51 replies to this topic

[Mishelle]

The Central Massachusetts town of Westminster would become the first community in the state, and perhaps the nation, to ban all tobacco sales under a proposal made public Monday that regulators say is designed to improve health, especially among the young.

Draft regulations posted on the town’s website would prohibit sales of products containing tobacco or nicotine, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and even electronic cigarettes, which use batteries to heat nicotine-laced liquid, producing a vapor that is inhaled.

http://www.bostonglo...z5AK/story.html

Do you think this is a good idea?

[Shannon]

Nope, bad idea. Cigarettes will become just like pot. Everything being done illegally and in secret. If people want to smoke, they'll find a way to smoke. And this is coming from someone who hates smoking. 

[DonValentino]

Nope, bad idea. Cigarettes will become just like pot. Everything being done illegally and in secret. If people want to smoke, they'll find a way to smoke. And this is coming from someone who hates smoking. 

 

Well they're not making smoking illegal, just illegal for businesses to sell them. People would have to go to the next town over to buy them.

 

I love the idea in theory, and I..was going to say they probably shouldn't do it, because it would hurt business, but I think they should do it, would be an interesting case study.

I definitely wish tobacco could be outlawed but it's such a huuugge market. Plus I like cigars on occasion. But I suppose I could still get them, like weed.

[Kway]

I hate smoking and I hate smokers even more. If it gets people to not smoke in public areas, I won't have a problem with it.

[wtfints]

I think its good.

 

Unlike my country which earn a lot from cigarette taxes, they ban all the other alternatives (shisha, e-cigarette etc).

 

And they ban it stating "health reason"

 

but they never ever going to ban cigarettes.

[Batori]

I'm on board with this. Any deterrent to smoking is a good one.

[Bee]

I think it's a terrible idea. It would affect local businesses and encourage scalpers who'd buy by bulk and sell it at raised prices to people who are desperate enough. 

 

I hate smoking and I hate smokers even more. If it gets people to not smoke in public areas, I won't have a problem with it.

 

They would still smoke wherever, they'd just not be able to pop round to their local shop for a pack.

[NapisaurusRex]

It was illegal to smoke in a nearby town here for a year or so, including e-cigs, but they repealed it. It was annoying as fuck for people who were just passing through and stopped, since they still sold smokes and had ashcans everywhere. The most annoying part was that cops refused to enforce it, so it was mainly just people who would stop every five seconds and go, "you know that's illegal here, right?" It's still illegal in a lot of public areas, but you can smoke in front of gas stations and in fast food parking lots again.

[Mishelle]

Yeah I don't feel like banning smoking actually does anything to deter smoking. My job became a smoke free campus a year ago and it has done nothing to stop people from smoking on campus. Now people just leave their cigarette butts on the ground because they have no place to put them out.

[Tubbz]

There's talk of banning anyone born after 2000 smoking in the UK

[Mishelle]

There's talk of banning anyone born after 2000 smoking in the UK

How do they plan on enforcing that?

[Shannon]

Well they're not making smoking illegal, just illegal for businesses to sell them. People would have to go to the next town over to buy them.
 
I love the idea in theory, and I..was going to say they probably shouldn't do it, because it would hurt business, but I think they should do it, would be an interesting case study.
I definitely wish tobacco could be outlawed but it's such a huuugge market. Plus I like cigars on occasion. But I suppose I could still get them, like weed.

I mean people will go over to the next town, buy cigs, then sell them for a premium in this town. All it'll do is hurt business in the town. I'd love for tobacco to just stop being a thing and for people to stop smoking, but I don't think this is the way to do it.

Edited by Cohle, 10 November 2014 - 01:28 PM.

[Tubbz]

How do they plan on enforcing that?

ID, it would basically mean if you look young, and can't prove you were born before 2000, you'd be fined on the spot. 

[Strategist]

There's talk of banning anyone born after 2000 smoking in the UK

Yeah they've talked about doing that here in Australia too. I have no idea how the heck they would even begin to enforce something like that.

ID, it would basically mean if you look young, and can't prove you were born before 2000, you'd be fined on the spot.

well... that's simple enough, right?

Still, it won't stop people from doing it. Hell, weed is illegal here, but people still take that risk to get their fix.

[Swar]

I don't think it will work, but it would be great if it did. I hate the smell of smoke. My mom used to smoke a lot until 10 years ago, when she saw a pacient did because of cigar. She decided she would never smoke again so she would see me grow up and stuff.

[Mishelle]

ID, it would basically mean if you look young, and can't prove you were born before 2000, you'd be fined on the spot.

Yeah I feel like they'd just get older people to buy cigarettes for them. The only young people I know who smoke do it because it's considered taboo.

[Swar]

Oh, and my grandpa died of lung cancer before I was born and my grandma almost died because she used to smoke 40 years ago, so I don't have a really great relation with tobacco.

[Emily]

My school banned cigarettes and now people hide under the bridges and in the wooded areas to smoke and get into arguments with the cops because of it. They banned e-cigs and vapes though so people can't get a fix at all. Basically, my school is just full of pissed off, nicotine craving jerks. 

 

Yeah I don't feel like banning smoking actually does anything to deter smoking. My job became a smoke free campus a year ago and it has done nothing to stop people from smoking on campus. Now people just leave their cigarette butts on the ground because they have no place to put them out.

 

Pretty much. We used to have designated smoking gazebos for people and now people just leave it anywhere. 

[Bone]

My school banned cigarettes and now people hide under the bridges and in the wooded areas to smoke and get into arguments with the cops because of it. They banned e-cigs and vapes though so people can't get a fix at all. Basically, my school is just full of pissed off, nicotine craving jerks. 

 

 

Pretty much. We used to have designated smoking gazebos for people and now people just leave it anywhere. 

 

I agree that smoking cigarettes/cigars should be banned in public places, since it's a legitimate public health threat. But vaping (e-cigarettes, shisha) doesn't affect anyone else, so I don't understand the rationale in prohibiting them.

[jinq]

Not sure why people still start smoking but this is definitely a small step forward.

[MozzarellaSticks]

I think it will go over like Prohibitions did. I don't think we're ever go to really stop drug use of any kind. And criminalizing it is just going to hurt a lot of people already addicted. We need to focus on programs to help people quit.

[Emily]

I agree that smoking cigarettes/cigars should be banned in public places, since it's a legitimate public health threat. But vaping (e-cigarettes, shisha) doesn't affect anyone else, so I don't understand the rationale in prohibiting them.

 

I found this on my school's website:

 

 

Can I use e-cigarettes on campus?  Why not?    
No.  The FDA considers e-cigarettes a tobacco product, not a way to quit smoking. “Vaping” emits fine particles into the air, polluting it, and creates the look and odor of smoking, which causes confusion in complying with and enforcing the tobacco-free policy.

[Kaddict]

My school went smoke free this year. Doesn't affect me though, because I don't think anyone at the med school smokes cigarettes. I am all for them trying it out. My town banned it in any place where food is served (Which was crazy controversial at the time, because where I live, lots of food places catered to the smoking/drinking/gambling...) but it is great. No more being asked "smoking or non-smoking." I would be interested in seeing how it turns out

[Wynd]

Personally, there's a lot of different feelings for this with me. I think that because a lot of small companies in said town might have been selling cigs, they'll get either shut down or lose a lot of money which isn't very good. On a non-smoker's side, it's nice to see people not smoking. I absolutely hate the fumes in my face, and just can't stand it when they're next to me smoking. Again, though, some shops benefit from selling cigs. Especially in my area, where there are a lot of different smoke shops, they'd lose a lot of money or risk being shut down entirely because of the ban. I'm all for people not dying of lung cancer, but I'm not for innocent people losing their jobs.

[masxed]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I find it sad that many people are desperately addicted to these products, but just like Cohle I'm not too sure that this would have the desired effect. Looking at the history of the US it appears that illegalizing substances has actually increased consumption. In my opinion the root of this is probably cultural, and it isn't probable that legal decisions like this would amount to changing the ways people are accustom to living.
 

Nope, bad idea. Cigarettes will become just like pot. Everything being done illegally and in secret. If people want to smoke, they'll find a way to smoke. And this is coming from someone who hates smoking.

 
  Pot anybody?
 
Just kidding I understood, what was meant was a term for cannabis commonly used by baby boomers in a derogatory manner.