Summary

The UK has introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, aiming to make it illegal for future generations to buy cigarettes. The bill proposes gradually raising the minimum smoking age, so those born after January 1, 2009, will never be able to purchase tobacco legally.

It also includes restrictions on vape flavors and packaging to prevent youth addiction and bans smoking in certain outdoor spaces, though pub beer gardens are exempt.

Supported by the Labour Party’s majority, the legislation seeks to create a “smoke-free U.K.” and combat smoking-related deaths.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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    12 days ago

    When British taxpayers are the ones paying for the smokers’ illnesses, whether or not they personally want to quit is not the issue. You do know how socialized medicine works, yes? British nonsmokers should not have to foot the bill when they get emphysema or lung cancer.

    I don’t know why you think they should.

    • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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      12 days ago

      Universal healthcare doesn’t give you license to police everyone else’s lifestyle to your preferred level of health-consciousness.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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        12 days ago

        Costing the British taxpayers money for the sake of your disease-causing pleasure is some real nonsense. If you want to argue that smoking-related diseases should be exempt from the NHS, fine. But you want to have your cigarette and smoke it too.

        • Dontfearthereaper123@lemm.ee
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          12 days ago

          I suppose i wouldnt oppose a ban like that in theory, but because doctors rnt omniscient, in practice, you’d end up with either, smokers not being treated for illnesses completely unrelated to their smoking, or non smokers not being treated because doctors think its related to smoking. I mean how could u tell for 100% certain someone is a smoker, I can bet theres smokers out there w still perfectly white teeth etc and non smokers whos lungs r black from car exhausts. Is it really worth letting a non smoker die js because you dont wanna pay for the smoker too? Its hardly like people r gonna be honest abt smoking when they won’t get free healthcare for it

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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            12 days ago

            Of course not, but that’s the only option that allows people to enjoy their cancer sticks and not have everyone else pay for the cancer.

            • Dontfearthereaper123@lemm.ee
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              12 days ago

              So ud genuinely rather non smokers die than let smokers get medical care? I feel like I have to be reading this wrong thats a bit psychopathic to admit that once someones smokes u actively dislike them so much ud be okay w collateral damage to prevent them getting medical care

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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                12 days ago

                No, I said what I would genuinely rather. I would genuinely rather have doctors wean people off of cigarettes by putting them behind a prescription barrier instead of cost rate payers huge amounts of money in the future because of some libertarian “I should be allowed to do whatever I want and fuck everyone else” bullshit.

                • Dontfearthereaper123@lemm.ee
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                  11 days ago

                  I feel like cigs on prescription is a fast way to get an oxy-like black market. You’d have people faking prescriptions to sell those cigs most likely to people who smoke more than the doctor wants them to or js children. Denmark is an example of a country which banned disposables yet a lot of teens still vape there they js buy em from dealers instead of stores thus increasing the danger for them

                  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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                    11 days ago

                    Then what’s your solution to stopping the overloading of the NHS and costing British rate payers billions of pounds due to smokers?