EU to ban Menthol & 10 Decks!

I know cigarettes are bad for you, but this is absurd! I personally love menthol, they taste a whole lot better than regular cigarettes. Plus banning 10 decks wont stop people smoking, it'll just mean poorer people will spend more money on cigarettes than other things.

This makes me so mad :mad:

but I'm obviously biased because I'm a smoker. Do you guys think this is a good or bad move? Will it actually work, or will it just suck poorer people into bigger holes?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/10364709/EU-bans-packets-of-10-and-menthol-cigarettes.html

The sale of cigarettes in packets of 10 is expected to be banned by 2016 after MEPs voted for tighter restrictions on tobacco use across Europe.
Electronic cigarette substitutes, which are increasingly popular as a less harmful alternative to smoking, will be subjected to the same strict limitations on advertising as ordinary tobacco products under the plan aimed at reducing smoking among women and young people.
Linda McAvan, the Labour MEP who drafted the legislation, said the new rules would protect “children from being targeted by tobacco companies” via the lure of attractive branding, small female-friendly packs and flavoured cigarettes.
“Four thousand British children start smoking each week - that’s a staggering 200,000 new childhood smokers a year,” she said.
The new rules must be agreed by ministers and voted on again by the European Parliament before they become law throughout the European Union, but with most governments in favour this is not expected to pose an obstacle.

Reply 1

Moosferatu

19

Atrocious. I side with the UKIP lot who cry 'nanny state' on this issue. I'm sick of the state introducing excessive regulation because THINK OF THE CHILDREN.

For ****s sake, children grow up you *****.

And children being targeted by tobacco companies? Really? I'm just imagining some guy in a trenchcoat and a top hat handing out superkings outside a high school, occasionally pausing to emit the odd maniacal cackle.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 2

Sephiroth

18

This is just another step on the long road to making smoking illegal.

But yeah I'm not sure forcing people to buy packs of 20 when they normally buy 10s is smart, they'll just smoke more since they'll take longer to run out.

Reply 3

Moosferatu

19

Original post by Sephiroth

This is just another step on the long road to making smoking illegal.

But yeah I'm not sure forcing people to buy packs of 20 when they normally buy 10s is smart, they'll just smoke more since they'll take longer to run out.

The alcohol monopoly on pleasure is coming. Mark my words.

"You're not having fun the way we tell you to!'

Reply 4

Darth Stewie

15

Electronic cigarette substitutes, which are increasingly popular as a less harmful alternative to smoking, will be subjected to the same strict limitations on advertising as ordinary tobacco products under the plan

I think we should make MEPs wear formula one style jackets so we know who their sponsors are.

Reply 5

datpiff

13

Smoking is a disgusting and damaging habit, however banning everything isn't a good way to solve problems. People will just go underground and buy smuggled cigs.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 6

GottaLovePhysics! :)

17

I wonder if this includes menthol filter tips, if so, how on earth can they justify that?

Reply 7

nic-nac

15

I'm not sure if this would make people smoke more ?? I'm not entirely sure how the psychology would work. But wouldn't people be more likely to smoke more a day, because they've already got the cigarettes and don't have to go out as often to get another pack ?

Reply 8

DarkWhite

17

I don't smoke so not personally affected by it, but it does seem unnecessary coming from the EU.

But then when do we ever get our drugs policies right? Cannabis is outlawed, but tobacco and alcohol are fine. We promote e-cigarettes as a way of quitting and an alternative, but then places are even banning those: http://www.nottinghampost.com/electronic-cigarettes-banned/story-18381812-detail/story.html

Reply 9

Apocrypha

15

What about clickers!? Ive been smoking them lately..

Doubt the EU will get away with this sort of legislation anyway, its like theyre trying to make people not like them..

Reply 10

Joinedup

20

Original post by DarkWhite

I don't smoke so not personally affected by it, but it does seem unnecessary coming from the EU.

But then when do we ever get our drugs policies right? Cannabis is outlawed, but tobacco and alcohol are fine. We promote e-cigarettes as a way of quitting and an alternative, but then places are even banning those: http://www.nottinghampost.com/electronic-cigarettes-banned/story-18381812-detail/story.html

a lot of people are turning to e cigs and as of this week I'm one of them. Unfortunately they're increasingly attracting the attention of annoying busybodies. The nominal reason for having smoking bans is that smoking indoors is unhealthy for other people yet when some alternative is found that doesn't harm people around you we find that this is objectionable too. The law on smoking indoors is not there to protect easily offended busybodies from the awful sight of people sucking things into their own mouths.
(though e cig users should be careful not to antagonise people by puffing into their faces)

Reply 11

Arbolus

13

Restricting e-cigarettes is like restricting nicotine patches. It's not just senseless, it's actively counterproductive when it comes to solving the main problem, which is the health issues caused by smoking real cigarettes.

Reply 12

SillyEddy

18

Banning packs of 10 = Just waiting a bit longer and then get twice as many?

Even if kids are buying them with pocket money, they'll just end up with more cigarettes in the end. The only difference is that for the first week they would save up more and then buy them in a larger quantity. It really doesn't solve anything (not that I'm too sure youth smoking is the epidemic that they seem to be suggesting).

It would purely inconvenience the first purchase, then you'd have more to smoke and could go for longer on that packet.

Surely they should be encouraging e-cigarettes (and its research) as a potentially healthier means?

Reply 13

forgetamine

10

This is ridiculous. I'm sick of the government telling me what I can do to my body and what not. If I wanna smoke or take drugs it's my business and not anyone elses. *****.

Reply 14

hollo

13

I'm pretty sure there are a lot fewer young teenagers smoking now than there were ten years ago, when I was that age.

I have mixed feelings on the ban, but cost is definitely a factor for a lot of people and if I were someone who would be inclined to buy a 10 pack when I was out drinking or whatever, this would probably dissuade me. In terms of kids, yes it will probably put them off too. The problem is that most occasional smokers aren't the ones that are getting seriously ill and putting a strain on the health services.

Reply 15

Rational Thinker

Original post by Gjaykay

I know cigarettes are bad for you, but this is absurd! I personally love menthol, they taste a whole lot better than regular cigarettes. Plus banning 10 decks wont stop people smoking, it'll just mean poorer people will spend more money on cigarettes than other things.

This makes me so mad :mad:

but I'm obviously biased because I'm a smoker. Do you guys think this is a good or bad move? Will it actually work, or will it just suck poorer people into bigger holes?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/10364709/EU-bans-packets-of-10-and-menthol-cigarettes.html

Whatever reduces smoking is usually good.

Reply 16

Genocidal

19

Meh it won't bother my parents. They receive illegally imported ones from abroad at half the British retail price anyways. All it will do is create a black market. Prohibition doesn't work.

Reply 17

SillyEddy

18

Original post by Rational Thinker

Whatever reduces smoking is usually good.

Making it so people have to buy twice as much of an addictive substance in one go is going to reduce smoking?

If anything, I could see smoking going up for those who do it already. The mentality being, "if you have them, might as well smoke them".

Reply 18

Little Wolf Taima

11

Original post by Moosferatu

The alcohol monopoly on pleasure is coming. Mark my words.

"You're not having fun the way we tell you to!'

Yup. Yet they want to lock people up for using a drug that is much safer *cough* cannabis *cough*

I tell you, I am so much happier smoking 1 joint a day than 20 cigarettes and alcohol every day.

The amount of chemical additives in prerolled cigarettes and some brands of rolling tobacco is insane.

However much I hate cigarette having given them up, I hear people's cries of 'this is prohibition, you'll drive people to the black market!'

Perhaps the mass outcry will make people wake up and realise they shouldnt prohibit the use of something else that can be smoked but actually has some quantifiable medical benefits. I mean if you can cry over ciggies that have absolutely no benefit whatsoever.,

People should be allowed to take the drugs they want as long as they are not harming anyone else *and* a productive member of society. Drug use is a healthcare issue and law won't fix the people who feel they need drugs. The amount of money wasted I the criminal justice system on people handling banned substances for their personal use could b spent on education, rehabilitation etc

Perhaps menthols should just be banned for under 25s? I mean I know you like the taste of them OP but that's the whole point.. They're not saying you can't smoke but if you're going to smoke, then taste the tobacco you want so much. Thats like if MDMA were legal keeping a form that tastes like Kool Aid instead of Epsom salts. Kids will shovel it down.

Edit: Agree with the 'If I have them I might as well smoke them' thing. People will often chain smoke if standing chatting to a group of people because the other person is smoking. Also if cigarettes are already there nice a rolled up for you it is too easily to just pull another out of the box. When I tried to make my grandma smoke roll ups she couldn't be bothered!!

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 19

DarkMagic

17

Surely it would make more sense to ban the larger packs if they're going to ban any? I'm not a smoker but I'm more likely to eat something if I know I have a lot of it in the house but I might be less willing if I know I'll have to go back to the shop for more. I think a lot of casual smokers would rather buy the larger pack than go without so I wouldn't be surprised if this led to more people getting addicted, as they'll finish the 20 pack rather than waste them.

EU to ban Menthol & 10 Decks!

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