The evil smokers and their fiendish plot!

[InsaneApache]

I gave up a couple of years back, just after my heart attack. However WTF is going on back in Blighty?

Now when I started smoking it was because of the cool logo and writing on a packet of five Park Drive. Obviously. Being a rather sophisticated fellow I soon moved on to the even more beguiling Players No 6. They were the bitch in heat of the graphic logo world.

Not content with imposing a blanket smoking ban, which has ruined the pubs and decimated the clubs, the UK government has decided that all cigarettes will from next year be sold in brown paper bags. Well nearly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12689224

There's that word again; De-normalization.

There's so much wrong with this it's hard to see where to start.

Before I go off on a rant though, what do you guys think?

[Hosakawa Tito]

Nanny State knows best. In New York State it's getting to the point that the only place you'll be allowed to light up is inside your home. They don't want you to smoke and treat you like a leper, but they'll gladly collect & spend the taxes collected on tobacco. Can't smoke outdoors in many state/county parks, but second hand barbeque smoke is okay. If I was a smoker I'd petition to ban all outdoor grilling in parks due to that evil barbeque smoke. In fact due to the budget crisis and all the wear & tear from people using the parks...I'd petition to ban people from the parks too.

[Andres]

I quit smoking a couple of years back as well. I do enjoy a cigarillo or a cigar from time to time, usually during summer evenings. It's relaxing. I promised myself to pick up smoking "for real" again once I reach the age of 75, because at that age, I can no longer die young because of lung cancer, heart failure or whatnot, now can I?

Before I go off on a rant though, what do you guys think?

In order to keep the promise I made to myself, I'll be obliged to start stocking up on cigarettes, cigarillo's and cigars right now, I guess. There goes saving for my retirement... I need to buy the equivalent of +/- 15 years of heavy smoking now, before smoking gets illegal alltogether. Bastards!

[Husar]

I think instead they should make it legal that I can punch and beat everybody who smokes anywhere where I cannot easily avoid their smoke to my heart's content without having to fear any legal repercussions.

[InsaneApache]

I think instead they should make it legal that I can punch and beat everybody who smokes anywhere where I cannot easily avoid their smoke to my heart's content without having to fear any legal repercussions.

This attitude is what I'm talking about.

[Husar]

This attitude is what I'm talking about.

I usually start to cough, feel bad, my eyes may hurt and my appetite is gone once I'm subjected to second hand smoke, why should it be legal for anyone to impose this on me?
It's mostly a problem on the subway and the escalator out of it where those impatient smokers have to light their cigarettes already even though it's not allowed.
If they wait until they're outside it's not really a problem usually, I have friends who are black smokers.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Well the people are too stupid, they're a danger to themselves and the government needs to protect them for their own good.

Obviously, educating people on the dangers of smoking have failed. So instead we have to remove all the pretty pictures and shiny things from the packets so people will not be lured towards them. Plus, if we hide the packets behind the counter, then the people will get confused and not know where they are, and probably just give up smoking.

I cannot see any flaws in this plan.

[Andres]

I think instead they should make it legal that I can punch and beat everybody who smokes anywhere where I cannot easily avoid their smoke to my heart's content without having to fear any legal repercussions.

I can understand you don't want smoke in your face when having dinner in a restaurant, but I fail to see how it can bother someone if a guy is smoking in e.g. a trainstation

Do you want it legal that you can punch and beat everybody who drives a car anywhere where you cannot easily avoid their smoke to your heart's content without having to fear any legal repercussions as well? While we're at it, let's make shooting rockets at evil airplanes with their evil gasses legal. And blowing up houses of people who warm their houses using non-renewable energy sources, which probably would mean that it'll become legal to blow up about any house. Oh, and punching anybody who has someting in his home that's made in China, because all the evil gasses produced to get that stuff here are bad for us.

Meh, why not make it legal to kill human beings, surely, they're all doing something that could be bad for my health.

[Husar]

I can understand you don't want smoke in your face when having dinner in a restaurant, but I fail to see how it can bother someone if a guy is smoking in e.g. a trainstation

Do you want it legal that you can punch and beat everybody who drives a car anywhere where you cannot easily avoid their smoke to your heart's content without having to fear any legal repercussions as well? While we're at it, let's make shooting rockets at evil airplanes with their evil gasses legal. And blowing up houses of people who warm their houses using non-renewable energy sources, which probably would mean that it'll become legal to blow up about any house. Oh, and punching anybody who has someting in his home that's made in China, because all the evil gasses produced to get that stuff here are bad for us.

Meh, why not make it legal to kill human beings, surely, they're all doing something that could be bad for my health.

I agree about cars, except electric ones, we could have saved ourselves the whole E10 debacle as well.
It's not just about long term health effects, it's about making me cough, making my clothes and my hair smell horribly bad etc. without it being any of my own wrongdoing, just for the pleasure/addiction/weakness of someone else. The disadvantages of smoking balance out the benefits, at least when you're addicted. And someone who can't wait for a minute until they're outside a subway station where noone minds that they smoke, has to be addicted. Even worse if they do it down at the platform or even inside the train because then everybody standing downwind gets a taste of it...
A train station outside is less problematic.

The China thing is something they have to do in China, their gasses aren't affecting me nearly as much as the ones from a smoker 2m away from me. It's him who I want to beat up for my enjoyment and I don't see why that should be banned because my enjoyment is more important than what he thinks about this minor health problem I'm causing.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Having recently quit smoking myself I fully applaud this measure. Tobacco is a highly addictive, dangerous drug. Smoking ought to be de-normalised. Smoking is not normal.

Case in point:

I gave up a couple of years back, just after my heart attack.

Let's make sure more grandchildren can enjoy their grandparents.

[Andres]

Having recently quit smoking myself I fully applaud this measure. Tobacco is a highly addictive, dangerous drug. Smoking ought to be de-normalised. Smoking is not normal.

Case in point:
Let's make sure more grandchildren can enjoy their grandparents.

Drinking alcohol is not normal. It's addictive and dangerous. Idem dito for caffeine. Meat prepared on a BBQ is bad for your health. Fries are teh evil.

Let's forbid living, shall we?

Meh, if this continues, I might start smoking again tomorrow, just to make a political statement. Nanny state

[Louis VI the Fat]

There are all sorts of restrictions to limit alcohol consumption. (To see what happens with just a little bit less consumer protection, compare alcoholism in the EU with Russia, or the US with Latin America)

Our food is heavily protected too. (To see what happens with just a little bit less consumer protection, compare average weight in the EU with the US)

Emissions of dangerous gasses from cars is heavily restricted. (To see what happens with just a little bit less consumer protection, compare pollution levels in Hamburg with Shanghai)


Nanny state ftw, every single time.
The nanny state is what corporations call consumer protection. What those seeking privileges call the common good.

[Moros]

Drinking alcohol is not normal. It's addictive and dangerous. Idem dito for caffeine. Meat prepared on a BBQ is bad for your health. Fries are teh evil.

Let's forbid living, shall we?

Meh, if this continues, I might start smoking again tomorrow, just to make a political statement. Nanny state

Amen to that! If I ever start smoking it's because of all this nonsmoking stuff.

Also bars without smoke? I can't stand those. Bah! Next we'll only be allowed to drink orangejuice or water.

[Furunculus]

Having recently quit smoking myself I fully applaud this measure. Tobacco is a highly addictive, dangerous drug. Smoking ought to be de-normalised. Smoking is not normal.

so because you were weak you desire to impose your will on everyone else, and because you finally overcame your weakness you feel mandated to 'assist' everyone else?

no thanks.

[HoreTore]

so because you were weak you desire to impose your will on everyone else, and because you finally overcame your weakness you feel mandated to 'assist' everyone else?

no thanks.

Excuse me, how will the lack of brands and advertising be a way of "imposing Louis' will" on others....?

What use does the average smoker have for a shiny picture on his cigarette pack?

[Louis VI the Fat]

Now when I started smoking it was because of the cool logo and writing on a packet of five Park Drive. Obviously. Being a rather sophisticated fellow I soon moved on to the even more beguiling Players No 6. They were the bitch in heat of the graphic logo world.

Advertising works. Branding works. That's why the countless billions are spend on them. Branding works especially well for the most vulnerable group, the very group you most want to prevent picking up this dangerous habit: teenagers.
Ever been (or send) a teenager to school with the wrong clothing logo?


Companies can hardly advertise tobacco anymore. It is a small step to ban another form of branding: packaging. So well done to Britain for this important step, I hope the rest of Europe will follow suit.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Ever been (or send) a teenager to school with the wrong clothing logo?

We have school uniforms, remember.

Anyway, the logic from some people in this thread means the government should ban a lot of things. Starting with alcohol, the effects of which are far worse and more widespread than smoking.