A license to smoke! UK article

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by Jay on Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:39 am

I read about a proposed idea in the UK about requiring adult smokers to buy permits in order to smoke. And one smoker thinks the idea in the US would work

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7247470.stm

That idea HAS to be a joke. Why the F would I need a license to smoke cigs? You need a license to own a handgun and a license to drive motorcycles. But if you gonna propose a license to smoke, where are the freakin licenses to drink alcohol?

I mean seriously, a permit to buy tobacco won't work. Hood kids will ask someone they know with the permit to buy cigs for them. And I'd ask smokers with licenses to buy me cartons too. Oh don't worry. Just like with a kid offering me "cig money" to buy a pack for him/her, I can offer a smoking chick my money to help me get smokes.

And what about FAKE permits to smoke? I'm sure a fake permit can be made in the same way underage brothas and sistas use their "real" fake IDs to buy smokes, drinks, and tattoos.

What a permit to smoke can do is put an end to cigs being sold underground. Because since taxes on cigs would be illegal (with the license idea), and since buying cigs from a govt agency would work....cigs would be affordable again.

All a kid has to do is give the smoker the money before the smoker goes to that govt. agency. And I can do the same thang myself. How would the govt know if the smoker is buying cigs for personal use only and not on behalf of me or a young smoker from the hood?

What's next? Someone is gonna propose I pay 10 bucks extra for a carton for simply being a Black smoker?

I hope this UK idea goes up in smoke before it becomes accepted. There are flaws in a LOT of proposed laws out here.

Jay

Enthusiastic Smoker Joined: Jun 10, 2003 Posts: 495 Location: Chicago

by Jay on Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:44 am

'£10 licence to smoke' proposed
Smokers could be forced to pay £10 for a permit to buy tobacco if a government health advisory body gets its way.

No one would be able to buy cigarettes without the permit, under the idea proposed by Health England.

Its chairman, Professor Julian Le Grand, told BBC Radio 5 Live the scheme would make a big difference to the number of people giving up smoking.

But smokers' rights group Forest described the idea as "outrageous", given how much tax smokers already pay.

Professor Le Grand, a former adviser to ex-PM Tony Blair, said cash raised by the proposed scheme would go to the NHS.

He said it was the inconvenience of getting a permit - as much as the cost - that would deter people from persisting with the smoking habit.

"You've got to get a form, a complex form - the government's good at complex forms; you have got to get a photograph.

"It's a little bit of a problem to actually do it, so you have got to make a conscious decision every year to opt in to being a smoker."

'Extra bureaucracy'

He added: "70% of smokers actually want to stop smoking.

"So if you just make it that little bit more difficult for them to actually re-start or even to start in the first place, yes I think it will make a big difference."

But Forest said it would be "an extra form of taxation, while tobacco taxation is already at record levels".

Forest spokesman Simon Clark said that when the cost of administration, extra bureaucracy and enforcement are taken into account, "the mind boggles".

He added that the people most affected by the proposals would be "the elderly and people on low incomes".

Mr Clark added: "The senior government advisor putting this idea forward is not only adding to the red tape and bureaucracy we already have in this country.

"He is openly bragging that he wants to make the form as complex as possible to fill in."

A department of health spokeswoman did not rule out such a scheme as part of the next wave of tobacco regulation.

She said: "We will be consulting later this year on the next steps on tobacco control.

"Ministers are seeking input from a whole range of stakeholders."
Story from BBC NEWS:

Jay

Enthusiastic Smoker Joined: Jun 10, 2003 Posts: 495 Location: Chicago

by toekuttr on Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:58 pm

I dont know Jay. That might be good idea, of course it would have to be visible to enforce it, maybe wear it on your clothes? It should be a bright color too, as well as a discernible shape to see at a distance, perhaps a yellow star? lol

toekuttr

Puffer Joined: Jan 20, 2008 Posts: 60 Location: Md

by runamok on Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:28 pm

toekuttr wrote:

Can I use this (or something close to it) in an article for FORCES?

runamok

Smoking Lobby Sponsor Joined: Dec 20, 2004 Posts: 1025

by toekuttr on Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:41 pm

Sure, but I retain the T-shirt rights! lol

toekuttr

Puffer Joined: Jan 20, 2008 Posts: 60 Location: Md

by runamok on Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:45 pm

It's a gem!

runamok

Smoking Lobby Sponsor Joined: Dec 20, 2004 Posts: 1025

by Jay on Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:11 pm

My permit would say on my shirt/jacket "I'm d@mn proud to be a minority smoker. Leave me the HE!! alone unless you wanna pay my bills!" LOL

Jay

Enthusiastic Smoker Joined: Jun 10, 2003 Posts: 495 Location: Chicago

by runamok on Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:46 pm

runamok wrote:

toekuttr wrote:

Can I use this (or something close to it) in an article for FORCES?

toekuttr,

The commentary I used it in is up at FORCES if ya wanna read it.

http://forces.org/News_Portal/news_viewer.php?id=823

Thanks

runamok

Smoking Lobby Sponsor Joined: Dec 20, 2004 Posts: 1025

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