Dracoro

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3789591.stm


Completely misses the point that if 'poor working class' stopped smoking, they'd have (for a 20 a dayer) an extra £30 or so a week which could buy plenty other 'pleasures'.

mik

exactly - I'm sure you can score some good drugs for £30?

stevem2k

..or 30 lottery tickets.

Old_Fart

Well, I've not addicted to smoking, I've never smoked...but there must be some truth in it. I know plenty of *smart* people who smoke despite being aware of how it may compromise their health, so I have to believe the 'kick'/'buzz' whatever they get out of it is out of proportion to the cost.
£30 a week doesn't buy you much of anything enjoyable these days..hell it wouldn't pay for friday and saturday night down the pub..and then you'd still have sunday to thursday to get through.
I hate smoking in public btw, people blowing that **** in my face is extremely annoying, so I support a ban, let the poor stay at home and smoke themselves to death.
C

paulr

Incredibly patronising to imply that all poor people have such bad lives that only smoking gives them a release.

W@nker!!!!

Sbradley

My daughter and I were on the way to school this morning when this came on the radio.

She thought about it for a bit and then came out with this:

"Dad, poor people don't pay much tax, right? So did he say that to make sure that the government still get money from them?"

Tee Hee - she's 12 and got politicians sussed already. That's my girl

SB

Dapster

The Govt is up a certain creek without a certain paddle here - ban smoking (85% tax on a packet of tabs) and you create a £9bn tax hole. How do you fill that? Petrol tax, more speed cameras, income tax?

Also, tobacco cos make 30 times more money out of a smoker than the Govt spends on convincing that smoker to give up so money talks in the end.

Finally, if the Govt taxes you so obviously, does it have the right to be so draconian in it's limitation of smokers' priviledges?

p.s I'm not a smoker.....

Dracoro

There was some stupid woman on the bbc website saying that she couldn't use nicotine patches as they were too expensive! I can't believe this country has people that stupid?

Here's the quote from Louisa Gurner "Poorer people can't afford nicotine patches to help them give up like richer people can" She just does not get it does she!

foamy

The right to chop off their hands? That'd stop 'em smoking

dba

what a nobber,as if thats the only pleasure they get,he forgot about Triscia

paulr

Watching or appearing on?

dba

both

Chip

Thats good coming from an ex 40 a **** a day alcholic.

Chip.

dba

yes but he isnt as happy now

Brit_in_Japan

Perhaps a smoker can answer this. Does nicotine actually help you to relax? Or does the absence of nicotine in your system create the stress which only a cigarette can then relieve?

Leslie

Nicotine helps you to relax if you are suffering from lack of nicotine because you are addicted to smoking and you haven't had one for a bit!

From an ex smoker thankfully

Les

zoog

I have noticed that in the last 5 years cigarrette smoking has virtually died out in all classes, except the underclass.

I and most people I know gave up for good in the last 3 years, and only enjoy the occasional cigar.

letdown

Are you serious? I hope not.

zoog

I am slightly tongue in cheek - but there is an element of truth in what I say

letdown

I would love to know how you came to that conclusion?

What class are you by the way?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I read a "rumour" that after smoking started to die out in the early 90's, the tobacco companies went to great lengths to take a new generation to take it up, including, (allegedly):

Paying supermodels huge sums to appear in public with at least two **** on the go,

ensuring that smokers were once again seen on popular TV programs, like soaps,

ensuring that "kid's" ****, the ones they start with, have higher nicotine content, to hook quickly,

then ensuring that "stronger" **** had LOWERED nicotine content to make people need to smoke more, hence buy more, for the same "hit".

All utterly disgusting, in my mind............but it comes back to HMG being in a hole, doesn't it?

It really goes to show that taxing something to make it less attractive, (****, fuel, alcohol etc) can't work in the long run. It just puts HMG in a "Catch 22" situation

Alcazar

Dream Weaver

I smoke, about 10 rollies a day.

When I am very stressed with work, deadlines, home life etc, a simple smoke in the sun in the back yard can relieve that stress.

However, I do want to give up (after my hols ) so I now hope they do ban smoking in public places - it would also send the country into disarray, as mentioned with the tax losses which would be funny . Petrol up to £1.50 a litre, or NI up, or some other form of tax way up.

I would think 50% of people would give up if they couldn't smoke in pubs/cafes etc, so who would pay for the £4.5 billion deficit - everyone, including current none smokers. I dont mind that, but none smokers will hate it

Jye

I like your way of thinking DW

OllyK

You can just see it now can't you, next budget:
Gordon Brown: "I am banning cigarettes"
Anti-Smoking Lobby: "Yipee"
Gordon Brown: "To make up the deficit VAT will be increatesing to 27%"
Anti-Smoking Lobby: "That's not fair, you should just make the smokers pay the tax"
Gordon Brown: "How do I do that then?"
Anti-Smoking Lobby: "Well put more Tax on cigarettes"
Gordon Brown: "But we have just banned them"
Anti-Smoking Lobby: "Oh bugger"

Dream Weaver

ROFL

Dream Weaver

Thats the key, if smoking is banned, the revenue has to come from somewhere, so when VAT doubles eveyone will say make the smokers pay for it, but there wont be any smokers so who pays for the extra?

It will either go on Alcohol, Fuel, or income. So for all the anti smoking lot, I am quite happy to ban smoking, even make it illegal, as long as you dont mind paying £6 a pint, or £8 a gallon for fuel - make the choice

Redkop

They are available on prescription and I guess lower wage earners are exempt from paying prescription charges anyway

Dream Weaver

Just done some quick calculations on this.

If the government said they would make smoking illegal, hence getting rid of it completely from everywhere they would have to charge every tax paying person about £40 a month extra after tax.

So who would be happy to setup a direct debit from there account to the government for £55 ish every month, and thats whether you are a smoker or not?

Hands up, yes or no?

OllyK

Redkop - as you point out, people jump up and down about things without thinking them through. Just look at some of the mis-quotes in this thread:

His actual statement, as played on the BBC was "..one of the FEW pleaseures..." He did NOT state smoking was the ONLY pleasure. It was interesting to see the interviews of people on council estates afterwards who said it was patronising to say they "got pleasure from cigarettes but not from thier kids". Again not listening to what was being said and jumping to conclusions.

OllyK

Well £55 a month is less than a 20 a day habit I guess