[Ammi]

A ban on tobacco promotion comes into force on Friday in a bid to cut down on the number of people smoking.

The new legislation means all large shops and supermarkets in England must cover up cigarettes and hide tobacco products from public view.

The Department of Health said the move was in response to evidence that cigarette displays in shops can encourage young people to take up the habit.

More than 300,000 children under 16 try smoking each year and 5% of children aged 11 to 15 are regular smokers, according to its figures.

Meanwhile 39% of smokers say that they were smoking regularly before the age of 16.

Health Minister Anne Milton said: "We cannot ignore the fact that young people are recruited into smoking by colourful, eye-catching, cigarette displays.
"Most adult smokers started smoking as teenagers and we need to stop this trend.

"Banning displays of cigarettes and tobacco will help young people resist the pressure to start smoking and help the thousands of adults in England who are currently trying to quit."

Under the new rules all tobacco products must be kept out of sight except when staff are serving customers or carrying out other day-to-day tasks such as restocking.

Those found not complying with the law could be fined up to £5,000 or face imprisonment.

The ban on displays will roll out to smaller shops and businesses in three years time while the government is also consulting on introducing plain packaging for packets of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

BIB...I'm not convinced that has any bearing at all on what attracts people to smoke

[arista]

Yes its a Great Move.


Stinking Smokers
need to be banned more.


I love NYC
No Smoking in Public Main Streets

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes its a Great Move.


Stinking Smokers
need to be banned more.


I love NYC
No Smoking in Public Main Streets

LOL Arista..I know how you feel about smoking..but I'm not convinced the 'colourful eyecatching displays' have any bearing at all in 'enticing' people to smoke..I don't think they even are 'eyecatching' at all..and children are educated about the dangers of smoking from primary school age..if they decide to discard the warnings and smoke anyway..I don't think the lack of displays will be a factor

[Iceman]

Theres a complete ban here on showing them in any shops.....makes the machines more prominent though because theres just a big white machine behind a counter.....

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Iceman

Theres a complete ban here on showing them in any shops.....makes the machines more prominent though because theres just a big white machine behind a counter.....

..where are you..ROI?..and that's what concerns me..the 'forbidden' element may actually make it more inviting to the young new smoker..for the ones already hooked..I don't think this move will make any difference

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..where are you..ROI?..and that's what concerns me..the 'forbidden' element may actually make it more inviting to the young new smoker..for the ones already hooked..I don't think this move will make any difference

Yeah Im in ROI, it just makes it more noticeable.....People notice stuff more when it's changed.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Iceman

Yeah Im in ROI, it just makes it more noticeable.....People notice stuff more when it's changed.

Yeah..smokers..hardened smokers won't be deterred at all..and if we're saying that young people are going to ignore all the many other warnings and try smoking anyway..imo the 'machine' is only going to entice them far more than any colourful packaging would..I don't know..it seems to me in the quest to discourage smoking in young people..they're in danger of doing the exact opposite

[joeysteele]

I have never seen anything more ridicuous as to this regulation to shops and stores, your attention is immediately drawn to the fact they have these sliding doors in place, this regulation is going to likely create the effect if it's wrong to be displaying them and selling them then younger people may want them.

However, the ASDA store where I am, also has hidden smoking related items like lighters etc, which is even more bonkers.

I have rarely seen queues like I have over recent weeks at the cigarette counters there, furthermore since cigarettes went up in the budget, people seem to be buying packs of 100s or 200s to save a bit of the rise in price.

Incredible that smokers are being inconvenienced for this daft Govt ruling, but alcohol in Stores is just about poured down your throat,with displays all over from entering the store and even displays at the top of the confectionery aisles too.
Alcohol can do as much if not worse harm to the body as cigarettes,yet children see adults piling alcohol into trollies juslt like its general shopping.

Total hypocrisy from a far more interfering Govt than the last one even was now. I don't smoke,never have, never will, I however think this is pathetic.

Should people stop smoking or cut down bigtime then the Govt would be in panic at the lost massive income it gets from cigarettes and tobacco.
Watching the staff having to slide these panels backwards and forwards with a queue of something like 20+ people waiting to be served is something I wouldn't expect to see in Stores supposedly open for business.

Bonkers, is the only appropriate word for this ruling by this now fast becoming totally incompetent/too interfering coalition Govt.

[waterhog]

i think its great to - disgusting habit and if it helps on people not going into this addiction - its got to be a good thing.

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by Ammi

Yeah..smokers..hardened smokers won't be deterred at all..and if we're saying that young people are going to ignore all the many other warnings and try smoking anyway..imo the 'machine' is only going to entice them far more than any colourful packaging would..I don't know..it seems to me in the quest to discourage smoking in young people..they're in danger of doing the exact opposite

Yeah, I do wonder sometimes who comes up with these ideas.....'let's pretend nobody smokes' is basically what they're trying to do here.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

I have never seen anything more ridicuous as to this regulation to shops and stores, your attention is immediately drawn to the fact they have these sliding doors in place, this regulation is going to likely create the effect if it's wrong to be displaying them and selling them then younger people may want them.

However, the ASDA store where I am, also has hidden smoking related items like lighters etc, which is even more bonkers.

I have rarely seen queues like I have over recent weeks at the cigarette counters there, furthermore since cigarettes went up in the budget, people seem to be buying packs of 100s or 200s to save a bit of the rise in price.

Incredible that smokers are being inconvenienced for this daft Govt ruling, but alcohol in Stores is just about poured down your throat,with displays all over from entering the store and even displays at the top of the confectionery aisles too.
Alcohol can do as much if not worse harm to the body as cigarettes,yet children see adults piling alcohol into trollies juslt like its general shopping.

Total hypocrisy from a far more interfering Govt than the last one even was now. I don't smoke,never have, never will, I however think this is pathetic.

Should people stop smoking or cut down bigtime then the Govt would be in panic at the lost massive income it gets from cigarettes and tobacco.
Watching the staff having to slide these panels backwards and forwards with a queue of something like 20+ people waiting to be served is something I wouldn't expect to see in Stores supposedly open for business.

Bonkers, is the only appropriate word for this ruling by this now fast becoming totally incompetent/too interfering coaition Govt.

..a very good post Joey..it's a silly idea to think it would act as a discouragement..and it's true about the alcohol too
..crikey Joey..you said bonkers twice LOL..but it fairly much describes what it is

[Marc]

I don't see it as a bad thing.

But I don't think it'll ever stop people smoking or starting to smoke they don't start smoking because it's on display to them!

[Marc]

I don't see it as a bad thing.

But I don't think it'll ever stop people smoking or starting to smoke they don't start smoking because it's on display to them!

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..a very good post Joey..it's a silly idea to think it would act as a discouragement..and it's true about the alcohol too
..crikey Joey..you said bonkers twice LOL..but it fairly much describes what it is

I cannot claim credit for the bonkers use Ammi, I wnated a lighter and had to queue for ages to get one, in front of me was a Woman who was going to buy cigarettes,she was 87, fitter than a lot of people I have seen who don't smoke and she had smoked since she was 15 she said.

When she got to the counter after getting her cigarettes all she said to the assistant was this is completely bonkers.

It seemed to me after she said it, no other word was really appropriate.(I loved talking to her though).

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by WATERHOG

i think its great to - disgusting habit and if it helps on people not going into this addiction - its got to be a good thing.

..well imo it will do the exact opposite..that's the point I'm making..unless they're trying to encourage smoking..for the tax..this could be a conspiracy thing LOL

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

I cannot claim credit for the bonkers use Ammi, I wnated a lighter and had to queue for ages to get one, in front of me was a Woman who was going to buy cigarettes,she was 87, fitter than a lot of people I have seen who don't smoke and she had smoked since she was 15 she said.

When she got to the counter after getting her cigarettes all she said to the assistant was this is completely bonkers.

It seemed to me after she said it, no other word was really appropriate.(I loved talking to her though).

Haha....Joeysteele

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ammi

LOL Arista..I know how you feel about smoking..but I'm not convinced the 'colourful eyecatching displays' have any bearing at all in 'enticing' people to smoke..I don't think they even are 'eyecatching' at all..and children are educated about the dangers of smoking from primary school age..if they decide to discard the warnings and smoke anyway..I don't think the lack of displays will be a factor

By 2015
all shops will cover up Displays
in England.


It helps reduce smoking on young people.

[Marc]

It doesn't though

Peer pressure and seeing others smoke does

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

Health Minister Anne Milton said: "We cannot ignore the fact that young people are recruited into smoking by colourful, eye-catching, cigarette displays.
"Most adult smokers started smoking as teenagers and we need to stop this trend.

When I started smoking I didnt even get them from shops, neither did most people I knew at the time. Nor did I find the boxes 'colourful and eye catching'

I noticed this new display thing in morrisons on tuesday. I only noticed because the sliding door was jammed for the poor woman behind the counter who was waiting for her supervisor to come to sort it out while the queue got longer and people tutted at her like it was her fault. Felt really bad for her actually :S

[Marc]

That's because most customers are rude and impatient bastards

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..where are you..ROI?..and that's what concerns me..the 'forbidden' element may actually make it more inviting to the young new smoker..for the ones already hooked..I don't think this move will make any difference

Exactly!

Kids do what they arent meant to...it happens. The more they arent meant to do it, the more they will want to. This wont change anything for the better. If anything more kids will smoke IMO

Also wondering how long before they ban displays of alcohol, as surely this is as much of a problem as child smokers

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Marc

That's because most customers are rude and impatient bastards

Ya I know this, but I dont see why shop workers need any extra stress on top of what they already get

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

When I started smoking I didnt even get them from shops, neither did most people I knew at the time. Nor did I find the boxes 'colourful and eye catching'

I noticed this new display thing in morrisons on tuesday. I only noticed because the sliding door was jammed for the poor woman behind the counter who was waiting for her supervisor to come to sort it out while the queue got longer and people tutted at her like it was her fault. Felt really bad for her actually :S

..yeah I bet it's gone down really well with the staff..and imo..there's nothing quite like a bit of 'taboo-ness' to encourage you to try it more..it actually draws attention to it

[arista]

"more bonkers."


No Joey
Stinking Fags Hidden
is the way Forward.

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by arista

"more bonkers."


No Joey
Stinking Fags Hidden
is the way Forward.

Arista its really not. If it was I would fully support this as (although I smoke) it would be fantastic to see a decrease in the number of young smokers

But teens will be teens, and the more taboo something is, the more they want to do it.

Think about it...take drinking. In greece (I can only use this as an example because I lived there and noticed this) the legal drinking limit is 14. Yet in the 6 months I was there...working in a bar...I never once saw a 14 year old drunk. They came in occasionally for a half or two but thats it. Compare this to our limit of 18 which sees kids as young as 11/12 downing litres of cider on street corners because they arent 'allowed' to...