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in reply to Do you smoke tobacco?

Started at 14 - quit before my first was born - managed to stay off for 3 years - been a recidivist for 4 years - every day I plan to quit.


Some thoughts :
  • What the biggest disadvantage ?
      Cash spent ? No
      Health issues ? No
      Social Leprosy ? No
      For me (having been off them for 3 years, a while back) it is the psychological effects :
      Irrational anger, Listlessness, Lack of deep concentration, Sleeplessness, etc.


  • How come Tobacco companies do not have to list all the additives in the cigarettes
    Where I live all products for sale have to display "ingredients" - for some reason the tobacco lobby is still able to circumvent this.

  • Why are Cigarettes sold outside of Pharmacies/Drug Stores
    These products are highly addictive drugs (anecdotally, more addictive than heroin) and yet I can walk into any corner shop and buy them - as can any kid on the street.
    Get this: (in this Country) you can buy cigarettes in any shop but all Smoking Cessation products are only sold through Pharmacies !

  • Why are Cigarettes sold WITHOUT prescription ?
    see above

  • As there are no Tobacco Manufacturers in the country where I live, can I bring an action against the State as they are responsible for import licenses
    Maybe this would get them off their high moral geldings and get them to develop a strategy which goes beyond the current "token gestures" (no puns please :-]) which display action on their part but still allows them to collect all the taxes from the cigarettes.

  • My plan for National No-Smoking !
    Main Aim: to STOP anyone else STARTING

    Year 1: All cigarettes to be sold ONLY by Pharmacies/Chemists

    Year 2: All cigarettes to be on prescription only
    Repeat prescriptions cannot exceed 2 packs/ day and are not valid for longer than 2 weeks.
    All prescriptions recorded centrally.

    Year 3: implement a swipe card system which allows people to buy cigarettes without prescription (but still from Pharmacies Only). "Quota" is based on historical data collated from Doctors or GPs.

    Years 5+: Reduce tax on cigarettes by 20% p.a. This is necessary to choke off the black-market which will have been created for cigarettes in the previous 5 years