West Ham Online

"Hot on the heels of the online safety bill, Sunak is considering bringing in a law that will make it illegal for anyone born after 2009 to buy tobaco products. This is nanny state on steroids, and must be opposed if and when a bill gets read. When i heard a couple of years ago that New Zealand were making this a law i really thought it couldnt happen here. Besides, all it will do is create a massive black market and amber leaf will become the new weed. I have'nt smoked for 6 years now but thats beside the point, and what will be next? Alcohol to be outlawed or at least limits put on how much you can buy. This is where we're heading, once we go cashless, the decision in what and how much you buy will no longer be yours to make. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2023/sep/22/rishi-sunak-considers-banning-cigarettes-for-next-generation"

"Unless.youve been smoking for years and addicted to fuck, I've got no comprehension as to why anyone would smoke. Banning anyone under a certain age and letting it die out should be a no brainer. Fuck vaping too"

"The only people really complaining about the smoking ban in NZ are the tobacco companies. It's estimated that our economy will be better off by $5 billion from reduced costs for treating smoking related illness. So, it's a sensible, pragmatic decision. Plus, it's a disgusting, damaging habit. And I'm a former smoker."

"Just like Rishi stopping the 7 bins and meat tax, this is a win WIN."

"Total taxes raised from tobacco and the tobacco industry adds up to less than 2% of total Government revenue So neither here nor there in the greater scheme of things especially as the tapering downwards of future revenue will be gradual and decades away from now But as noted up thread - all the kids vape now rather than smoke so banning tobacco seems fairly pointless, a bit like banning snuff"

Bit hard to smoke hash without tobacco.

"riosleftsock 6:25 Sat Sep 23 Good point. Probably safer just to ban fanny ownership, then none of the danger inducing feminine hygiene products would be needed, cutting the rate of accidents on the roads considerably."

"Gary I have had a pipe for about 20 years, but only use it on christmas day with a nice cherry and vanilla tobacco mix from the local tobagganist"

Does anyone bang on a pipe anymore?

Vexed 3:25 Sat Sep 23 Better to ban certain tampax (bodyform?) products to reduce skydiving and roller-blading incidents

"Good point Side - Vaping is a more socially acceptable for both Cannabis and Nicotine products, and its supposed to be healthier, but that still a lot of people living half their lives stoned and do we REALLY understand the health impacts of vaping. You are still taking something that is not air into your lungs."

No politician. Of any party are giving up the income smoking brings in. And BATS is one of the biggest companies on the FTSE 100. The City boys would cut any party off at the knees if they were daft enough to screw that money earner.

Jim C 1:11 Sat Sep 23 Thiugt ur comment was comedic genius then realised you were replying to RBShorty and not citing Russell fucking Brand lol

"It might simply be that (most) tobacco & tobacco products have to be imported, but enough cannabis can be grown locally to satisfy national demand, even if a % is home-grown and lies outside the tax authorities reach."

"Erm, the youth of today ie: those born from 2009 onwards are not into smoking they would rather vape….those born prior to 2009 can carry on with their poxy habit….the revenue will be dwindling anyway once those youths fuck it off…for vaping….."

I was just about to post similar nyc - the logic of legalising weed and making tobacco illegal is mad.

How do you decry smoking tobacco and celebrate smoking weed in the same breath? That's exactly what is happening here. Cannabis product 'stores' are like corner shops here now and they cant open more fast enough. Both are filthy habits when smoked and Cue a massive mental and physical health epidemic in a few years that nobody saw coming. Its personal responsibility. ban smoking both in public and make consumers of them pay more in taxes and healthcare / insurance costs.

"Who's the duller, the dullard or the one who finds the dullard interesting enough to make time to respond to?"

"Who's the duller, the dullard or the one who finds the dullard interesting enough to make time to respond to?"

So we're going to have a bizarre situation down the line where 70 years will loitering outside the newsagents asking passing 71 year olds to buy fags for them!

Means those 15yo's & under would never be allowed to buy FAGS Anyone who is puffing now can carry on into their early grave.

"Am I missing something here , if your born after 2009 the you are under 15. thought it was banned for them anyway."

"Fuck, you're a dull cսnt Oxsaw. I dont know how you manage such levels of consistency."

Here's a thought: Why not extend the sale of diesel & petrol for a few more years and allow that once anticipated loss of fuel duty cover the loss in tobacco tax?

"I had a relative who died in a skydiving accident, I think we should ban aeroplanes. And clouds. And pizza."

"Fags, betting and no doubt booze will be on the hit list soon. My old man and other family members died from emphysema / COPD and it was heartbreaking to watch them struggle to breath and in the case of my old man having a CPAP mask strapped to his face for 23 hours a day, however I would still be against any ban purely because I feel all out liberties are gradually being eroded and there is already all the information and warnings out there for people to make there own decisions. Tax as already mentioned will be the reason it doesn't happen (yet)"