears to be getting weaker they will resist this move to the enth degree

The supermarkets are already straining under the new laws with longer queues at the shuttered cig counters. many customers going to small shops that are not yet governed by it.

To smoke or not to smoke is a matter of choice, personally I don,t like smoking in any confined space so didn't object to those restrictions at all

But believe I have the right to select the brand I choose and not feel ostracized for doing so

Aaaa now you've said that I remember those points Neubie...shows how long it's been since I last quit lolololol x

Foggy I think this is slightly off course. Sharing passive smoking is not the same as watching someone drink or eat all the pies. I think most non smokers are ambivalent about someone having cigarettes

. If someone made me share a pork pie or drink some St*lla Art*is that for me would be as bad as the smoke but I have the choice and wouldn't touch either. The difference is that drink and naughty food in moderation is fine but cigarettes are not good. Denial is possibly the best way of dealing with it. -jl

I rather feel at my age, that I do not need anyone, Government or otherwise, to tell me where I should or shouldn't smoke. I reserve my right to do so, which these days is mainly in my own home, or garden. I am not a child, who needs a nanny, and FGS, my children are older than most of this so called Cabinet. So I think I know what I am doing.
As to the locking away in shuttered displays, it is ludicrous. At the price the government keeps putting them up to, I should be able to see my option of purchase.
In our T**co, the staff are incapeable of serving people quieing (sp) for cigarettes AND Lottery together. If I had a choice, I would speak with my feet and walk to a small tobaconist/wine shop, and buy them there. And maybe whilst I am doing that, I would be buying whatever I went into T**co to buy, elsewhere. Wait until that hits Sir whatever T**co.

Julia, in her kitchen smoking,
in Derbyshire

Rambling Rose I have to agree with your post

A woman of similar age asked me whilst dining in a restaurant, 'would I mind if she smoked '. Being given a question I answered truthfully' I would prefer not.

Her immediate response was, 'well why don't you sit over there then ? My reply was' why pretend to be polite when you have no intention of considering anyone else. She lit up, and I had all on not to laugh, as I think if she could have fitted two ciggies in her mouth at the time she would have done.......one to finish her meal and the other one to calm her down.-jl

I don't miss smoking in restaurants or pubs...I always find the beer gardens quite fun when I'm out now...us smokers tend to chat away to each other to pass the time whereas we probably wouldn't have done in the old days.

I think we could all cite examples of folk with bad manners be they smokers or non smokers but certainly one inconsiderate woman doesn't point to every smoker being rude....most of us are very nice.....unless we've run out of the dreaded weed or can't find our lighters of course lolololol x

...also it's lovely and warm under the patio heaters. :-D :-D :-D :-D

Its rubbish to say there isnt any help out there for the smoker who wants to quit,,,,,,masses of help in ovr the counter stuff that lawfully there to buy,,,drug addicts and drinkers dont have free option.

Drug or Drink addiction needs specialist care and any medication that helps towards a cure is lawfully controlled as it should be,,,,,,smoking cigs dont give any of the physco problems that come with drugs and drink......

It is not the job of a government to decide what is good or bad for people and then make choices for them. Unfortunately most governments dislike doing their real job, which is difficult, and love to take time out to interfere with the private lives of the citizenry, or in the UK "subjects". These days you can add view of life to doctors.

People like doing lots of things which are bad for their health or wealth or both. It is their money, their choice.One example is censorship which would be back in a flash if some people had their way. Another is gambling.

Getting back to smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs (most are no more harmful than the legal ones) smoking has carved a niche for itself as many people do not like the smoke. That is why there are all the restrictions the other arguments though logical are also hypocritical.

Trying to stop people drinking or smoking or raising tax levels to a degree beyond what people are prepared or are able to pay always has the same result, a huge boost to organised crime.

The import of not only tax unpaid (but otherwise kosher) cigarettes and alcohol is now dwarfed by the illegal import of fake cigarettes from China and alcohol from E Europe. Apart from the revenue loss this is already having serious, immediate and expensive effects on people's health. Yet somehow the ever shrinking border force is expected to do more and more with fewer and fewer people. In any case their are practical limits to enforcement as the experience of the American prohibition showed all too well.

The government should have a big rethink about the whole issue.

OK, you say, smoking costs the government money. So do many other things inc fitness for sport - the thousands of minor and not so minor injuries this produces create a very real NHS bill. Nobody is suggesting a big NHS tax on health clubs or JD Sports ... yet. Other countries do not have an NHS and so this argument does not apply. As I said it is really about not liking the smoke.

Taking away the covers ? Oh my what a joke. It is already possible to buy metal packets with a label of yr choice. All that would happen would be the creation of an instant eBay / app business in custom cigarette packet covers lol and all kind of internet information sites.

Juveniles like to do anything perceived as prohibited. Doris Lessing once said that if you want yr children to learn to read leave books around marked "prohibited, adults only". Dark green cigarette packets hidden behind the shutters could hardly be more alluring. Most juveniles have a contact over 18 who will help out.

Hiding the packets, taking away the display is just inconvenient. There are 1001 ways to get around this.

Like most things to do with public "morality" - sex, drugs, censorship - any government rarely approaches the issue on logic but usually on a mish mash of half truth, ignorance and prejudice. It should stay away from these issues apart from ensuring that tax does not exceed levels of practical enforcement as is the case right now.

It may be worth commenting that over the centuries a penchant for many activities which were illegal at the time and immoral to many was rarely a problem for the ruling class unless they chose for it to be so.

As to "smoking kills". Well someday the grim reaper will arrive it is the one thing you can be sure of. I have lots of heavy smokers in my tree who carried on despite the health warnings and lived well into their 70s and 80s. One made it to 99 and had 10 daughters - died of flu.

Health warnings ? These go back to King James. Modern warnings started getting serious in the 1960s but were widely ignored.

fwiw I gave up smoking long ago ( not compatible with playing squash ) but by OH likes standing outside in the rain ...

oh yeah ,,,, saving money. Well I guess UKGov for starters could stop giving it away to the UN, EU, Argentina, India and spend it at home or reduce the taxes. They won't 'cos giving other people's money away is such fun.

Did anyone whing when they made a law to wear seatbelts.made it illegal to drink and drive or any other the other rule and regulations that govern our lives,,,,,,,,some of the above laws made in our lifetime,,,,,,,it was just accepted,,,,

law is -----no smoking in a public confined place...lots of places had NO Smoking before the ban and it was accepted without question..just accept it ,its not the end of the world to wait for a smoke or smoke outside if you want......

,,,,,,,,and yes I am a smoke!!!, with the respect for other if they dont.

Yes Muffs you get into conversations with total strangers....... ;-)

Did anyone whing when they made a law to wear seatbelts.made it illegal to drink and drive or any other the other rule and regulations that govern our lives,,,,,,,,some of the above laws made in our lifetime,,,,,,,it was just accepted,,,,

law is -----no smoking in a public confined place...lots of places had NO Smoking before the ban and it was accepted without question..just accept it ,its not the end of the world to wait for a smoke or smoke outside if you want......

,,,,,,,,and yes I am a smoker!!!, with the respect for other if they dont.

Yes Muffs you get into conversations with total strangers....... ;-)

;-)

I'm just a friendly kinda girl me Kay what can i say :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

All these government regulations for smoking areas have achieved is to create a sort of club for the oppressed smokers.
Now kids love to be part of a group of people who are considered to be rebels .. so they have actually made smoking something far more interesting than it really is. Hide the cigs away and KEPOW every kid and their mate will be just trying to get their mitts on this elusive product.
Janet .. most smokers are very considerate .. my reply would have been
'well I need a pee so you won't mind if I do it here ' :-D

Kay,

No whinge? without question? Seat belts? drink drive? smoking ban, it was just accepted?

I beg to differ on that, plenty made a stand on those and more new laws

I also have not read on this thread where anyone said that their was no help at all for smokers

And research shows that Nicotine is addictive and that the health risks from smoking is devastating so why would that be any less worthy of more help than that given to drug addict


Roy

Kay .. TBH there is very little help for smokers . The prescription drugs have bad side effects for some including incidents of suicide.
The over the counter products usually contain nicotine replacement , so are effectively moving the adict from cigarettes to yet another addiction which they ultimately have to break .
Bit like methodone for Heroin users.
My son worked in a Drugs and alcohol rehab unit . it took them longer to wean someone off methodone than it did Heroin

Neubie, That's the point,

The proposal is supposed to be because more youngsters are smoking now than was the case before,

But the government have helped created a exclusive club and these new proposals will only make more youngsters want to be a part of it.

Roy

The reason why money is ploughed into rehab is that it requires specialised treatment with controlled medication...controlled as its not avaliable over the counter,,,,,,the effects of withdrawal from cigarettes cant be compared to hard drugs,

There are products that are legal over the counter that can be bought freely that is an aid to quitting,,,,,not a cure an aid.......and will power.........an addict to hard drugs hasnt got the will power as their ability to fuction in this mode is marred by drugs,,,,,,,a cigarrette does not make you function outside of normallity,

If anyone is willing to give up smoking it can be done without all the activity an addict goes though.

I have no sympathy with drug users or drinkers.......but smokers,,,,,,,come on and I smoke>>>>

Kay, So you smoke, How many times have you stopped smoking?

As for addiction it's pretty much the same as anything else,

It's not a case of one size fits all so if i can with will power then anyone can or this patch or this tablet worked for me so it must work for you.

Roy

Porkie Pie

In answer to the question that you asked Kay I would like to say that I have attempted to give up so many times from cold turkey- Zyban and every thing else in between and have failed so many times. Will power I have in plenty or else I would never had survived many things in my life. My reason for smoking is although I am told it may lead to an early death at the moment it keeps me sane.

Jo

There are products that are legal over the counter that can be bought freely that is an aid to quitting,,,,,not a cure an aid.......and will power.........an addict to hard drugs hasnt got the will power as their ability to fuction in this mode is marred by drugs,,,,,,,a cigarrette does not make you function outside of normallity,

If anyone is willing to give up smoking it can be done without all the activity an addict goes though.

I have no sympathy with drug users or drinkers.......but smokers,,,,,,,come on and I smoke>>>> Quote

An addict no matter what prescribed drugs are given and no matter what rehab is offered will still be an addict without the will power to give up the substance they are dependant on. This also applies to nicotine addicts
There are many functioning illegal drug and alcohol abusers in our society , be very sure of that.
Nicotine is a drug , it is a very addictive drug and it does affect people .. through ill health, but it is a legal drug and the Government , elected by us , so in effect working for us, are actually no more than dealers living off the taxes they apply to this.

and for the record I do have sympathy for anyone who finds themselves in a situation where they depend or have depended wholly on any type of drug or alcohol to get through their daily life.