Wirral Euro MP slams plan to sell cigarettes in plain packs (From Wirral Globe)
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Wirral Euro MP slams plan to sell cigarettes in plain packs
3:32pm Monday 16th April 2012 in News By Stephanie Cureton
UKIP MEP slams plans to sell cigarettes in plain packs
PLANS for cigarettes to be sold in plain packets have been slammed by a North West MEP.
Paul Nuttall, UKIP deputy leader, believes the idea would not deter people from smoking and could lead to the number of counterfeit cigarettes increasing.
He also thinks that new laws stopping shops from having tobacco on display will do little to reduce the number of teenagers taking up the habit.
Mr Nuttall's comments come as a public consultation on plain packaging starts this week.
Health secretary Andrew Lansley said he would be keeping an "open mind" on the issue of stripping cigarette packets of branding.
Mr Nuttall said: "If those behind the idea think it will deter smokers they need to think again.
"In fact research shows that ironically it is more likely to lead to more tobacco consumption.
"A report by consultancy London Economics following an online poll of 3,000 UK residents shows that removing brand imagery leads consumers to shift their preferences away from premium brands towards cheaper alternatives.
"This in turn would make cigarettes more affordable and consumption would rise.
"It is also feared that plain packaging will be easier to counterfeit and the black market will increase.
"Instead of trying to deter youngsters from taking up the habit by changing packaging it would be better to concentrate on education.
"And I do not think that the ban on displaying tobacco products in large stores will prevent under-age smoking either.
"Hiding cigarettes behind a cabinet where the display is revealed only when a customer makes a purchase runs the risk of driving up teenage demand.
"I worry where this nanny state will end. How long will it be before alcohol or even sugary foods, such as cake and chocolate, are also placed in closed cabinets?"
Health campaigners have welcomed the proposals and a recent opinion poll also found strong support.
Comments(36)
chas
says...
5:38pm Mon 16 Apr 12
In any case it is illegal for shops to sell tobacco products to anybody under the age of 18 so what's the point.
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
6:58pm Mon 16 Apr 12
a. Government floats a proposal.
b. Euro MP cites some independent research which suggests the government proposal might have an alternative effect to that intended.
c. Wirral 'pundit' calls for metal shutters to be slammed onto Euro MP's hands.
Amazing....
barfly72
says...
7:24pm Mon 16 Apr 12
Jayo
says...
8:30pm Mon 16 Apr 12
Its the same with alcohol and car fuel.
The more you tax it and put it beyond the finances of the ordinary public the more the "Black Market" thrives.
Spiffy
says...
12:48am Tue 17 Apr 12
...
Somewhere along the line their incestuous tax relationship soured and it's all out war.
...
Smokers are just collateral damage.
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If nothing else it'll be interesting to see just how many civil liberties WE actually have left...and just how far the law had to go in screwing us all over... when the dust finally settles.
...
Oh and the "obese"...you know those people who are fat because government guidelines say they are ? Yeah....they're next up. It's already under discussion ...and out there in mainstream propaganda/media...j
ust how well the smoking agenda is supposedly going so it's full steam ahead now onto the rest of society's "undesirables".
...
Anyone wanna add to the butty order ??
Spiffy
says...
12:49am Tue 17 Apr 12
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
7:31am Tue 17 Apr 12
... ;-)
David Scott
says...
10:02am Tue 17 Apr 12
davr0s
says...
10:38am Tue 17 Apr 12
Mr Bollo
says...
12:08pm Tue 17 Apr 12
Smoking appeared to be cool and the branding/packaging of different cigarettes tapped into that whole image and helped you define what kind of smoker you were.
As you grow up, you see through all the marketing BS but children and young adults are very susceptible to the influence of the ad man (as well as peer pressure), and I don't think this should be underestimated.
This is simply the next step on a long road of changing the way cigarettes are branded and sold -remember they were once actually advertised as being good for you.
As for civil liberties, the government is not proposing a ban on cigarettes, so this argument is a complete red herring. There are far more serious threats to civil liberties on the horizon in the uk than this...
Once again this odious man tries to whip up a storm in a tea cup in a miserable attempt to gain some publicity for his sideshow party. What a buffoon.
Spiffy
says...
12:43pm Tue 17 Apr 12
davr0s wrote:Ben/Davr0s - Hehe.. I do get those ellipse thingys when I repeat/miss out words but this carriage return thing is not me, I swear !
Ellipses, Spiffy...
...
Mr Bollo said "As for civil liberties, the government is not proposing a ban on cigarettes, so this argument is a complete red herring. "
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There's no need for a ban when you can persuade the population to happily turn on each other so your arguement is spurious. What "far more serious threats" are you talking about ? The most serious are the ones we are supposed to barely notice or practically beg for ourselves.
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When the command comes down against you and your legal activities I hope you are prepared to drop your pants, bend over and grab your ankles...since you seem to expect others to.
Mr Bollo
says...
1:24pm Tue 17 Apr 12
What? I don't see the population turning on each other over cigarette advertising. What are you talking about? There is wholesale public support for this move...
http://info.cancerre
searchuk.org/news/ar
chive/pressrelease/2
010-25-07-public-sup
port-to-remove-cigar
ette-vending-machine
s
"What "far more serious threats" are you talking about ?"
That would be telling...read the quality papers and work it out for yourself. It certainly isn't putting fags under the counter.
"..or practically beg for ourselves." What does this even mean? Incoherent rambling.
"When the command comes down against you and your legal activities I hope you are prepared to drop your pants, bend over and grab your ankles...since you seem to expect others to."
To reiterate, the goverment is not proposing to making cigarettes illegal. More of the usual paranoid nonsense.
Spiffy
says...
1:36pm Tue 17 Apr 12
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Duly noted :)
Spiffy
says...
1:38pm Tue 17 Apr 12
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You just did. You're playing The Game. Bravo Citizen ;)
Mr Bollo
says...
2:16pm Tue 17 Apr 12
You still haven't explained how this proposal constitutes some kind of an infringement of civil liberties.
As for playing the game.. I bet you think 9/11 was a conspiracy, don't you? Hope you've got your tin foil hat on...
Spiffy
says...
2:34pm Tue 17 Apr 12
...
Where...precisely...
did you ask me to explain Anything ? More to the point..what makes you think I will given your obvious disinterest in discussion and preference for ridiculous insult ?
...
I don't play The Game..you should know that by now.
...
Losing interest in 3....2....1...
Mr Bollo
says...
3:13pm Tue 17 Apr 12
'If nothing else it'll be interesting to see just how many civil liberties WE actually have left...'
Then I said this;
'As for civil liberties, the government is not proposing a ban on cigarettes, so this argument is a complete red herring.'
To which you repied;
'There's no need for a ban when you can persuade the population to happily turn on each other so your arguement is spurious.'
You made a point about civil liberties which I refuted. You claimed my argument was spurious. Now you are suggesting it is bizarre for me to ask you to justify your original claim that this is some kind of civil liberties issue???
What is The Game that you don't play btw? Is is pass the parcel, because it's definitely not mastermind.
Spiffy
says...
4:45pm Tue 17 Apr 12
...
Anyhoo...zilch...zip
...nada. It's all gone. Not even a smidge is left. Sorry 'bout that. After you went to so much effort too. :(
Mr Bollo
says...
5:48pm Tue 17 Apr 12
ArdalMcFardle
says...
6:52pm Tue 17 Apr 12
bickyboy
says...
8:31pm Tue 17 Apr 12
Don't for one minute believe that this is about public health, because if it was they'd be hiding the alcohol products also. Last time I looked the beer, cider, wine and whisky was still on the shelves and looking as enticing as ever.
So much hypocrisy going on here.
Spiffy
says...
9:01pm Tue 17 Apr 12
Mr Bollo wrote:Oh of course I can, silly...I just don't feel any particular need to...not to you. Are you always this persistent when you've been blown out ? Dear oh dear...take the hint.
So you can't back up your original statement then? Thought not.
Spiffy
says...
9:21pm Tue 17 Apr 12
bickyboy wrote:Showin yer age now Bicky I remember them too. The humour in them was inspired.
Some of the wittiest and most attractive TV adverts of the past few decades have been for smoking products. I'm thinking particularly of the guy who strikes a match on the bald mans head when his wig comes off, and Gregor Fisher in the photo booth who spends ages sorting out his combover then drops out of sight just before the flash...Hamlet...and now we're being deprived not only of the adverts but the nice colourful packaging as well.
Don't for one minute believe that this is about public health, because if it was they'd be hiding the alcohol products also. Last time I looked the beer, cider, wine and whisky was still on the shelves and looking as enticing as ever.
So much hypocrisy going on here.
...
Oddly enough though they never inspired me (as a child or adult) to smoke a cigar so not sure where the logic is that anything actually persuades anyone to do Anything beyond their own impulses.
...
"You can lead a horse to water" and all that. Does The government honestly believe that all children are weak and must be strictly governed by only them ? Wonder where that will lead... O.o
bickyboy
says...
9:47pm Tue 17 Apr 12
Spiffy wrote:They never made me buy a cigar either, but like you, I can still appreciate them as works of advertising art, Spiffy.
bickyboy wrote:Showin yer age now Bicky I remember them too. The humour in them was inspired.
Some of the wittiest and most attractive TV adverts of the past few decades have been for smoking products. I'm thinking particularly of the guy who strikes a match on the bald mans head when his wig comes off, and Gregor Fisher in the photo booth who spends ages sorting out his combover then drops out of sight just before the flash...Hamlet...and now we're being deprived not only of the adverts but the nice colourful packaging as well.
Don't for one minute believe that this is about public health, because if it was they'd be hiding the alcohol products also. Last time I looked the beer, cider, wine and whisky was still on the shelves and looking as enticing as ever.
So much hypocrisy going on here.
...
Oddly enough though they never inspired me (as a child or adult) to smoke a cigar so not sure where the logic is that anything actually persuades anyone to do Anything beyond their own impulses.
...
"You can lead a horse to water" and all that. Does The government honestly believe that all children are weak and must be strictly governed by only them ? Wonder where that will lead... O.o
I find today's TV advertising, as glitzy and expensive as much of it is, far too insipid and humourless to interest me in doing anything but turning down the sound and looking the other way till the commercial break is over.
I suppose advertising only works if theres already a "seed of need" in those who are subjected to it.
No.9
says...
9:17am Wed 18 Apr 12
Mr Bollo
says...
9:34am Wed 18 Apr 12
Spiffy wrote:For someone who allegedly lost interest several posts ago, I think it's you who is remarkably persistent. Yes, of course you can back up what said, but you won't because I supposedly insulted you...yeah right. Blown out? Mmmm ok Spiffy, whatever you say.
Mr Bollo wrote:Oh of course I can, silly...I just don't feel any particular need to...not to you. Are you always this persistent when you've been blown out ? Dear oh dear...take the hint.
So you can't back up your original statement then? Thought not.
Spiffy
says...
1:04pm Wed 18 Apr 12
...
Let it go.
Mr Bollo
says...
6:45pm Wed 18 Apr 12
And why are you dribbling on about a 'short skirt defence'? Are you in some way comparing my comments to some kind of sexual assault???
I think you need to get help, you clearly have some serious issues to deal with.
Spiffy
says...
8:40pm Wed 18 Apr 12
...
Take note, girls. ;)
Spiffy
says...
8:41pm Wed 18 Apr 12
Mr Bollo
says...
9:44pm Wed 18 Apr 12
It has absolutely nothing to do with me wanting you to do what I want. You really are letting your paranoia get the better of you.
The problem with posting your views on an internet forum is that occassionally someone will challenge what you say. That is the nature of such forums.
Btw, I genuinely had no idea that you were female, not that it makes any difference. And i've given you no reason to assume that I am male either...Mr Bollo is simple a pseudonym.
Can I presume that if you are so in favour of the right of the individual to smoke tobacco then you would also extend this freedom to all other drugs? Or are you not really the true libertarian that you're anti-authoritarian comments would suggest?
reliant22
says...
8:17am Thu 19 Apr 12
Silly me. I thought the posts on this forum were meant to be all about the subject matter, not about personalities. If you can`t have a decent debate without nagging each other, go back in your cages!!
mlhifi
says...
9:06am Thu 19 Apr 12
Spiffy
says...
9:47am Thu 19 Apr 12
reliant22 wrote:To quote you and respond..."Oh for goodness sake" reliant22...a common troll insults and sneers to dismiss genuine debate in an effort to provoke arguement because it amuses them. If I must make clear my disinterest now and again then so be it.
Oh for goodness sake Spiffy and Bollo!
Silly me. I thought the posts on this forum were meant to be all about the subject matter, not about personalities. If you can`t have a decent debate without nagging each other, go back in your cages!!
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Just took a little time, that's all. Do note I am done with it yet it persists...ho hum *shrug*
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Never mind eh, no one is forcing you, I or anyone else to read it....much less respond.
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So ...what do YOU think about the plan to sell cigarettes in plain packs ??
PaulCa
says...
6:09pm Fri 20 Apr 12
Wirralrob says...
4:08pm Mon 16 Apr 12
Next Week: Paul Nuttall on campaigns to make Black Forest Gateaux a Class 'A' drug.