Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

OK andygrif, i'm with you on this one! What's the plan? ;)

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

The main arguement that they make is not about revenue generation but about creating another loop to have to jump through before being able to smoke or resume smoking.
Of course there are pluses and minuses to this and I can understand the objections but my initial response is that I think the pluses outweigh the minuses.

I believe we need to think of ways of making smoking appear more and more culturally distasteful in order to take the "cool" factor away from teens. While I would defend an adult's right to smoke if they wish I also think we have a responsibility to protect our youth. This idea would mean that youths would have to apply to smoke and be registered which may put some off from even starting smoking which is a good thing.

It's unquestionable that smoking harms and kills, we ought to make it harder to start smoking but still allow people to choose freely. This appears to offer that.

I know it will inconvenience the smokers to do this but we need to have a responsibility towards our youth.

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

Not just an inconvenience, but another stealth tax set (to start) at £10 p.a.

I have, so far, been very successful in turning my own teenage twins away from smoking as I feel it is the parents' responsibilty to do this, and not that of a nanny state bent on total control of what we do, eat, drink... and think.

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

Agreed..we do our youngsters a great disservice by trying to protect them this way and not allow them and us parents to make up their own minds.Anyway the more tobacco becomes targeted in this way the more that illegal underground methods will be found to get tobacco to those without such a licence and children will be targeted just as they are at present by the drug traffickers.

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

I don't think it would be a stealth tax. It would be a very obvious tax and indeed, a reminder, an yearly decision to "opt in" to smoking. I also feel it is part of a parent's overall responsibility to guide, protect and inform. I also think it would be remiss of the Government and Health Care Professionals not to dissuade too.

I don't think there should be an impartial presentation of facts and a "make your own mind up" approach either (not that you said this). We need to be actively discouraging as well as informing.
There needs to be a whole system approach to it though. Parental guidance, health promotion, education, high levels of tax etc.

Active discouragement is a great service to them although I agree that over-protecting them isn't.

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

Education seems to get nowhere with kids... on any health or lifestyle subject. It just wastes money and encourages QUANGOs and other intrusive government bodies.

I suppose that, if governments REALLY want to see an end to tobacco use and the massive loss of revenue, then a system like the one in place for heroin addicts could be introduced. Total ban on tobacco, but addicts get a "fix" from pharmacists in the form of real tobacco or a substitute.

Not likely though is it? Addicts can get short term help to kick the habit, but tobacco is still legal and available everywhere.

---------- Post added at 15:07 ---------- Previous post was at 15:06 ----------

Cut deaths through all forms of drug abuse, and up goes the number of pensioners... and HMG is good at looking after pensioners aren't they?

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

Salu this won't alter a damn thing about smoking it will just make the government some money while they persecute and control a large portion of UK citizen's. How will this impact all the people that obtain their tobacco from abroad ???. That's the real game with this government CONTROL while constantly talk about freedom they continue to restrict freedom in many forms. Wake up it is smoker's now it will be drinker's then people that like a takeaway later until one way or another we are controlled in everything we do. I remember when the great pretender was made PM with people talking about how he had a lot in common with stalin well give it a few years at this rate and this country will be to all purposes stalinist as well.

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

I dont see how £10 a year charge would make anyone give up smoking. Its the same cost as less than 2 packs, so hardly a hardship. But when it then goes to £10 a month etc etc
Also I dont necesarily want the government to know that i smoke, IMO it has nothing to do with them.

The thing that really worries and scares me, is that there are people that are paid (quite well) by the taxpayer to come up with these ideas

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

Ban it, and watch the health service collapse.. The taxes paid by smokers are (I think) nearly TWICE as much as the total cost of the NHS.

---------- Post added at 18:12 ---------- Previous post was at 18:01 ----------


I am perfectly well aware of the problems caused by smoking, and that the impact of those problems is far greater than any advantage gained by smoking. Most (if not all) smokers are as well, in my experience. As is anyone who ever looks into smoking. I don't see the advantage gained by actively try to discourage people from smoking. IMO, the plain facts are enough to do this.

Active discouragement also runs the risk of actively glamourising smoking (ie people thinking that we are told not to smoke, therefore it must be good - the same opinion held by some of the drug addicts I have met).
It is worth mentioning that an old (and ex, seeing as I have lost contact with him) friend of mine was (or is) a drug addict. Last time I spoke to him, he gave me a very reasoned (and actually plausible) explanation of how drugs are not bad (although I still believe they are) and how the fact they are banned is just the government trying to prevent certain people enjoying themselves. I believe that trying too hard to discourage people from smoking, or banning it outright, will have the same effect on smoking, As such I really don't think discouragement is a good idea.

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

Smoking is too established right now to ban outright even putting aside the revenue aspects (and those are big aspects for any government). Like it or hate it you can't right now stop it and the government knows this hence no real attempt to ban it completely. As good as some poeple feel the smoking ban is it was draconian in any sense there was a compromise on offer but it hardly merited a look. I am not saying smoking is healthy i actively discourage my kids from having anything to do with it but i do smoke and i have the right too. Thats the issue here RIGHTS they are slowly being eroded in so many ways and we sleepwalk through it hardly noticing i woke up a while ago but until all of us wake up nothing will be done about it.

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

Article in today's Grauniad by Charlie Brooker (Screen Burn, TVGoHome)...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...diancolumnists



I especially liked this bit at the end...

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

There is such a system in place in most of the UK, but currently its a 'choice' whether a smoker wants to quit using the services in place.

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

My workplace was encouraged to promote & publicise those initiatives - free gum, patches, leaflets etc, & afaik it did help some people to give up :angel:

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

Thats good - we do the same all over the area I work in. But it will only help those who 'want' to give up ;)

Re: '£10 licence to smoke' proposed
 

okay so I have just given up smoking...

but am totally against this idea about a "license to smoke", isnt the government getting enough dosh from the smokers and as been said already quite a few times pays for the NHS for a big part?

So why not take it 1st to another step FATTIE FOODS as that causes obesity which COSTS the NHS alot of money. why isnt the gov doing anything bout this?

or booze again as been said?
or driving (yes I know Ken Livingston)
breathing air (its dangerous...)
living (again dangerous)

the list could go on and on