Standardised Cigarette Packaging

[Hacker Khan]

They do go at it quite heavily at primary schools now. My daughter is 8 and they have got the no smoking message loud and clear as they have had at least 2 lessons on it. Which to me sounds like a good approach.

Personally I've never smoked even 1 cigarette and I think with my slightly addictive personality (as in I think I get addicted to things quite easily), it's one of the best decisions I ever made. Luckily none of my mates I've had at school/uni/work smoked really so there was no peer pressure. I have said to my daughter I don't overly mind what she does as long as she does not smoke. And perhaps I am hypocritical as I like a beer or wine and openly drink in front of her, but hey ho.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Its a habit in the same way as drinking. As someone who was out most nights but only having 4 pints a night (OK more on a weekend) I never assumed I had a problem with drinking until I nearly died from acute pancreatitis. Blue lights, no four hour A&E wait, on 15 minute obs for a week and a four week stay in hospital. I knew of the risks but assumed it would never happen to me. Exactly the same for smokers and until something as drastic happens, they'll not break the cycle whether the packaging is plained or not

 

[Rumpokid]

Being a non smoker, i think it is a shame that this kind of censorship is brought in..Diseased organs on packaging is pathetic..Loved the Marlboro man, JPS Lotus, Benson and Hedges, Embassy snooker.Did not make me want to smoke though, nor did peer pressure..Lets go the whole hog and put pictures of dropouts on bottles of Frosty Jack, and fatties on McDonalds mega meals...You could not make it up.

 

[palindromicbob]

Its a habit in the same way as drinking. As someone who was out most nights but only having 4 pints a night (OK more on a weekend) I never assumed I had a problem with drinking until I nearly died from acute pancreatitis. Blue lights, no four hour A&E wait, on 15 minute obs for a week and a four week stay in hospital. I knew of the risks but assumed it would never happen to me. Exactly the same for smokers and until something as drastic happens, they'll not break the cycle whether the packaging is plained or not

A bit simplistic there Homer as it is a lot more than simply habit. Smoking is driven by addition as can alcohol consumption. Thankfully most who drink never get to the stage where addiction is an issue but anyone that smokes regularly is an addict.
It ain't like picking your nose or biting your nails. Quitting causes a systemic reaction and getting past the urges created by that reaction is the problem for most. Some get past them with ease, other find it harder.

One thing that is spot on though is the packaging has nothing to do with it, it's the drug that people are after.

 

[Bobirdie]

The government will never ban smoking they make too much from it! Ive never smoked in my life. If i wanted to i could have. I seen all the adverts my friends seen. Its down to the individual imo, depending on wether they were brought with their parents smoking etc probably swayed them more than a non smoking family. The brown packet will just be the norm a few years down the line.

The clear bags the illegal drugs are sold in aren't glitzy but that doesn't stop folk wanting them unfortunately!

 

[JCW]

PC gone mad again , who really cares whats on the packet , who reads the warnings anyway , they smoke because they want too or need to

 

[GB72]

The best suggestion on here has been banning the sale of packs of 10. That is what most people start with and that is what helps people fall off the wagon when they just pick up 10 as a' one off" I certainly did but may have thought twice if I had to shell out for 20.

 

[CMAC]

The main focus is to stop anyone, especially the kids and easily led, starting.

You're all street savvy adults who will get their addiction fed no matter what.


I was a big smoker- loved it, especially with alcohol. A round of golf started with a fag, essential to have a fresh packet in my bag and two lighters (lighter ran out once during a round and I could think of nothing else)

Birdie- reward myself with a smoke
Bogie - commiserate with a smoke
Half way hut- chain smoke with coffee
end of round - talk about it with a pint and a smoke.

Zippo lighters- cool 'foreign' packets, all cool.


One day thought wtf- stopped and havent touched one since- only been 2.5 years and miss it, but I'd miss living more.

 

[Smiffy]

Blue lights, no four hour A&E wait, on 15 minute obs for a week and a four week stay in hospital.

Was that the week-end you shot an 87 followed by a 92 and went out .2 or am I getting confused????

 

[richy]

I would never tell someone they shouldn't smoke however I really don't understand why people do.
Your clothes stink
Your breath reeks
Your teeth turn to a disgusting yellow/brown colour
Your fingers turn yellow
It ages you rather quickly
It's bloody expensive
You look in pain doing it by the facial expressions you pull
Not to mention all the health concers and diseases you get from it

 

[Ethan]

Being a non smoker, i think it is a shame that this kind of censorship is brought in..Diseased organs on packaging is pathetic..Loved the Marlboro man, JPS Lotus, Benson and Hedges, Embassy snooker.Did not make me want to smoke though, nor did peer pressure..Lets go the whole hog and put pictures of dropouts on bottles of Frosty Jack, and fatties on McDonalds mega meals...You could not make it up.

Good for you. You are obviously a person with great inner strength and will power. Ample evidence proves that many others are not so fortunate and are influenced by advertising and marketing.

As for alcohol and burgers, there are different considerations. Alcohol in moderate doses is actually good for you, and reduces heart disease deaths, probably due to a mild anticoagulant effect. Burgers might not be the healthiest thing in the world but are better than nothing and are OK as an occasional treat in a balanced diet.

 

[Rumpokid]

Good for you. You are obviously a person with great inner strength and will power. Ample evidence proves that many others are not so fortunate and are influenced by advertising and marketing.

As for alcohol and burgers, there are different considerations. Alcohol in moderate doses is actually good for you, and reduces heart disease deaths, probably due to a mild anticoagulant effect. Burgers might not be the healthiest thing in the world but are better than nothing and are OK as an occasional treat in a balanced diet.

You make a good point, i agree with the bit about moderation i.e burgers and alcohol, however, even you must admit that if these 2 things are done to excess, as is the case by lots of people in society, causing very serious health issues,which can inevitably lead to premature death, or hospitalisation,surely this is not to dissimilar to smoking?

My main point was that i believe the crude pictures on cigarette packaging is way over the top IMHO.

 

[MegaSteve]

Despite what the do-gooders would have us believe recent research has shown getting cancer is mostly down to 'bad luck'...

Can I therefore ask, that in future, all 'bad luck' is placed in plain packaging so I don't acquire any in error...

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I smoked for 18 years whilst in the RAF - it was "cool" when i started

But when i think back i wonder how much money i wasted on it

Its not a nice habit , you smell , your taste buds are ruined , yellow fingers and teeth and thats without the obvious health issues of what is going into your lungs and blood - think hiding the packets is good , having the images is also good as is the sale of packets of tens.

Double their price and have the money go towards the NHS only. Keep banning it from public places etc - would also ban it from cars

But i can understand why people smoke because you do get a kick from it and a nice feeling

If only the government didnt gain so much tax from it

 

[CMAC]

I smoked for 18 years whilst in the RAF - it was "cool" when i started

But when i think back i wonder how much money i wasted on it

Its not a nice habit , you smell , your taste buds are ruined , yellow fingers and teeth and thats without the obvious health issues of what is going into your lungs and blood - think hiding the packets is good , having the images is also good as is the sale of packets of tens.

Double their price and have the money go towards the NHS only. Keep banning it from public places etc - would also ban it from cars

But i can understand why people smoke because you do get a kick from it and a nice feeling

If only the government didnt gain so much tax from it

didnt I hear that was going to be law shortly? good thing too, especially with these idiots who have kids in the car:angry:


p.s Welcome to the forum:thup:

 

[Deleted member 15344]

didnt I hear that was going to be law shortly? good thing too, especially with these idiots who have kids in the car:angry:


p.s Welcome to the forum:thup:

I think there was talk of it being law in regards kids in the car but would also have it law for concentration purposes as well.

 

[Ethan]

Despite what the do-gooders would have us believe recent research has shown getting cancer is mostly down to 'bad luck'...

Smoking is strongly associated with a number of cancers. There may be an element of luck in whether you are one of the smokers who doesn't, but that is akin to running across the motorway with a blindfold. You may be lucky ....

The news story recently said that 2/3 of cancers were due to bad luck, when the original paper actually said that there was a 2/3 correlation between the rate of cell division and occurrence of cancer. These two things do not even remotely mean the same thing.

A number of the big cancers are known to be associated with one factor or another, genetics, environmental exposures and lifestyle factors. Smoking is one of the strongest carcinogenic factors of all of these.

 

[c1973]

More pollutants floating about your average busy street imo. And I'm well aware how toxic fags are.

 

[Hobbit]

Dad - 70 a day man, died horribly suffering from chronic COPD.
Mum - 50 a day, died horribly of furred arteries that fed the bowel.... the detail, and the suffering...
Mum-in-law - 60 a day, had a respiratory attack 6 yrs ago and had to be resuscitated. From be an exceptionally bright, intelligent lady we ended up with a child. She continued to deteriorate mentally and with chronic COPD... a nasty cold before Christmas, and she lasted 3 days...

After growing up with two heavy smokers, and being very sporting, I've never been interested in smoking. That said, I'd never criticise anyone for their habit - their choice.

 

[MegaSteve]

Smoking is strongly associated with a number of cancers. There may be an element of luck in whether you are one of the smokers who doesn't, but that is akin to running across the motorway with a blindfold. You may be lucky ....

The news story recently said that 2/3 of cancers were due to bad luck, when the original paper actually said that there was a 2/3 correlation between the rate of cell division and occurrence of cancer. These two things do not even remotely mean the same thing.

A number of the big cancers are known to be associated with one factor or another, genetics, environmental exposures and lifestyle factors. Smoking is one of the strongest carcinogenic factors of all of these.

You are, of course, right...

But, having just 'lost' a colleague of many years who lived his life more or less how the medical profession would have us believe gives us a better chance of a longer life... I am even more so of the belief that if your number is up that's it! No amount of do-gooding is gonna change that...