Getting angry is easy to do, I know that, all I have to do is read the Independent, or perhaps the Guardian. It's usually the commentary rather than the news that gets me really fired up, but today is an exception because I am absolutely fucking fuming at this (please excuse the pun).A ban on the sale of cigarettes to anyone who does not pay for a government smoking permit has been proposed by Health England, a ministerial advisory board. The idea is the brainchild of the board's chairman, Julian Le Grand, who is a professor at the London School of Economics and was Tony Blair's senior health adviser....What the hell is wrong with this country? What in God's name is going on? I have to buy a permit each year and get a phot ID card in order to smoke? I have private health insurance, I'm not using the bastard NHS. Le Grand and the Government can stick their permit up their pipe and smoke it - but only outside of course.
His paper says: "Suppose every individual who wanted to buy tobacco had to purchase a permit. And suppose further they had to do this every year. To get a permit would involve filling out a form and supplying a photograph, as well as paying the fee. Permits would only be issued to those over 18 and evidence of age would have to be provided. The money raised would go to the NHS."
Hat Tip: Her Trixyness
18 comments:
Do smokers really harm the NHS that much more than non smokers anyway? Surely there isn't much difference in treating a 65 year old with lung cancer than there is a 75 year old with bowel cancer? Isn't it the case that non smokers just live a bit longer and then die of some horrible desiese that isn't smoking related, as opposed to dying of lung cancer a bit earlier?
PS: I know that wasn't really your point dizzy, but it was something that occured to me the other day when talking about duty on fags
This is a reanouncement - he'd come up with this in october last year:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/23/smoking_licence/
Obviously didn't get a good response then, so is trying again now.
The man is clearly a dicktard of the highest order. How about he applies for a permit to drag his lips across my arse.
And I don't even smoke....jeeeze.
Careful what you say Dizzy, otherwise they will be requiring us to buy a permit to blog next!
Oh, and another thing.
Is this you?
Smugglers paradise, and a nice business opportunity for anyone in possession of such an ID. You have to wonder why these numpties never think of the consequences of their misguided suggestions.
I trust that the cost of the permit is then reflected in a lower tax on the product - so that the permit is simply a method of controlling under age smoking.
Otherwise I would have to conclude that this is just another stealth tax.
no curly its not me.
@Alex, your point has recently been proven in a study. The health freaks who go on to live 100, demented and incapacitated by age are the people who are expensive.
@Travis, heh, don't smoke but I sure will take this easy money opportunity when it arrives.
In Germany a court has made smoking in one room pub legal again, and for those of who who speak German, here is Helmut Schmidt(Bundeskanzler a.D) about his attitude to smoking, the ban and his prosecution for smoking in a public place: http://www.zeit.de/2008/08/Zigarette-08
Shame they don't make 'em anymore like it.
If Obama becomes President we will all want to go live in the USA next year. This country is so screwed up at the moment.
Obama likes a sneaky fag - as does David Cameron. :)
Although both would say they have recently 'quit'. Who cares?
I think I am pretty certain that they will find only one type of ID acceptable to prove that one is of an age to buy tobacco, don't you? This of course is all part of the master-plan by our wise leaders. Remember the "coercion" document that No2ID recently got hold of, and annotated?
I wonder if they will pass a law requiring the production of an ID Card to purchase illegal drugs as well? Should help to ensure that kids don't start young, won't it!
I was glad to see Centaur's comment because I thought I had seen this story before, and remember being outraged then.
I don't smoke, but I strongly object to this dictatorial government trying to control our every move.
On a similar subject, a very good friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. She has never drunk alcohol in her life, preferring coke, (oh well, each to their own). How's that for unfair. If a similar permit scheme had existed for alcohol, that wouldn't have stopped her needing medical treatment.
How dare this guy try to interfere in our lives.
we will soon need permits to drink as well. nulab love this sort of thing.
Yegods
Next thing it'll be a "Licence to be Obese"
Who *are* these un-elected control freaks and aren't there at least a few elected bods, with a bit of common sense, who will send them packing?
Can't be bothered to drag the figures out again but smokers contribute way more to the NHS than they cost it.
We can all only hope that these words from Macbeth soon come to sum up this tired excuse for a government
" Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more"
Mr Le Grand,
What planet are you living on and how did you get the position you did with such an idiotic idea of a "smokers permit"?
Clearly you are in the line of idiots who come up with these obsurd politicially correct ideas.
I respect the fact that there are anti smokers but for those of us that enjoy a cigarette then eave us in piece to enjoy it. We already tolerate going outside and have done this I think with little complaints. Are you not satisifed with this?
Fair enough you dont smoke yourself but leave those of that do in piece!!! We are well aware of the health risks and have the ability to make up our own minds without idiots like you to bully us just because you may not like something.
Now I am going to calm down from the madness I have just read in the form of having a cigarette.
Just leave us smokers in piece in the same way as we leave you in piece
Idiot!!!!!
Chris Thompson.
Has it never even entered their heads that the government has no right to behave in this way? Personally I fucking dislike the physical act of smoking, but I would never even have dreamt of something like this.
I think they are extending their authoritarianism to smokers because smoking is generally unpopular and about 75% of people won't care. And once they are repressed, then we've set the precedent for everyone to be repressed by the state.
Even these unelected pricks now see themselves as our masters.
How did this country come to this?
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