General Chat

As most will be aware, the bill to ban the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after 2009 is currently being looked at.

Now whilst this is a good thing in one way as in creating a smoke free nation, I simply cannot see how this will work?

Say your mother is aged 45 and you are 19 in 2028, you will no longer legally be able to buy cigarettes but what is to stop your mother buying them for you every week from the local supermarket?

So if the 19 year old is smoking in the street, does that mean a police man will arrest and charge you?

Why don't they ban the sale of all tobacco products? Because the government make too much money in tax from the sale of these products.

Everyone should have a choice just the same as for drinking alcohol so are they going to introduce a ban there too? Many under 18's already drink cheap cider and that's damaging their liver.

I just dont know how it will work.

Anyone else have an opinion?

Florence in the hebrides

I think it may reduce cigarette smoking, but I can't see that it will stop it.

It's already illegal for anybody of any age to buy cannabis, cocaine, heroin, spice etc. But our streets are full of drugs and addicts.

The black market for cigarettes will become a boom industry, the government will miss out on a huge amount of revenue from legal sales so they will find a way to recoup it.

Having said that, I think there are a lot less smokers now than a few years ago. We'll see what happens I guess.

My thoughts are that you have to want to give up to give up, you can't be forced to, I gave up years ago to save the money for my first trip to Australia to visit my newly found family there, they were £4.00 a packet then, goodness knows what they cost now.

£15:45 for 20, I just looked.

I don't think it will prevent young people from starting smoking. Children in schools are smoking vapes and they are only 13-15 years old now.

To reduce young people smoking, the shops that sell tobacco products to underage children should be heavily fined. However how do you police older people buying vapes or cigarettes for younger children?

So if you are 21 and you go into a shop and a man who is 60 buys a packet of cigarettes and then you are told, no sorry you cant buy them and yet you are an adult who is able to make up your own mind.

People will travel to France and buy them duty free or will you be banned from buying them abroad?

its altogether a good idea but....its very complicated in how it will work.

A friend of mine used to work abroad a lot and would buy duty free or buy them in the country he was working in, nothing wrong or illegal with that but I think our government didn't like it.

One day I walked past a couple of boys about 12 on my way into the supermarket. One of the boys asked me to get him a packet of Richmonds for him while I was in there, so I agreed.

I got my shopping, plus his packet of Richmonds, which I gave to him along with his change. He showed his gratitude by giving me a load of abuse.

I told him if that's what his attitude is, next time he can get his own sausages.

:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

Duncan :-D :-D :-D

Surely they should ban vaping too?

While they're at it, an attempt to stop illegal drugs, particularly 'zombie' drugs coming into the country should really be their priority - but that would take a bit of effort, and they're too busy for that!

The intention is noble but exactly how it could be executed is certainly beyond me.

Caroline, I agree, how exactly is it going to work.

Maggie I agree with you also, the vaping is a huge problem as well as drugs.

When they ban something, it will go underground and the black market just gets bigger.

I would like to know where the youngsters get the money for vapes or cigarettes as most are young teenagers and still in school. With the cost of living crisis still very much affecting many people, I'm sure parents don't have £20-30 to give in pocket money to buy tobacco products??