this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2023
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Rishi Sunak is considering introducing some of the world’s toughest anti-smoking measures that would in effect ban the next generation from ever being able to buy cigarettes, the Guardian has learned.

Whitehall sources said the prime minister was looking at measures similar to those brought in by New Zealand last December. They involved steadily increasing the legal smoking age so tobacco would end up never being sold to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.

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[–] jsdz@lemmy.ml 46 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If they want to ban tobacco let them first legalise weed, acid, and psylocybin. That'd be a fair trade.

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[–] Vode_An@lemmy.ml 31 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Tried going cold Turkey today, made it like 14 hours.

It’s the right thing to do. It’s a very hard addiction to escape. I know a guy who beat heroin and can’t beat nicotine.

[–] DogMuffins@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 year ago

I recently quit. I'm about 6 weeks since my last patch. A relapse is exceedingly unlikely.

Going cold turkey would never have worked for me. Cut down > switch to patches > taper off.

[–] flathead@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

One day at a time. Keep trying. It's absolutely worth it.

[–] ronondex@lemmy.sdf.org 22 points 1 year ago (4 children)

IMHO they should ban all types of smoking. If people want to eat weed brownies and nicotine chewing gums, I don't care. But smoking just smells bad and is really unpleasant to be around in the street.

Just ban smoking drugs and combustion engine. I just want clean air.

[–] Texas_Hangover@lemm.ee 15 points 1 year ago

Yeah! Prohibition always works out flawlessly.

[–] Blake@feddit.uk 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Living in a tolerant society means that we need to be willing to deal with these little inconveniences in our lives. One of my neighbours has kids who love to play on a go-kart and wake me up at 6am on a Saturday morning, sometimes I can smell people barbecuing even though I’m vegan, and so on.

As long as it’s not a direct risk to health (e.g. smoking indoors) and not extremely obnoxious (playing extremely loud music and refusing to turn it down) people should be able to do what they want to.

[–] ltxrtquq@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

One of my neighbours has kids who love to play on a go-kart and wake me up at 6am on a Saturday morning

As long as it’s not ... extremely obnoxious (playing extremely loud music and refusing to turn it down)

I'm not sure I see a meaningful difference here. And why is it you don't see polluting the air to be a direct health risk? If you wanted to ride a bike or walk instead of drive everywhere, I'm sure you'd see how car exhaust doesn't just disappear immediately.

[–] Blake@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m sure if I asked the parents of the kids if they could ask them to wait til after 9am to play on the go kart they probably would, I have a lower expectation of “polite” behaviour from kids and I don’t want to take their fun away from them, you’re only young once and I don’t really begrudge them it.

For vehicle exhaust, we’re basically already solving the problem by moving away from ICE vehicles, so I don’t see the reason in arguing about it.

[–] ltxrtquq@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Alright, but why is it okay for you to decide that some noise is okay, but Ronon Dex can't decide that the air pollution isn't? Why do you get to make that decision for them, and just say "you have to deal with some problems in a tolerant society"?

For vehicle exhaust, we’re basically already solving the problem by moving away from ICE vehicles, so I don’t see the reason in arguing about it.

Because there's more than one way of generating air pollution and some would argue that the transition isn't happening fast enough, or even that transitioning to electric cars isn't really a solution.

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[–] KevinDeRodeTovenaar@feddit.nl 8 points 1 year ago

I don't think that is realistic.

[–] this_1_is_mine@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

If you can make it literally easier than stuffing a wad in a pipe and burning then yay!!! Otherwise go back to the drawing board.

[–] rainynight65@feddit.de 21 points 1 year ago

Smoking is one of the very few things everyone is better off not doing.

[–] azurefirefly@lemmy.basedcount.com 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Thank god. Hope this gets passed. Next do vaping and get rid of it

[–] SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

draws on vape whats wrong with vaping? draws on vape

[–] SnipingNinja@slrpnk.net 8 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I actually want to know, because every complaint against vape that I have seen has been about the nicotine ones, which are more prevalent for sure but I want to know if non nicotine vapes are also bad.

[–] Gamey@feddit.de 6 points 1 year ago

Nicotine vapes are a decent way to stop smoking (using one myself) but other than that it's basically just harmful bs. Vape liquids include all kinds of garbage that increase lung conditions of all kinds, especially in the US where they are underregulated af!

[–] Dontfearthereaper123@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'd reckon ur at a higher risk of developing lung conditions but not as high as smoking and most likely lower than nicotine vapes judging from the research. Vaping would probably be one of the more harmful things you do in your day but i doubt its the most. If ur worried abt the oil, refer to my reply to that comment. I would like you to see the research yourself tho and develop your own opinion as it may be different from mine even though we looked at the same data.

[–] lorty@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Something about leaving oils and other fluids in the lung that damage it really fast.

[–] Dontfearthereaper123@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

U don't vape oils for that reason ur vaping the same thing as in fog machines. They rnt harmless but they rnt even close to half as deadly as cigs either. Vaping has had alot of fear mongering around it such as popcorn lung. which has never occurred from vaping only extreme oral ingestion or inhalation of the actual powdered flavouring component has caused that, i feel sure enough abt this to add the ingredient to selfmade eliquids. The oils ur referring to are most likely vitamin e acetate and mct both cause oil build up in lungs when vaped, that's not disputed, but they haven't been used in commercial eliquids for years.

Edit: I forgot to add that so far the worst I've found w vaping is an increased risk for copd but fsr less than cigarettes and itll only raise if we force vapers onto the black market with unregulated eliquid, it also seems to correspond to nicotine level. My source is I researched eliquid components harm fairly indepthly to choose the best ingredients for my own liquid.

[–] guyrocket@kbin.social 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

The (stopped?) trend in the US had been to tax cigs to make them unaffordable. Just before the last major hike, my brand was about $5/pack. Now it is $10-12. So glad I quit.

Is that a viable strategy, to continue tax/price hikes?

[–] Madison_rogue@kbin.social 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Did it stop you smoking? If so, then yes it worked.

Every 10% increase in cigarette tax results a 4% reduction in consumption among adults, and a 7% decrease amongst youth. Source

[–] guyrocket@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago

It was a minor motivator for me. Bigger ones were things like not dying and my son.

Interesting stats, thanks.

[–] mrnotoriousman@kbin.social 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I was paying $14 a pack when I quit 6 weeks ago in NYS. The gum is working out great so far and I feel so much better. 17 years smoking regularly. They should be banned everywhere, sorry fellow smokers. It's a disgusting, nasty habit that is incredibly hard to break.

[–] Vode_An@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago

I’ve been on zyns for a while now, my lungs do feel so much better. It’s hard to quit the substance, but it’s easier than ever to take it in without inhaling anything.

[–] guyrocket@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

Good for you! Enjoy your journey to better health!

[–] Munkisquisher@lemmy.nz 2 points 1 year ago

They've been doing that in New Zealand. A pack is now $50. Violent robbery of gas stations and corner stores for them have massively increased

[–] mtchristo@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Alcohol is a bigger problem in the UK.

[–] arefx@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

Alcohol is a problem most places. Best thing I ever did for myself was quit drinking entirely.

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[–] spauldo@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I've been suggesting they do this in the states for a while now.

I smoke. I like smoking, and I don't plan to quit. But it's obvious that most people want smoking to go away. They keep increasing the price of cigarettes, they keep banning smoking in new areas, and every time they'll tell you it's to keep kids from smoking. It's a lie - they want everyone to stop smoking.

So fine. Set a date, and make it illegal for anyone born after that date to smoke. Then leave us smokers alone. If it's as bad for us as you say it is, we'll all die soon anyway.

Will some people born after that date smoke? Sure. But the majority won't. And it'll be a constant annoyance for them that they can't just go buy a carton at the store, which will encourage them to quit. I'd feel sorry for them, but I was told it was bad for me, not that I'd be standing outside in -50° weather puffing as fast as I can because I can't smoke in my hotel room, or that I'd spend more on cigarettes than I do electricity. They at least know they'll never be allowed to smoke.

[–] Syldon@feddit.uk 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You did that with alcohol. Prohibition does not work. It isn't working with drugs; it will never work with cigarettes either.

[–] spauldo@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Prohibition works most of the time. Do you know where to get your hands on some black tar heroin? I don't, nor do most people.

Prohibition of alcohol took something that was popular and made it illegal. Of course it failed. Making tobacco illegal would fail if they did it for everyone. I'm suggesting they make it illegal for people who aren't already addicted to it.

Edit: heroin, not heroine. Thanks, autocorrect.

[–] Syldon@feddit.uk 2 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I have no idea what black tar heroin is, but I am fairly sure I could find someone who sells drugs of any type locally. As I said the war on drugs has failed. Watch this video from an ex-UK policeman. This is what happens when you make things illegal.

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[–] DogMuffins@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

they keep banning smoking in new areas, and every time they’ll tell you it’s to keep kids from smoking. It’s a lie - they want everyone to stop smoking.

That's just not the case, at all. I'm a very recent ex-smoker and non-smoking areas absolutely helped me stop, but not for the reason you might think.

In Australia it's the same - cigarettes getting more expensive and the number of places you can smoke reducing.

No one ever suggested that it's to keep kids from smoking - the message has always been pretty clear: every cigarette is doing harm, so less places to smoke means less harm.

The main benefit of non-smoking areas is that it made me realise that withdrawals and cravings are really no big deal. About 5 years ago I was terrified of trying to stop because I had convinced myself that the withdrawals would be awful. Then I took a job at a place where it just wasn't possible to smoke even on breaks. The most noticeable thing was that getting through the entire day without a smoke was actually no big deal - the symptoms were very manageable.

So, to say "they" want everyone to smoke is an odd take IMO. The assumption is that everyone want's to stop - and non-smoking areas assist with that.

I don't really believe that you do enjoy smoking. I mean, sitting with friends and having a few beers and smokes is certainly an enjoyable activity - but it's not the smoking that makes it enjoyable. Anyhow, even if you did truly enjoy smoking, I guess you unfortunately just have to cater for the majority who do not.

[–] spauldo@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Maybe things are different down under, but here in the states they very much do use the "keep kids from smoking" excuse. Every. Single. Time.

I don't mind going outside or whatever so much. That wasn't the point I was making. When I started smoking, you could still smoke in restaurants, airplanes, offices, etc. They still had ashtrays at the end of every aisle at the supermarket when I was a kid. Picking up smoking wasn't a radical thing to do.

They've pushed us out to the fringes, but that's fine. But their goal is to eliminate smoking. What I'm saying is that enough is enough. Let us smoke off away from everyone and die out.

[–] qwerty@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

How about we let adults make their own decisions. My body my choice.

[–] Huschke@programming.dev 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Generally I agree with you, but with cigarettes you are not making the choice only for yourself. Every time you walk down the street with a cigarette in hand you are forcing other people to inhale it.

I was born in a world without a cigarette ban in restaurants and clubs and the current situation is 1000 time more preferable imo.

[–] qwerty@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Then ban smoking in public.

[–] FleetingTit@feddit.de 6 points 1 year ago (3 children)

When people smoke at home with a window open the disgusting smell wafts out into the windows of unsuspecting non-smokers. It can't be helped, smoking needs to be banned.

[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 2 points 1 year ago

When people do all kinds of shit at their homes it affects the surrounding neighborhood. When someone barbecues you can smell it down the street, when someone mows their lawn you hear it down the street, my neighbors were doing a lot of painting last week and I could smell that for a few days. I hate smoking as much as anyone but at a certain point you just have to deal with it.

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[–] TubeTalkerX@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

Lung Cancer for Me but not Thee!

Typical, have your fun then pull up the ladder on the next generation!!!

[–] jray4559@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 year ago

Ban weed smoking too.

Things like edibles, sure let 'em have it, but we've only just gotten to the point where life doesn't smell like nicotine anymore, we shouldn't be replacing that with everything smelling like weed.

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