Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

They just need to scan the chip that was planted in your arm a couple of years ago. It's all carefully thought out.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

For once I agree.

How will you tell a 21 year old from 22, or 34 from 35.
What stops the 22 year old buying for his 21 year old mate ?

It may sound a good plan, but doesnt seem very practical to implement.
Have they not learned from banning other drugs, it just leads to a thriving black market.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

There’s an existing ‘Challenge 25’ campaign for alcohol sales so for the time being anyone who looks like they’re under 25 should be used to being asked for proof of ID when buying products restricted to 18+ only (booze, fags, fireworks).

Once we get beyond that - which will be in the middle of the next decade if they implement this next year with the expectation that it comes into force in 2027 - then the logical progression would be to legally require a photo ID check for every purchase.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

No challange system can stop the older friend, or the black market that will inevitably spring up.

Not everyone has photo ids, they are not compulsory (yet) and these days less young people can afford to learn to drive, or have need of a passport.

Challange 25 is a load of nonsense anyway, why is someone who turned 18 over 6 years previously still having to prove they are over 18, if they look 18+ that should be good enough, not 30%+ of their lifetime later. It particularly pissed me off in the summer 3 years ago (while out for a meal & drink) when my oldest daughter got asked - she was actually 28 by then ... seriously, twenty frigging eight, she quite clearly did not look under 18. She did not have any ID on her. After we finished I made it [very] clear to the manager that it was not acceptable, and we would never go back (and we never have).

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

In the future you’ll have someone who’s 60, being ID checked, when they’re secretly buying cigarettes for someone who’s 59.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

They don't need to do it secretly. 59 year olds will still be allowed to smoke. They just need a responsible adult to do the buying.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Yeah, you're going to have to simply have mandatory ID checks every time you buy them. It seems a bit messy to me but I am guessing the expectation is that the business dies out entirely long before you get to the situation when a 66-year-old is asking their 67-year-old brother to buy them a pack.

---------- Post added at 10:23 ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 ----------

Well, it's because they don't want older-looking 17-year-olds buying alcohol. Judging how old somebody looks is obviously difficult so the 25-year-old rule for checking is the catch-all way of ensuring that.

They're mandated to do this by law with serious consequences if they get caught not doing it as it's usually a condition of their licence to apply it. They're not trying to be difficult but would rather lose your business than their license. If it's overzealous then that's on the Government rather than the business.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Are we living in the same country?

Golden Virginia green 50g:

Tesco/Waitrose/Sainsbury's etc £33.65 Free delivery, ID checked.

Bournemouth/Poole/Brighton/Southampton £16.00 (Luxemburg tax paid, with Lux sticky tape) no ID check, several places in each town

Surrey/Hampshire £11.00 (Italian/Greek tax paid, with tax tape on it) online

Online delivery £1-£2 for 10 packets of the above.

No ID checked, royal mail or Evri delivery.

Don't ask for links.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

I can get Golden Virginia/Amber Leaf with tax tape at £6.00 each for 50 gms.
Those being charged £16 or £11 are being ripped off. Neither are genuine products.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Respect. But these are the prices in the south.

Why not genuine? See tax tape

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

11.30 Euros in Luxemburg, £6 in Wales?

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

Has tax tape as well, means nothing to counterfeiters.

BTW your pic shows it's non genuine as all EU packs are black.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

I am an idiot on two counts: fake tobacco and a chain smoker. I did quit for 20 years... One day, I said, one fag, what harm will do... the bloody idiot.

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi
 

I agree. Why do governments have to go around banning things? Have they not learned anything from the fiasco of Prohibition in the US? Or the ineffectiveness of our drugs laws?

Re: The Chronicles of Rishi