Legislation passed in 2012 in Scotland fully comes into effect this month meaning cigarettes can no longer legally be displayed in both supermarkets and corner shops. Vicky Chandler and Beth Gregory discuss
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Recently Scotland have been the latest nation to tackle cigarette smoking as a ban on displaying tobacco in large shops has come into force. A futile attempt to discourage younger people taking up smoking.
ItÔÇÖs been known for quite some time that smoking is extremely bad for you, and while it may be true that less people smoke now than they did years ago, people still do smoke, despite knowing the health risks. While it may now be illegal to stop dislaying cigarettes in many stores, it is still fine to sell them, and it is still fine to smoke them.
Smoking is a free choice, and if people choose to smoke, or are addicted to nicotine, a metal screen in front of the cigarettes is not going to stop them. Buying a pack of cigarettes is not the same as buying a dairy milk thatÔÇÖs by the till, itÔÇÖs not an impulsive choice people make because they ÔÇÿfancy itÔÇÖ. People either want to smoke, or they donÔÇÖt.
I believe that covering up cigarette displays is a bit patronising┬á as the population we are naive enough to suddenly feel guilty for buying something because itÔÇÖs out of sight. People pay money for things that are a hell of a lot worse which are out of sight. Things that many people would think are wrong or disgusting, but they do it anyway. Why? Because they want to. Illegal substances arenÔÇÖt exactly sold in broad daylight but people still buy them, so I donÔÇÖt believe covering cigarettes, which are perfectly legal, would deter people from buying them.
If people stop smoking because of their health then that is great, but people donÔÇÖt stop because they can not see their cigarettes in shops anymore, or because it takes the shop assistant behind the till slightly longer to find them. Stoping smoking is a decision which has been influenced by much bigger things. I donÔÇÖt believe the government should do nothing about smoking, in the same way they shouldnÔÇÖt do nothing about anything which causes great health risks and costs the NHS millions, but this action just all seems a little bit pointless.
Many people will still smoke just as many people will still drink alcohol, eat fast food, and consume or do other things which will wreck their insides and make them look old. Not because itÔÇÖs good or right, but because they want to. The government need to accept that people will do things that are bad knowing full well they are bad, and itÔÇÖs up to the individual to take responsibility for that. Considering you have to be over 18 to buy cigarettes anyway, people who choose to smoke shouldnÔÇÖt be treated like children. BG
Against:
Recently Scotland have been the latest nation to tackle cigarette smoking as a ban on displaying tobacco in large shops has come into force. A futile attempt to discourage younger people taking up smoking.
ItÔÇÖs been known for quite some time that smoking is extremely bad for you, and while it may be true that less people smoke now than they did years ago, people still do smoke, despite knowing the health risks. While it may now be illegal to stop dislaying cigarettes in many stores, it is still fine to sell them, and it is still fine to smoke them.
Smoking is a free choice, and if people choose to smoke, or are addicted to nicotine, a metal screen in front of the cigarettes is not going to stop them. Buying a pack of cigarettes is not the same as buying a dairy milk thatÔÇÖs by the till, itÔÇÖs not an impulsive choice people make because they ÔÇÿfancy itÔÇÖ. People either want to smoke, or they donÔÇÖt.
I believe that covering up cigarette displays is a bit┬ápatronising┬á as the population we are naive enough to suddenly feel guilty for buying something because itÔÇÖs out of sight. People pay money for things that are a hell of a lot worse which are out of sight. Things that many people would think are wrong or disgusting, but they do it anyway. Why? Because they want to. Illegal substances arenÔÇÖt exactly sold in broad daylight but people still buy them, so I donÔÇÖt believe covering cigarettes, which are perfectly legal, would deter people from buying them.
If people stop smoking because of their health then that is great, but people donÔÇÖt stop because they can not see their cigarettes in shops anymore, or because it takes the shop assistant behind the till slightly longer to find them. Stoping smoking is a decision which has been influenced by much bigger things. I donÔÇÖt believe the government should do nothing about smoking, in the same way they shouldnÔÇÖt do nothing about anything which causes great health risks and costs the NHS millions, but this action just all seems a little bit pointless. Many people will still smoke just as many people will still drink alcohol, eat fast food, and consume or do other things which will wreck their insides and make them look old. Not because itÔÇÖs good or right, but because they want to. The government need to accept that people will do things that are bad knowing full well they are bad, and itÔÇÖs up to the individual to take responsibility for that. Considering you have to be over 18 to buy cigarettes anyway, people who choose to smoke shouldnÔÇÖt be treated like children.
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