Smoker's licence

[naomi24]

With many brands of cigarettes selling at over �5 a packet, will this discourage smokers, or is it yet another complete waste of time and money?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7247470 .stm

[meglet]

It'll never happen. And in the very unlikely event that it does how on earth would it be policed?

[madworld]

As a smoker it will not discourage me. Just another attempt to get more money out of people. What about alcohol?? What next????

[Ice.Maiden]

I think it'll DEFINITELY go ahead, as I was reading somewhere that the "powers that be'll" soon be putting the finishing touches to the plan. I don't smoke, but it's not only a ludicrous idea (because it won't work as imagined), but it's an infringement on peoples rights. You'll get people clubbing together to buy a licence, and then one person'll go into a shop & buy as many cigarettes as are required, so the income from licences won't be as high as expected. Whatever, drinkers'll be in for it next. It's time people stood together & refused to accept being dictated to. Billions of pounds've been made out of smokers over the years, & the think tank needs a new way of generating lost revenue now - so this is it.

[IggyB]

it won't happen - someone will see sense... won't they?

all that will happen is that stores will break the law to make up for their falling income caused by the majority of people turning to the "black market" to purchase their fags, taxes will be lost, shops will lose money and the amount of smoking will not change

[Ethel]

I remember lots and lots of people swearing they;d give up when cigarettes hit �1 for 20. Of course, most of them carried on.

I don't get the argument though - if you don't want to pay the tax, or buy the licence, stop smoking. I did - it was the best thing I ever did.,

Put your energies into complaining about taxes we have no choice about.

[andrea81]

Agree with most on here. Just another way of getting more money off the piblic. I'm no smoker, but I can see how rediculous it is!

If they could tax fresh air they would!

[naomi24]

Ice Maiden, the idea of people buying one licence between them didn't occur to me - but of course, that is what would happen. I can't see people worrying too much about the price of a licence anyway, since it would cost the same as only a couple of packets of cigarettes. I don't smoke, but I see this as another stealth tax.

[jno]

they're taxing dirty air, andrea, so that seems like a nice alternative

[weeal]

right so IF every smoker gave up, thats more money they would lose, so what then? where they gonna slap the tax next?

if its a health issue, and the fact that 'we' smokers cost the NHS money, why dont they also tax obese folk and heavy drinkers?

i dont get why its always the smoker, not as if we are smokin in public anymore

[Ethel]

They do tax the drinker - there is a heavy duty on alcohol.

[weeal]

Hi Ethel, hope youre well
there is on cigarettes too tho, but theyre not asking drinkers to obtain a license, just seems really silly

[weeal]

I've just had another thought too, it would put pressure on each and every retailer of cigarettes to check these 'permits' and I am sure trouble would ensue if someone wants to buy ciggies, has no permit, or doesnt have it with them to make a purchase - how is that going to work ?
Every supermarket, corner shop, petrol station etc etc the staff will be driven mental lol

[Bathsheba]

It's not all doom for us smokers- I've noticed loads of cig brands coming down in price! Pall Mall- �3.95 at Sainsburys!!

[jonukas]

I can just see more and more smokers heading to France & Belgium to buy cheap cigs, without the need for a license.
Whatever are we going to need a license for next ? riding a bike, using a public footpath, permission to enter a pub, a shopping license, maybe a license to have picnic in a public picnic area, or even to have a barbeque in your own back garden. The list is endless, I could go on and on, but I won't bore you anymore.
Cheers, Jonukas

[ludwig]

What a load of toss. Why don't they just make smoking illegal and have done with it? - oh yeah I forgot, there's no money to made from doing that is there.

[Ice.Maiden]

I see your point Naomi - but once a tax comes into play, you can guarantee that there'll be annual increments after a while - making it even worse for those who're too addicted to give up.
I think there are wider issues connected to all this. What next? A database containing information on all those who smoke - so that it can be decided whether to charge even more if these people need hospital treatment for smoking-related illnesses?

[naomi24]

Ice Maiden - true. There are much wider implications. They won't ban it outright though, will they, because of the lucrative revenue it provides. Double standards, or what?

[Ethel]

It's not just the revenue - it's the jobs too. Millions of cigarettes are made in the UK every day. Many are exported, but a ban would impact on the job market.