Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?
Discussion about school, sixth form, FE college, including general revision and study tips. Use the subforums and subject forums for discussion on specific qualifications and subjects.
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Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?I know but in the Britain of today if you are stupid you are more likely to smoke. You can't debate this it is a widely accepted fact.(Original post by littleone271)
You obviously went to a very strange school then and it's a shame you came out with such crazy ideas like 'only stupid people smoke'. Whether somebody is a smoker or not has nothing to do with their intelligence. -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?Well ok, they might do if you look like a child of about 10 years old. That's common sense. Otherwise they can't be bothered and they don't care, it is a bit of a pointless law. I live in quite a posh area with fairly low crime rates and lots of very bored looking police. When I was 16 I was able to buy cigarettes illegally in most places because I came across as being older but even my friends who looked about 13 could walk along smoking and not be stopped by police officers.(Original post by rmpr97)
Yes they do! First hand experience! Although was a good one, stopped altogether after that!
I also dated a police officer at one point (when I was 18) who told me that there isn't really a proper legal age for smoking as such because the 16+ to smoke has just become a technicality that nobody pays attention to.
Generally, it's a pointless law that isn't ever really enforced. Kinda like the law that says you aren't allowed to push prams on pavements as they have wheels and therefore count as vehicles. -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?You're also probably more likely to swear if you're of lower intelligence (if the Jeremy Kyle show is anything to go by) as a lot of people see it as being something to do with having a limited vocabulary but then look at Stephen Fry.(Original post by internetguru)
I know but in the Britain of today if you are stupid you are more likely to smoke. You can't debate this it is a widely accepted fact.
My point is that it's incredibly ignorant to think that all smokers are stupid. Intelligent people can get hit by cars through failing to use common sense so why is it so hard to believe that they would take up smoking as a way of relieving stress? -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?That's a ridiculous statement. There are plenty of intelligent people who smoke...(Original post by internetguru)
People that smoke didn't get into our sixth form because only stupid people smoke. -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?Stephen Fry swears regularly. Even in his autobiography.(Original post by littleone271)
You're also probably more likely to swear if you're of lower intelligence (if the Jeremy Kyle show is anything to go by) as a lot of people see it as being something to do with having a limited vocabulary but then look at Stephen Fry.
My point is that it's incredibly ignorant to think that all smokers are stupid. Intelligent people can get hit by cars through failing to use common sense so why is it so hard to believe that they would take up smoking as a way of relieving stress? -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?That was my point. There are highly intelligent people who swear constantly just like there are highly intelligent chain smokers.(Original post by TurboCretin)
Stephen Fry swears regularly. Even in his autobiography. -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?Yeah it is hardly enforced, although then again I was in SoHo, so you know extra vigillent and all that. Or those officers may have been dicks, they were quite racist to me (Italian)!! Although that racism let me off because otherwise according to them my Catholic Iti family would kill me!(Original post by littleone271)
Well ok, they might do if you look like a child of about 10 years old. That's common sense. Otherwise they can't be bothered and they don't care, it is a bit of a pointless law. I live in quite a posh area with fairly low crime rates and lots of very bored looking police. When I was 16 I was able to buy cigarettes illegally in most places because I came across as being older but even my friends who looked about 13 could walk along smoking and not be stopped by police officers.
I also dated a police officer at one point (when I was 18) who told me that there isn't really a proper legal age for smoking as such because the 16+ to smoke has just become a technicality that nobody pays attention to.
Generally, it's a pointless law that isn't ever really enforced. Kinda like the law that says you aren't allowed to push prams on pavements as they have wheels and therefore count as vehicles. -
Last year my college had quite high entry requirements to get in and yet some people who attend do smoke, so that statement isn't entirely true.(Original post by internetguru)
People that smoke didn't get into our sixth form because only stupid people smoke.
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Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?Lol since when are catholics anti smoking? My family are Irish Catholics and loads of them smoke. There are even tons of priests that smoke. I never thought it was an issue?(Original post by rmpr97)
Yeah it is hardly enforced, although then again I was in SoHo, so you know extra vigillent and all that. Or those officers may have been dicks, they were quite racist to me (Italian)!! Although that racism let me off because otherwise according to them my Catholic Iti family would kill me! -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?I think we've established that he's a bit unimformed lol(Original post by badbodydouble)
Last year my college had quite high entry requirements to get in and yet some people who attend do smoke, so that statement isn't entirely true.
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?No, they just assumed that because I'm Italian my mother would be a stereotypical Catholic Iti (iti is a derogative term btw) who would be as strict as hell, so out of their own pity they let me off. Although highly racist. Although I bet if I reported it nothing would be done!(Original post by littleone271)
Lol since when are catholics anti smoking? My family are Irish Catholics and loads of them smoke. There are even tons of priests that smoke. I never thought it was an issue? -
Good!(Original post by littleone271)
I think we've established that he's a bit unimformed lol

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?Many doctors smoke though? So you can't attribute a low IQ to everyone that smokes.(Original post by internetguru)
I know but in the Britain of today if you are stupid you are more likely to smoke. You can't debate this it is a widely accepted fact. -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?
The first time I smoked was in year 8 and a large number of the school smoke, there's even a stop smoking advice group in our school
I think it is enforced, but not as much as say other places in England or the rest of the UK that are more strict.
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Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?Sorry I've never actually heard the term 'iti' before... I kinda assumed it was a seemingly unnecessary abbreviation for 'Italian' :/(Original post by rmpr97)
No, they just assumed that because I'm Italian my mother would be a stereotypical Catholic Iti (iti is a derogative term btw) who would be as strict as hell, so out of their own pity they let me off. Although highly racist. Although I bet if I reported it nothing would be done!
That does seem racist. Kinda going off topic here but I've noticed people seem to get away with a lot when it comes to being racist towards people from european countries in contrast with the zero tolerance racism towards black people.
People calling Irish people stupid is a classic example as it is technically racism although I don't find this offensive and I don't think anyone does really unless it's obviously meant in a serious way. I can always get away with making Irish jokes anyway because all my friends know that I've grown up in an Irish household and I'm half Northern Irish and 1/4 Irish (RoI) lol. Irish jokes aren't taken any more seriously than jokes about gingers evolving from urangatangs and blondes being airheads though. It will be interesting to see whether this changes over the next 10-20 years and beyond.
Definitely inspiration for a new thread... -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?I've had my fair share of cracking Irish jokes with my best friend being part Irish and another close friend being Irish!(Original post by littleone271)
Sorry I've never actually heard the term 'iti' before... I kinda assumed it was a seemingly unnecessary abbreviation for 'Italian' :/
That does seem racist. Kinda going off topic here but I've noticed people seem to get away with a lot when it comes to being racist towards people from european countries in contrast with the zero tolerance racism towards black people.
People calling Irish people stupid is a classic example as it is technically racism although I don't find this offensive and I don't think anyone does really unless it's obviously meant in a serious way. I can always get away with making Irish jokes anyway because all my friends know that I've grown up in an Irish household and I'm half Northern Irish and 1/4 Irish (RoI) lol. Irish jokes aren't taken any more seriously than jokes about gingers evolving from urangatangs and blondes being airheads though. It will be interesting to see whether this changes over the next 10-20 years and beyond.
Definitely inspiration for a new thread... -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?(Original post by rmpr97)
Because once you hit 16 you're allowed to smoke so every goes on a first time smoke rush!There is no legal "smoking" age per-se; it's the age you're allowed to be sold cigarettes/tobacco/papers in the UK, which has been 18 since 2008.(Original post by littleone271)
I'm pretty sure it's a myth that you have to be 16 to smoke. It's certainly not enforced anyway and most people turn 16 during year 11.. You actually have to be 18 to buy cigarettes in the UK now too so in terms of smoking... 16 isn't a milestone.
EDIT: I did a quick google and it turns out you do technically have to be 16 to smoke in the UK. It just isn't enforced though.
You can smoke at any age; if the Police try and "enforce" anything, it's normally anti-social behaviour. -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?My friend is going to Warwick and she smokes. The general trend at Warwick is that people are quite intelligent.(Original post by internetguru)
People that smoke didn't get into our sixth form because only stupid people smoke. -
Re: Why do so many people at Sixth Form smoke cigarettes?I know a black guy that went to Cambridge therefore it is safe to assume all people at Cambridge are black.(Original post by swbp)
My friend is going to Warwick and she smokes. The general trend at Warwick is that people are quite intelligent.

I think it is enforced, but not as much as say other places in England or the rest of the UK that are more strict.