this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2024
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Summary

The UK has introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, aiming to make it illegal for future generations to buy cigarettes. The bill proposes gradually raising the minimum smoking age, so those born after January 1, 2009, will never be able to purchase tobacco legally.

It also includes restrictions on vape flavors and packaging to prevent youth addiction and bans smoking in certain outdoor spaces, though pub beer gardens are exempt.

Supported by the Labour Party's majority, the legislation seeks to create a “smoke-free U.K.” and combat smoking-related deaths.

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[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 73 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Do you know what I'd like to see?

Instead of banning them, ban the extraction of profit on producing and selling them. Turn them into an entirely recreational market. I'd love to see the outcome of trying that.

[–] john89@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 weeks ago

I like the way you think.

Capitalists would rather there be a ban so that proles don't realize how much they're getting f**ked.

[–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Wouldn't that just push sales into the black market? Unless the government nationalized the sale of cigarettes, which seems... not great, if they believe in smoking cessation

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Think of it like clubs for tobacco enthusiasts. Ideally you would have a club with one super knowledgeable person, split the costs of growing and his time and split the the results on potentially various types of products.

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[–] john89@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

No, it wouldn't

People working in and supporting the industry would work and consume as they always have.

It's the business owners that would be hurting, as their entire existence depends on siphoning off the excess people are willing to pay for products and services.

Prices wouldn't even go up. Businesses already charge the most people are willing to pay.

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[–] CaptainBasculin@lemmy.ml 57 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

Pushing an entire business into black market over time... Who in their right mind approved this?

[–] PlasticLove 30 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Won’t somebody think of the poor struggling businesses.

Where would society be without those good old death stick sellers who hid decades of research into health risks and marketed to children. Cornerstone of society and they’re trying to ban it? Savages.

[–] Feyd@programming.dev 43 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

More like prohibition doesn't work

[–] GetOffMyLan@programming.dev 26 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

It'll work for the majority of people. You won't be able to do it out in public.

If you want to get cancer in your own house go ahead.

The truth is they put a huge burden on public services. Mainly the health service but also they create insane amounts of litter.

If vaping is still an option then most people will just do that.

[–] Feyd@programming.dev 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If you want to get cancer in your own house go ahead.

I agree with the sentiment of both you and the person I originally applied to. Smoking is a blight and I wish it would go away. I simply don't think prohibition is the way to do it.

Mainly the health service but also they create insane amounts of litter

Vaping also creates an insane amount of litter. I wish vaping would go away just as much as I do cigarettes.

[–] GetOffMyLan@programming.dev 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Yeah vaping will have its time. I bet they're already sitting on evidence that it fucks you up.

Prohibition does work very well for kids though. Most people start young as when you're older you know the issues.

So they are keeping it for people already exposed and trying to stop younger people starting in the first place.

They raised the age to 18 when I turned 16 and it dramatically cut the amount we had access to.

It's not like the old alcohol probation. Plus smoking isn't even fun like drinking. It's just gross and bad for your health. And most people don't drink because of addiction. It's a different kettle of fish.

But they should be doing the same for vaping.

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[–] john89@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 weeks ago

Are you stupid? It's not about the "businesses" and their well-being. It's about the effect that black markets have on society.

People are going to get their drugs whether they're legal or not. If you paid attention in history class and reality, you'd know that prohibition and the war on drugs does not solve the issue.

[–] CmdrShepard42@lemm.ee 26 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Exactly. Smoking was dying off due to vaping until all these countries got a stick up their ass over it and decided to either outright ban vapes or put ridiculous regulations on them. This is why everyone uses disposables in the US now and toss their lithium batteries in the trash every couple days.

[–] MrScottyTay@sh.itjust.works 19 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

vaping was much worse because people blatantly use them indoors and wherever else they shouldn't. And due to them not needing to light up they just constantly puff on them between every three breaths. It's fucking awful being in a queue or walking behind someone vaping.

[–] CmdrShepard42@lemm.ee 7 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)

Supported by the Labour Party's majority, the legislation seeks to create a “smoke-free U.K.” and combat smoking-related deaths.

vaping was much worse

Why?

because people blatantly use them indoors and wherever else they shouldn't

I don't know if that really makes them worse than premature death.

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[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (5 children)

Oh boo hoo!

People being mildly annoying means they should be banned? Cigarettes were killing smokers and those around them. That's the line for me. If your actions harm others, then it gets restricted.

Vapes are nowhere near that line. They just smell weird.

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 7 points 2 weeks ago

We don't have 30 year studies on vapes like we do with cigarettes.

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[–] GetOffMyLan@programming.dev 5 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Vaping is currently almost completely unregulated and some studies have found terrifying chemicals in them

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 7 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

So regulate them and enforce it.

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[–] GetOffMyLan@programming.dev 12 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

People who don't like cancer and want to take the insane pressure these death sticks put on the health service.

Who in their right mind supports mega corps selling addictive cancer causing products to young people?

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

The point is prohibition doesn't work. I would prefer no young person ever try cigarettes, or nicotine in any form. But I don't think that's realistic.

[–] GetOffMyLan@programming.dev 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

It works really well for kids. They aren't even trying to ban it for adults.

Raising the age from 16 to 18 had a massive effect when I was young.

This will most likely dramatically decrease smoking in young people and that's great.

It's not 100% or nothing.

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'd love to be wrong about this. But I started smoking at 20, and while I've kicked cigarettes for good I couldn't make quitting nicotine stick.

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[–] stoly@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

They are an island nation with very strict controls. The black market will be small. The real worry would be no different than age restrictions already in effect: find someone old enough to buy it for you.

[–] sazey@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Bruh. You do know you are talking about the cocaine capital of Europe here with your deluded "but they're an island nation!" talk.

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[–] warm@kbin.earth 3 points 2 weeks ago

Because it's a gradual ban, rather than a blanket ban for everyone immediately, they are hoping the demand won't be there by the time the last generation of legal smokers die off (sooner than you think given cigarettes are designed to kill).

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[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 22 points 2 weeks ago

Yah, banning drugs works great. And doing it in the most cowardly way possible really elevates that.

[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Prohibition has been such a huge success. The only option is expanding it! \s

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[–] john89@lemmy.ca 16 points 2 weeks ago

🥱

More black markets aren't the solution.

[–] watty@lemm.ee 13 points 2 weeks ago

This is literally an idea I had when I was 16 years old. I was pretty dumb when I was 16.

[–] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Not here in the USA! With Trump, we're going to recycle cigarettes into baby clothes and we'll be using PTFE to bond the fibers together for a strong cancer healthcare company.

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[–] Mora@pawb.social 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Sounds good to me, tbh. Increasing health for everyone involved, reducing costs on medical services. I think New Zealand had something similiar? Instead of an outright ban affecting everyone this is slowly phased out, so young kids probably won't even miss it.

[–] solrize@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago

NZ reversed that ban 1 year after announcing it and decades before it would have gone into effect.

[–] cynar@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

I personally support this plan. Smoking in the UK has already plummeted. A lot of smokers have moved to vaping. Unfortunately, those left are often the ruder ones. Limiting where they cam smoke, or reduce expire for everyone else is a big dead for me.

Additionally, it's not banning nicotine, it's banning cigarettes. Vapes have changes the balance on that one. They are less damaging, and cause far less issues with passive smoking. This acts as a pressure relief valve, rather than a blanket nicotine ban. Also, at no point will an existing (legal) smoker go from legal to illegal.

The vape issue definitely needs fixing. A number have found advertising to younger users is a good money maker. Limiting the options here l, without an outright ban would help reduce the harm to children. It wouldn't significantly affect ex smokers who moved to vaping.

[–] rc__buggy@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Next do beer!
I dare you Parliament.

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 3 points 2 weeks ago

In England? Lol

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