Plain packaging on cigarettes (2 Viewers)

[boris]

plain packaging on food
plain packaging on alcohol
plain packaging on carcinogenic building materials/paints/solvents
plain packaging on being fat/old

 

[funkshen]

abolish public healthcare problem solved

or introduce a smoking ID system
you need a license to smoke and your purchases are tracked
your purchase information is used to calculate an extra medicare levy payable at the end of each year or as you go (private health insurers can take the risk and offer plans with lower smoking expenses, such as for young healthy smokers etc)
you also have to have wear a trucker hat that says SMOKING HOT on it

 

[scarvesss]

lol thats kind of true boris... idk its a difficult topic, i just hate the smell of it and that probably influences my opinion more then it should

 

[boris]

or introduce a smoking ID system
you need a license to smoke and your purchases are tracked
your purchase information is used to calculate an extra medicare levy payable at the end of each year or as you go (private health insurers can take the risk and offer plans with lower smoking expenses, such as for young healthy smokers etc)
you also have to have wear a trucker hat that says SMOKING HOT on it

what about the fatties
extra $1 tax per kj consumed over 8700kj per day

 

[JayCakie]

I doubt it would make much difference really. Perhaps people would start turning to other forms of cigarettes - where you buy your own tabacco and roll it yourself. (I don't know what they are called, I'm not a smoker.)

I think people who chain smoke probably won't really care about the packaging. I mean they've already got pretty graphic images on it already and people still smoke.

 

[boris]

cos smoking is rad, dork

 

[JayCakie]

cos smoking is rad, dork

^

 

[funkshen]

smoking is dope

 

[kat-]

Do you smoke?

Nope

 

[boris]

Then why are you worrying about "carrying around a box with a picture of a tar filled lung"?

 

[Annihilist]

Then why are you worrying about "carrying around a box with a picture of a tar filled lung"?

I have smoked. I like it and I would do it again.

 

[mirakon]

I don't see how plain packaging will feasibly make any difference, nor do I think there is any evidence that shows it'll make a reasonable difference, so I don't really get the point of it tbh

 

[Annihilist]

by all means you are free to do what you want. but as ozko suggested there is more to it than just personal effects and second hand smoke. i would imagine the medical costs and such that are funded by tax payers would be fairly high, so getting rid of that financial burden would be of much benefit to everyone else. its not just wasted money on something that could be easily avoided.

Yeah I was wondering when this would come up, and it's probably the only real issue here.

They always do shit like this to keep integrity in the public healthcare system. Bike helmets, seat belts, etc. are all there to keep the healthcare system going, and so we don't waste taxpayers money on stupid people. In my opinion there are two solutions: one is to fund healthcare more using money from private schools, private hospitals and military (priorities are different, I know). The other is to create a system where if your health problems are caused by negligence such as smoking, drinking, or not wearing a seat belt, you are required to pay back the public healthcare system.

It's all very complex and seems unnecessary and excessive. But I think in order to preserve our free choices we need to rethink the healthcare system. We can't just keep putting laws on things to make them go away - laws don't work like that. And coercive legislation, such as this one, I personally think is wrong.

 

[Annihilist]

I don't see how plain packaging will feasibly make any difference, nor do I think there is any evidence that shows it'll make a reasonable difference, so I don't really get the point of it tbh

It's funny, it worked on me, it made me not want to smoke.

 

[mirakon]

It's funny, it worked on me, it made me not want to smoke.

How though? What difference did plain packaging actually make to your thought process when buying a smoke?

 

[soloooooo]

To all the people who think plain packaging won't make a difference, then fine why do you even care what happens then?

 

[ohexploitable]

no i need everyone to know i'm not ~mainstream~ by showing off my pack of Pall Mall ciggies

 

[boris]

It's funny, it worked on me, it made me not want to smoke.

What
they dont have plain packaging yet

 

[mirakon]

To all the people who think plain packaging won't make a difference, then fine why do you even care what happens then?

 

[Annihilist]

How though? What difference did plain packaging actually make to your thought process when buying a smoke?

I have explained it before.

Basically, I don't want to carry around a packet looking like that, I don't want to be seen buying or holding a packet like that. It creates (or reinforces) a certain negative projection of smokers and a negative stigma. "You can smoke, but we'll make you look like a disgusting motherfucker if you do". Thats what they are saying. I don't want to be a "smoker" in such a society. And I think such a society is wrong.

Smoking is but one issue in this regard. Drugs are another - by making them illegal, we create a society where people who choose to take drugs are looked down upon by the rest of society. They are seen as disgusting, pathetic etc. by the majority of us. We should not be penalising or bullying people who make decisions the government doesn't like.

I have a personal and an ethical issue with it.