The future generations are worth it!

Posted 10 Mar 2011 by Walaa Idris

cigarette

The new proposals to ban shops from openly displaying tobacco products and the move to sell cigarettes on blank generic packaging are shocking at first glace, even if the measures were intended for the good of the people.

As a Conservative and a firm believer in trusting people, and an advocate of liberty and choice – I was aghast that my government will do something so against the grain. After all we believe that most people know what’s best for them better than any government and they are much happier when they are allowed to run their own lives and get on with it.

But then, looking closely at the proposals, the new measures are clearly not aimed at the millions who already smoke and have been doing so for years – they are not for the benefit of those by now addicted to nicotine and will continue to smoke any cigarettes from any packaging and at any price. These preventative measures are aimed at young and impressionable teens – their propose is to discourage and safe guard potential future smokers before they becoming statics!

This kind of early intervention is actually at the heart of compassionate conservatism and responsible forward planning.

Currently a little over 20% of the UK’s adult population are smoker and 80,000 die each year from smoking and smoking related illness. It therefore makes perfect sense for the government, in this occasion to intervene; after all, prevention is better than a cure and here it might also turn out to be cheaper.

Many of the young people interviewed yesterday, said they will find it difficult to ask for cigarettes from under the counter, and many more believe having them out off sight and in plan packaging will reduce their allure. Confirming that the proposed measure might be on the right track to reducing the numbers of future smokers in the UK, either way there is no harm in trying to do whatever can be done to help our future generations.

5 comment(s)

Dave Atherton

Dave Atherton
10 Mar, 17:29

Hi Walaa I hope you are well.

Alas there is not a single shred of evidence tobacco display bans have any influence on youth smoking. It is just spin from the anti smoking lobby. (see link)

The unintended consequences are that 10% of convenience stores closed in the first year in Canada and people were more persuaded to buy on the black market, began by excessive taxation. Can I point out it is legal to smoke at 16 but you have to be 18 to buy it from a shop. A smuggler will not have these scruples.

25%-30% of all tobacco is imported from abroad some legally from booze cruises and others by organised criminal gangs.

It is not the government’s duty to pass laws on my lifestyle choices if they are legal. What next ban alcohol from pubs, ban red meat and crisps from shops. Where does the nannying stop?

This law is not about reducing smoking it is about the bullying and denormalisation of smokers. If we were a minority or gay, quite rightly people would be outraged.

http://www.iea.org.uk/blog/pssst-wanna-boost-kids%E2%80%99-smoking-have-a-display-ban

Walaa

Walaa
10 Mar, 17:54

Hi Dave,

And thank you for your comment – as I said in the post it goes against the grain for me to tell people what to do with their lives – I don’t like it and treat people the way I like to be treated.

If its up to me I will intensify education about the harms of smoking and empowerment programmes to help young people with self esteem and self-worth issues more. Because smoking amongst young people is mostly due to; fashion, peer pressure, lack of understanding of its harm, not enough parental involvement or copying them and having easy access to cigarettes .

However, I feel in this occasion the government feels something drastic is needed to make a measured change – I would hope they get it right – imagine the lives it can safe.

Paul

Paul
10 Mar, 18:29

Walaa I think you should trust your first impression, gut instincts are usually right

I am finding it harder every week to distinguish today’s conservative government from that of Blair

My heart is saying Conservative but my head is saying UKIP and I think many in the PCP feel the same way

Walaa

Walaa
10 Mar, 18:47

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your comment, and I have to agree in that the concept of telling people what to do with their lives is totally unconservative, in-light of the coalition I’m preparing myself for a parliament full of contradictions not in a bad way but because two heads are steering this ship, and it is therefor expected (by conservatives and liberals alike) to do some adjusting and compromising provided its for the good of the majority.

Paul

Paul
11 Mar, 06:51

Hi Walaa

I am a 50 year old adult and have spent the last 4 years standing outside in rain, snow and (occasionally) shine due to the last shower

Lansley (not a liberal) now says:

“My ambition is to reduce smoking rates faster over the next five years than has been achieved in the past five years.”

How can I possibly see him as anything other than the enemy of my liberty?

I would feel better if he had a single shred of evidence to support his actions but there is none where this has been tried in other countries

I support some of the actions of this government, yesterdays report on public sector pensions for example, but this is just a witch hunt

I don’t expect you to defend the indefensible (your loyalty is to be applauded but only up to a point) but I will remember this in 2015 as my pencil is hovering over those Conservative and UKIP boxes

Thank you for your time

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