Letter: Stupid - but it's an addiction

2:11pm Friday 13th April 2012 in Opinion

A BAN on tobacco displays is coming into force in England – with ministers promising it will help curb the number of young people taking up smoking.

Cigarettes and other products will have to be kept below the counter in large shops and supermar-kets, while small outlets are exempt until 2015.

Other parts of the UK are planning similar action to drive down smoking rates.

At some point, smokers will have to realise that all it does is give you a lifetime of bad breath, costs more than an average house, and then gives you cancer and an early death. Smoking is the single most stupid thing a person can do.

But this tactic will not help. As usual, government shows itself clueless about addiction – because that is what it is. Smokers can no more choose to smoke than a heroin addict can take it or leave it.

The only choice they had was the first cigarette. To end an addiction, first understand what started it.

If you really want to stop them, be harsher on cigarette makers – and shopkeepers. I have seen people openly sell cigarettes to kids. A few hundred fines here and there would not hurt.

Salim Mulla, Blackburn.

Comments (6)

4:19pm Fri 13 Apr 12

chas says...

The most stupid thing a person can do is to believe all the anti-smoking propaganda.
The most stupid thing a person can do is to believe all the anti-smoking propaganda. chas

6:50pm Fri 13 Apr 12

doleboytrotter says...

"Smoking is the single most stupid thing a person can do".

No it isn't. Saying that smoking is the single most stupid thing a person can do is even stupider than actually smoking because in saying so you stupidly ignore all the almost infinite number of things that are actually stupider than smoking like I don't know taking heroin, murdering someone or drink driving - the list is endless.
"Smoking is the single most stupid thing a person can do". No it isn't. Saying that smoking is the single most stupid thing a person can do is even stupider than actually smoking because in saying so you stupidly ignore all the almost infinite number of things that are actually stupider than smoking like I don't know taking heroin, murdering someone or drink driving - the list is endless. doleboytrotter

10:38am Sat 14 Apr 12

manyarecalled says...

Salim you are spot on.
the only way to help people give up , is to ban the sale of cigarettes.it is too difficult for most people to stop if there are diehard smokers around you.
Andrew Lansley has the courage to spell that out to the cigarette manufacturers.
it has to be done to stop youngsters starting to smoke .
Salim you are spot on. the only way to help people give up , is to ban the sale of cigarettes.it is too difficult for most people to stop if there are diehard smokers around you. Andrew Lansley has the courage to spell that out to the cigarette manufacturers. it has to be done to stop youngsters starting to smoke . manyarecalled

8:10pm Sat 14 Apr 12

Good call says...

manyarecalled wrote:
Salim you are spot on.
the only way to help people give up , is to ban the sale of cigarettes.it is too difficult for most people to stop if there are diehard smokers around you.
Andrew Lansley has the courage to spell that out to the cigarette manufacturers.
it has to be done to stop youngsters starting to smoke .
How will banning the sale of cigarettes work.Just like with the ban on the sale of cannabis, criminals will profiteer from its sale.
[quote][p][bold]manyarecalled[/bold] wrote: Salim you are spot on. the only way to help people give up , is to ban the sale of cigarettes.it is too difficult for most people to stop if there are diehard smokers around you. Andrew Lansley has the courage to spell that out to the cigarette manufacturers. it has to be done to stop youngsters starting to smoke .[/p][/quote]How will banning the sale of cigarettes work.Just like with the ban on the sale of cannabis, criminals will profiteer from its sale. Good call

12:17pm Sun 15 Apr 12

norah bhatty says...

Here we go again - moan, moan,moan. Just as a matter of opinion, I detest those people who go around with their faces covered - but we haven't to say anything have we? We have to put with it haven't we? So if you don't like smoking - tough. Who cares what you think anyway ?
Here we go again - moan, moan,moan. Just as a matter of opinion, I detest those people who go around with their faces covered - but we haven't to say anything have we? We have to put with it haven't we? So if you don't like smoking - tough. Who cares what you think anyway ? norah bhatty

1:52pm Mon 16 Apr 12

woolywords says...

Our Xmas holiday stopped me smoking. Couldn't smoke on the train station, in the taxi to the airport, in the airport terminal, on the plane, in the arrivals area, in the transfer taxi or anywhere in the hotel, including the balcony.
So I thought ahead, bought an electronic cigarette, from some place in Lower Darwen that I won't name and have never craved a cigarette since.
Most cigarettes give you 11mg of Nicotine and a whole raft of other noxious chemicals but the electronic ones just give you a belt of pure Nicotine at 18mg...
Not to mention that you can puff away on one virtually anywhere you like.

Have no idea what the long term effects of Nicotine are but it has to be better than coating your lungs in Tar just to fulfill your brains craving for a drug, which is basically what it is.

As a bonus, you use less fabric softener on your clothes, as there is no smell of stale tobacco to hide, and at less than a fiver a week, you are quids in all round.
Our Xmas holiday stopped me smoking. Couldn't smoke on the train station, in the taxi to the airport, in the airport terminal, on the plane, in the arrivals area, in the transfer taxi or anywhere in the hotel, including the balcony. So I thought ahead, bought an electronic cigarette, from some place in Lower Darwen that I won't name and have never craved a cigarette since. Most cigarettes give you 11mg of Nicotine and a whole raft of other noxious chemicals but the electronic ones just give you a belt of pure Nicotine at 18mg... Not to mention that you can puff away on one virtually anywhere you like. Have no idea what the long term effects of Nicotine are but it has to be better than coating your lungs in Tar just to fulfill your brains craving for a drug, which is basically what it is. As a bonus, you use less fabric softener on your clothes, as there is no smell of stale tobacco to hide, and at less than a fiver a week, you are quids in all round. woolywords

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