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Article: Should cigarettes be made illegal?

This has sparked mixed opinions among the TSR community and for some a strong view for and/or against smoking being banned. But why stop at smoking, what else should be banned: fast food? alcohol?

Here's what the TSR community have to say about making smoking illegal:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=20923-Should-cigarettes-be-made-illegal

(edited 8 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Original post by Xenon17

Smoking should be banned as it affects others harmfully.

Whilst it can affect others harmfully, it can also have minimal effects on others directly. Whilst yes, there is a cost to the NHS, there is also a fair amount of tax revenue made off cigarettes, and the only thing that banning cigarettes would do, is make the public worse off.

At least currently, the government get some money back from the tax, which they can put into the NHS etc... ban cigarettes, and a black market for them will be born. All this will do is mean no tax revenue, and potentially more health problems from lower quality and potentially more dangerous cigarettes - whilst nominally, fewer people may smoke if the cigarettes were banned, the monetary value of the problems could increase.

Plus, it's a consumer choice.

Reply 3

Kaeden

Lets make cigarettes illegal to make the smokers cry.
Lets make alcohol illegal to make the drinkers/drunks cry.
Lets make fast food illegal to make the food lovers cry.
Lets make tanning illegal to make the British equivalents of Snooki cry.
Lets make Starbucks Frappuccinos illegal to make white girls cry.

All of the above are unhealthy (some more than others), but people are going to continue doing it anyway because they enjoy it.

Smoking isn't the only thing that is bad for your health.

Reply 4

Walt_14

Absolutely not. Whether it's healthy or unhealthy is their problem, not yours. And further increasing the price and reducing the no. of ciggies in a packet, as another person proposed, is (no offence) absolutely silly. Unless they smoke in your face they're not harming you, are they? People are well aware of the risks nowadays and if they still choose to smoke that's up to them, not anyone else. Best leave them to it, innit.

Reply 5

DiddyDec01

How about we just ban everything?

Reply 6

HylianPrincess

I think smoking is a horrible habit and I would never do it personally but I do not think it should be banned. The tax on them is ridiculous and the Government make so much money and you know, sometimes that helps the public. It is an important resource.

People are not going to stop smoking because you make it illegal. Yes there are major health problems but it doesn't concern you. Then you go on about the NHS but then don't think we should ban unhealthy food or alcohol or driving in cars or letting kids play with lego. Everything is a hazard nowadays.

Reply 7

Tiger Rag

It doesn't just harm the user though. Some of us have serious lung problems. By being forced to breathe in your filthy habit, (because it's impossible to avoid a smoker in public) you're making my serious lung problems worse.

Reply 8

DiddyDec01

Original post by OU Student

How is it impossible?

Reply 9

Tiger Rag

Original post by DiddyDec

How is it impossible?

I live near a hotel. If I want to go anywhere, I've got to walk past said hotel where there's almost always someone smoking outside. I live 10 minutes from town where there's almost always someone smoking.

Reply 10

rubyroseware

Smoking shouldn't be made illegal, no. If it were made illegal, people would still find a way to get it. People still take illegal drugs because there will ALWAYS be someone to supply us with anything illegal. My health problem, not yours. There's other things that are bad for your health too

Reply 11

DiddyDec01

Original post by OU Student

Can't you cross the road from the hotel?

Reply 12

KingBradly

We do not need any more nannying from the state.

Reply 13

Wolfegirl98

No. But you know what should be illegal. Hunting and killing animals.

Reply 14

scrotgrot

Absolutely not. Tobacco raises a lot of tax and looking at the figures vs CPI inflation it seems the anti smoking measures at present have not reduced the amount of tax collected. I would not want to push it much further though. In particular, there is no justification for making smoking in your own car illegal.

Reply 15

alexschmalex

Original post by scrotgrot

In particular, there is no justification for making smoking in your own car illegal.

If the smoker has kids then that's plenty justification imo

Reply 16

Adeel Ali

Cigs should be made illegal.
Weed should be legalised.

Reply 17

scrotgrot

Original post by alexschmalex

If the smoker has kids then that's plenty justification imo

Then I suppose you support banning smoking inside someone's own home? I certainly don't.

"Think of the children" is a common argument used to justify illiberal intrusions into people's private lives.

For most things society relies on the assumption that parents love their children and want the best for them. To me smoking is not flagrant enough harm to justify an implicit accusation of abusive or neglectful treatment.

What about, let's say, buying their kids McDonalds or fizzy pop? Should that be banned - it also causes health problems.

The usual thing we do with this is to discourage people with punitive taxes. Hence I support high tobacco taxes as well as sugar but not banning in either case.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 18

samon53

Has no-one learned prohibition just does not work. Alcohol, drugs, abstinence only sex ed etc. Seriously we're all young enough to have a clear head and clever enough to make the intelligent decision. I support having many measures that reduce smoking ,lessen the harm and make it more prohibitive. But if you go too far and outright ban or close to an outright ban you'll be shooting yourself and the rest of society in the foot.