Posted February 17, 200817 yr SMOKERS will have to apply for a permit before they can buy cigarettes under a controversial plan being considered by the Government. It could cost as little as £10 a year – but the application process will be made deliberately complicated in a strategy to stop people smoking. The idea is being considered by Health Minister Lord Darzi after it was suggested by academic Julian Le Grand, chairman of the Health England advisory board and a former adviser to Tony Blair. It was immediately condemned as “bizarre” and a “Soviet-style” intrusion into the lives of millions of ordinary Britons by a Government obsessed with creating a nanny state. But justifying his proposal yesterday, Professor Le Grand, of the London School of Economics, said: “Twenty per cent of premature deaths in the UK are smoking-related and people die in horrible ways. “It’s a case of whether there’s a way of doing something about that but at the same time allowing people freedom of choice. This is an alternative to banning things.” But Simon Clark, director of smokers’ rights group Forest, said: “It’s utterly bizarre. “I can’t believe it would have any major impact on the number of people who smoke. “It will encourage more people to ignore the system and buy cheap tobacco abroad and on the black market and if that happens the Government loses billions in tax revenue.” He added: “A lot of people will feel this goes way too far and will be very worried that the next step would be permits to buy alcohol.” Source : Sunday Express
February 17, 200817 yr Brown really is losing his marbles at a rapid rate of knots its quite sad to see the decline in the mental health of the man This would be the best news the FRENCH economy has ever had
February 17, 200817 yr Another Govt cash cow, another "Stealth Tax"... £10 quid to buy a yearly permit eh.....? Craig is totally spot on, the only people that will benefit from this are the vast French hypermarkets....
February 18, 200817 yr f***ing idiots. David Cameron must be loving it. Why are there so many ridiculous 'ideas' being bandied about just now? From this to the "39th match in the Premiership" all involved are making a laughing stock of themselves.
February 18, 200817 yr I think this is a good idea. Underage kids can be challenged and these kids won't be able to churn out fake IDs as easily. Althought it won't stop people from smoking, I thibk it will discourage some people from even starting in the first place and may motivate people to quit.
February 18, 200817 yr I think this is a good idea. Underage kids can be challenged and these kids won't be able to churn out fake IDs as easily. Althought it won't stop people from smoking, I thibk it will discourage some people from even starting in the first place and may motivate people to quit. How will this stop kids getting an older brother / older sister / random guy off the street who already has one of these licences to get cigarettes ? The difference in under age smoking will be negligible, the difference in red tape, bureaucracy, civil servants... will be massive
February 18, 200817 yr How will this stop kids getting an older brother / older sister / random guy off the street who already has one of these licences to get cigarettes ? Children will have their fags taken off them. Throw in a fixed penalty and they might start thinking twice about getting siblings to get them fags. It also could help cut down on the number of siblings getting the kids fags. Not all people who get kids fags smoke themselves. They're hardly going to pay a tenner a year just to act as a fag-purchasing service.
February 18, 200817 yr :rolleyes: since our, for want of a better word. 'government' decided smoking was so heinous and introduced their silly little draconian bans... I've not added a penny to their coffers by buying cigarettes here. However, as has been said before..... France's economy must be booming..... long live illegal cigarette trafficking is all I can say - bravo! :dance:
February 18, 200817 yr long live illegal cigarette trafficking is all I can say - bravo! :dance: AMEN TO THAT SISTA. Not that I smoke anymore but if I did that's what I would be doing. :heehee: There's ALWAYS someone you know who's selling cheap cigarettes. :lol:
February 18, 200817 yr Children will have their fags taken off them. Throw in a fixed penalty and they might start thinking twice about getting siblings to get them fags. It also could help cut down on the number of siblings getting the kids fags. Not all people who get kids fags smoke themselves. They're hardly going to pay a tenner a year just to act as a fag-purchasing service. But shouldn't the government be taking fags of kids, permit or no permit? Stupid idea really, although it dosn't affect me so I'm not fussed. :w00t:
February 19, 200817 yr I think this is a good idea. Underage kids can be challenged and these kids won't be able to churn out fake IDs as easily. Althought it won't stop people from smoking, I thibk it will discourage some people from even starting in the first place and may motivate people to quit. How the hell is it a good idea...? As Craig says, it will equal increased bureaucracy, which we will have to foot the bill for as taxpayers... As for making people quit... Well, I think Russ has pretty much torpedoed that particular argument as well.... People will just buy illegal fags from France or online.... Stupid Govt bullsh!t, just shooting themselves in the foot, again.....
February 19, 200817 yr :rolleyes: since our, for want of a better word. 'government' decided smoking was so heinous and introduced their silly little draconian bans... I've not added a penny to their coffers by buying cigarettes here. However, as has been said before..... France's economy must be booming..... long live illegal cigarette trafficking is all I can say - bravo! :dance: Spot on Russ.. I dont even smoke, but I'm totally with you in principle because I really hate this increasing dictator-like Govt's nannying bullsh!t.. This scheme is just beyond ridiculous and yet again treats adults like naughty schoolchildren smoking behind the bikesheds. Exactly how much police time is gonna be wasted by coppers pulling over everyone they see lighting up and asking to see their permits? Christ, it's like having a bloody Hall Monitor or summat to check if you have authority to be out of class or summat.... -_-
February 19, 200817 yr How the hell is it a good idea...? As Craig says, it will equal increased bureaucracy, which we will have to foot the bill for as taxpayers... As for making people quit... Well, I think Russ has pretty much torpedoed that particular argument as well.... People will just buy illegal fags from France or online.... Stupid Govt bullsh!t, just shooting themselves in the foot, again..... I think it is a good idea for the reasons I listed. I don't really get how it will increase bureaucracy, so you'll have to enlighten me?
February 19, 200817 yr I think it is a good idea for the reasons I listed. I don't really get how it will increase bureaucracy, so you'll have to enlighten me? Forms for licences, processing of forms for licences, administration, entering all the details of everyone who has a licence on a national database, software to link the database with the police so they can do instant checks Am sure there is more At least a couple more rainforests will have to be chopped down to provide paper for all these civil servants
February 19, 200817 yr I think it is a good idea for the reasons I listed. I don't really get how it will increase bureaucracy, so you'll have to enlighten me? Simple really, you'll need to have a whole slew of civil servants to administer, approve and distribute the bloody permits, maintain databases, chase up non-payers, send out reminders when the blasted things are up for renewal, etc, etc, ad fukkin infinitum.... You people in favour of this cr@p clearly haven't considered the logistics involved.....
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