I think not.
Plain packaging smoking materials, will not for one moment stop me smoking. I started smoking at school when someone offered me one. Although I went a violent shade of green and coughed for England, I was pleasantly surprised at the feeling of relaxation it gave me.
In all my life I’ve never been seduced by the colour or style of the packaging. It’s always been about the quality of the product and the price.
Of course now the price, is everything, and that’s why the antismoking Tobacco control industry and the government are heading into a world of hurt with the idea of plain packaging.
Which brings me onto why plain packaging should be abandoned.
Counterfeiting.
The health zealots insist that this is unlikely to happen. They have to say that as otherwise their whole premise falls.
Here are some facts about counterfeiting that I found interesting, especially as it comes from the garden of England, Kent.
A recent survey by MSIntelligence revealed Gillingham topped the table for having the worst habit when it comes to smoking counterfeit cigarettes, with more than half being illegal.
It found 54.5% of packets thrown away in the town had avoided tax, while Poole in Dorset came second (50.83%) and Worthing in Sussex third (49.24%). Mr Turner, who has owned the shop for the past 18 months, said: “When I heard about the plans for plain packaging I thought it was loopy.
Now I don’t live in the Medway area so unfortunately can’t avail myself of a cheaper product. But I would if I could. (If there’s bootlegger in West Kent reading this then please let me know).
These counterfeit ciggies can’t be that bad as I haven’t seen any reports that the people of Medway are dying like flies yet.
It seems that the government will be making a rod for it’s own back if it introduces plain packaging as revenues from tobacco products will fall dramatically.
For those antismoker out there. Mull on this.
Supposed costs for all smoking ailments costs the NHS £2.7 billion per annum.
However, revenue from tobacco products is £11 billion. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. (Oh I forgot, you’re antismoking bigots).
Believe it or not, smokers are subsidising the ailments of the antismokers.
So what if all smokers quit tomorrow.
The government would have to make up the shortfall.
Working out on the back of a fag packet (Natch), it would work out that every man, women, and child, would have to pay £250 to make up the shortfall.
So a family with two adults and two kids would be taxed £1,000 more per year.
This is the price you will pay if you're an antismoker. I hope you can afford it. I shall laugh like a drain when I read that dreadful Arnott from ASH has has her house repossessed because she can;t afford her mortgage.
It will serve you right.
It found 54.5% of packets thrown away in the town had avoided tax,
ReplyDeleteThat seems awfully high , or is it the definition of counterfeit.
had avoided tax So more likely Duty Frees from Man in Lorry then (given the locations as well) rather than the sweepings of an Indian Factory floor crammed into a dodgy looking B&H box
The quote actually says percentages of cigarette packets without tax, so presumably includes duty free and imported 'real' cigs.
ReplyDeletethe point is not to get you to quit (which is nice), but to prevent kids from starting. 80% of smokers start from 14-17 years of age and if plain packaging prevents ONE of them from not starting - then it's a success.
ReplyDeleteUnless you agree with a 14 year old picking up a disgusting addictive cancer causing habit. Then you would have other issues.
Won't somebody think of the... *deep breath* chiiiilllldreeeeen???
ReplyDeleteNooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!
DeleteYou joke, but there is nothing funny about a 14 year old smoking and most likely creating a life long addiction.
DeleteA respiratory doctor once said he never heard of a non-smoker on their death bed saying 'you know i wish i started smoking when i was young'. However he heard infinite times on the death bed of a smoker 'i wish i never started smoking'.
I'll be saying "Can I have a last cigarette please".
Delete1. Cancer Research UK have claimed that 27% of UK children will have tried at least one cigarette before they reach 16. Or, 73% are immune to wildly exciting packet designs.
ReplyDelete2. Cigarette cases/slips are readily available in all good on-line shops.
"Cigarette cases/slips are readily available in all good on-line shops."
DeleteIf it comes to that, I'll buy the most garish one they sell.
Oooh, sounds like a design competition is in order...
DeleteJust wanted to say I love the way that antismoking bigots wander into posts about smoking and, without fail, exception or apparent shame, demonstrate their humourless, unthinking, purse-lipped, drone-bigot nature. It's as if they literally can't help it. The pitiable bovine fucks.
ReplyDeleteFunny, we feel the exact same way when smokers wander into an area we're standing in and decide to light up, without fail, exception or apparent shame, demonstrate their humourless, unthinking, purse-lipped, drone-bigot nature. It's as if smokers literally can't help it. The pitiable bovine fucks.
DeleteSee? No imagination, no wit, just parroting.
DeleteSo which areas would these be, anyway? They can't be anywhere indoors, so what exactly is the problem?
And why have you seamlessly moved from whining about cigarette packaging and its amazing powers of enticement to whining about people smoking in your general vicinity, anyway? Or are you a different Anonymous drone to the earlier Anonymous drone?
"They can't be anywhere indoors, so what exactly is the problem?"
DeleteWho's talking about indoors? If I want to enjoy a nice day at the beach/in the park/at a sports match or just waiting for a bus and an idiot decides to sit next to me and chain smoke for an hour, HE is the inconsiderate fuck.
Obviously if I see someone smoking at the park or beach, I'm not going to sit next to them. But nothing gives them the right to chain smoke next to me when I am doing one of these activities with my family and already there.
Unless of course you think smokers own everything outdoors also, in which case you are the inconsiderate fuck.
I always find it amusing that pro smoking blogs always attract humourless ASH trolls. They probably are vegetarian, teetotal, cycle riding, believers of AGW as well.
ReplyDeleteThe holier than thou type that, believe without questioning, everything they're told.
They're prickly sorts, too - ready and willing to unleash an unbecoming (and unhealthy) stream of invective at the drop of a hat. And this even though they have 'won' the war and been given the spoils, with smokers banished to the margins (and the elements) and openly discriminated against.
ReplyDeleteMakes me think there's an underlying psychological issue there, personally.