If the government wanted to stamp out smoking properly, the best way to do it would be to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes by 1 year, every year (and enforce it) until nobody was old enough to buy them anymore.
Nobody would have to quit due to the change in the law, but anyone currently under the age of 18 would never get the chance to start (legally)
It would take a while, but it’s guaranteed to work.

You’ve really thought that through haven’t you? Because its not like people under the legal age for fags and booze manage to get their hands on it or that anyone who want illicit drugs can’t just pop out and buy them with little effort?

Of course people under the legal can get them if they really want to.

But if it is pointless, can you explain why the legal age was fairly recently raised from
16 to 18 ?

And regardless of that, with the attitude you seem to have. Every Law is pointless isn’t it ?

“What’s the point of making things illegal, some people will just do them anyway”

Let’s just abolish all laws that anyone at all is likely to break shall we ?

@onceinalifetime – take a look at the chemical make up of electric fags. They are probably more harmful than a cigarette.

We’re all going to die?

Err Blood disorder or lung capacity issue Sir?

@onceinalifetime – take a look at the chemical make up of electric fags. They are probably more harmful than a cigarette.

Do you have any further information on that ??

A tab with a pint, one of life’s little pleasures.

Smoked from Uni age till a couple of years ago, must be about 15 years. Always knew the health issues, easily pushed to back of mind when you’re in bars and clubs chasing women in your 20’s. Gave up lots of times, only ‘successful’ times were when I replaced the addiction with something else – tennis, running, cycling, whatever. Addictive personality. If there is such a thing. Always ended up smoking again. Stopped for the longest when my child was born. But started again after maybe 2 years. Stopped again and been stopped for maybe 18 months or so.

But as others have said, loved smoking, would have one right now if all the health issues went away.

PrinceJohn – Member
I have an idea for an anti smoking campaign that I think would eradicate teenage boys smoking.

My campaign would compare the happy long slow suck on a cigarette to that of a gay man pleasuring another gay man’s winky. Get that message across, then you only need to come up with a similarly controversial one to put off the girls.

How’s the bigoted homophobia working out for you?

I smoked off and on since school packed up 10 years ago now 53 never really thought about t has he health issues back then but my other half is a lung cancer specialist nurse and the bits she tells me about her job. Has convinced me never to smoke again but i suspect the damage if any has already been done

Listen to this one..
Young kid 16, active windsurfer (not many windsurfers smoke) gets a job working in the hols at a local hotel, waiting table, bashing dishes, tedious stuff minimum wage, notices all the smokers get fag breaks, so takes up smoking…

Had to use no end of pressure to get him to stop, (we’ve had a couple of deaths recently to relatively young guys who did smoke, cancer /smoking related).

So it’s not just peer pressure, it’s the perceived benefits smokers get..

Personal smoking history did it when young, gave up when first child was born after a long night smoking then being handed the child only to notice my stinking back smokers fingers holding my newborn little girl, gave it up there and then.

My grandad died on my 17th birthday right in front of my gran. Choked on his own fluid from his lungs. What an appalling experience to put her through. TBH I was always going to be an anti-smoker, I enjoy good health too much.
The fundamental issue with smoking I think is that we’re hard wired to consider only the short term.
Smoking brings short term pleasure. The main downside (disease and death) is years away.
You can argue about it killing you as much as you like but because that won’t happen for years, smokers won’t get it
IMO to eliminate smoking we need to focus on the fact it makes you stink, unattractive and other people think you’re an idiot.
And maybe an on the spot fine when you just dump your fag end on the ground without a passing glance..

After having just come in from having had a rollie, YES, I would of found it extremely helpful if someone impartial gave me advice on not smoking.

if you’re 45 or under then you can’t pretend you weren’t aware that smoking was bad for you.

I have an eletric ciggy ready for the next day or so

why ‘the next day or so’? why not today? now?

but it’s more a case of force of habit than addicted to nicotine.

no, it’s not, it’s addiction to nicotine.

and having picked on you, i sincerely hope you are able to stop! it’s a pretty crap drug, as they go.

I know it’s bad for me, really bad… and that is part of the appeal.

I’m quitting again tomorrow as it seems a good time and I think it might benefit my sports. Right now though… I’m going to have a rolly.

Ta.

How’s the bigoted homophobia working out for you?

My point is at that age most teenage boys are pretty homophobic & intolerant.

To be fair telling a 14 year old kid smoking is bad for him is never going to work. Telling him it’s only chavs and gays that smoke at least has some chance of success

Smoking is a foul and stupid thing to do.

I haven’t smoked regularly for about 25 years, however I do love a smoke when I’m drinking and am one of those lucky buggers who can smoke when I feel like it and then not touch one for months.

Reckon I smoke about 80 a year, but those 80 are probably spread between 8 nights out. When I’m hammered I love a cigarette (preferably a roll-up) but I virtually never touch them sober, find the idea totally repulsive.

Best thing is to never try smoking in the first place.

Sorry to hear about your Dad convert. I went to the school you teach at and can still remember having my first cigarette at a bar in the town at 14. And then the cat-and-mouse games with teachers. I went on to smoke until my mid-20s until I made the decision to stop and gave up overnight.
While I regret smoking quite so long and I hope it hasn’t raised my risk of lung cancer, I can’t deny the sensory pleasure it gave me (yes, pleasure, not just relief from craving). Things I loved about smoking:
– the company: smokers at school and uni were usually more attractive, cooler, exciting people. Smoking was a way to meet girls and hang out with like-minded people. We always had cigarette breaks during studying at the library at uni; im glad i didnt miss out on those. At that time, smoking still had a bit of sex appeal, quickest way to stop teens smoking is to take that away.
– the ritual: unwrapping a Marlboro soft pack, using my granddad’s cigarette case, the clink a Zippo’s lid makes. All things that get the pleasure receptors of my brain tingling.
– the sheer pleasure: I actively enjoyed the taste of certain tobaccos (Drum rollies, Marlboror Red, Fortuna) in the same way I actively enjoy red wine, whisky, coffee and good beer. None of it’s great for your health but up to a point it’s worth it.
I’m sure most teen smokers stop in their 20s, like me, like my Dad and 95% of my smoking friends. I can’t explain why a few don’t…

The French have tried similar adverts to those suggested earlier, except comparing cigarette smoking to abuse/sex slavery. They were pretty controversial:

i gave up when my son was born (2 yrs ago)

my parents were smokers and i hated it couldnt put my kid through that

fwiw i only ever smoked spliffs (maybe smoked 2 cigarettes in my entire life) but for 10-15 years ive smoked maybe a spliff or 2 a day on average, sometimes a lot more, a lot of weed but a lt more tobacco- and im sure i was a nicotine junky as much as anything else
Thing is i worked at the institute of cancer research for the last 8 years and spent a lot of time in the royal marsden cancer hospital, I was fully aware of the dangers of cancer and the negative effect on health, the smell, fitness etc

but that shizzle is addictive physiologically and psychologically and the only thing that motivated me was my son

i still miss it and [probably plan one day to take it up again

though only weed and i imagine using one of them vapourizers which are allegedly safer

Used to smoke gave up , sorry but it was easy once I decided ,I no longer want to smoke it stinks it kills .However if you want to smoke it is your choice so xxxx