Age restrictions on tobacco?

[The_root_of_all_evil]

What is the age restriction (if any) on tobacco products in your country and do you think there should be restrictions?

18 and yes.

Tobacco doesn't cause diseases/death (No it doesn't) but it can accelerate the chances of those occurring. People can still live to a ripe old age and smoke 20 a day - it's just not as likely.

But if you're going to make it legal, while making safer drugs illegal, then why do you think people are confused about it?

Let's take a quick look at how "lethal" smoking is.

Your average smoker takes in .2g of Tar, .02g of Nicotine and .18g of Carbon Monoxide a day.
(20 full strength a day)

Most smokers suffer a loss of 13.2 years of their life from their habit. Non-smokers (even those around smokers) suffer far less (as there would be statistics to prove otherwise).

If I'm about to die at 70 as a non-smoker, and 56.8 years as a smoker (and I started at 18); I'll have taken in 283,000 cigarettes - cost myself £8.5 million pounds - and imbibed 2.8 kilos of Tar, .3 kilos of Nicotine and .25 kilos of Carbon Monoxide (though I'm not sure how gas is a weight rather than a volume)

While it DOES kill you and it DOES lower your lifespan and it DOES reek to high heaven - it's not as toxic as people make it out to be.

All the class A's (AFAIK) can kill you with one dose. So can peanuts.

Cigarettes, for all their myriad of faults, have never killed anyone without prolonged (over a year) exposure. (AFAIK)

 

[Raineheart]

Get the kids on pipes I say! Give them a bit of class and sophistication it would.

A friend of mine got a pipe thinking it would make him cool and sophisticated, but it made him look like a complete tool, like a young arrogant kid trying to be cool. The first time he brought a pipe, about four or five strangers laughed at him.

Pipes are classier, sure. But I doubt it would be easy to pull it off without a beard or some kind of refined hat.

 

[Raineheart]

18 and yes.

Tobacco doesn't cause diseases/death (No it doesn't) but it can accelerate the chances of those occurring. People can still live to a ripe old age and smoke 20 a day - it's just not as likely.

But if you're going to make it legal, while making safer drugs illegal, then why do you think people are confused about it?

Let's take a quick look at how "lethal" smoking is.

Your average smoker takes in .2g of Tar, .02g of Nicotine and .18g of Carbon Monoxide a day.
(20 full strength a day)

Most smokers suffer a loss of 13.2 years of their life from their habit. Non-smokers (even those around smokers) suffer far less (as there would be statistics to prove otherwise).

If I'm about to die at 70 as a non-smoker, and 56.8 years as a smoker (and I started at 18); I'll have taken in 283,000 cigarettes - cost myself £8.5 million pounds - and imbibed 2.8 kilos of Tar, .3 kilos of Nicotine and .25 kilos of Carbon Monoxide (though I'm not sure how gas is a weight rather than a volume)

While it DOES kill you and it DOES lower your lifespan and it DOES reek to high heaven - it's not as toxic as people make it out to be.

All the class A's (AFAIK) can kill you with one dose. So can peanuts.

Cigarettes, for all their myriad of faults, have never killed anyone without prolonged (over a year) exposure. (AFAIK)

Thank you. A lot of people are adamant that cigarettes "kill" you, which isn't the case. They're an accelerant to a slow burning fire.

Also, I'm still surprised that an "average" smoker is 20 a day. I barely smoke 5 a day, and I don't reckon I could handle 20.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Both tobacco and alcohol would be class A drugs right now if they hadn't been in use so long that they've become ingrained into society.

Interpret that how you will.

Holy crap, someone else gets it.

Every time I bring that up, people look at me like I'm a Class A autistic.

 

[Biodeamon]

100. Smoking is dangerous. It harms everybody around them and not just with something easily fixable.

Just my opinion.

 

[Wolfenbarg]

I believe that people should be able to choose their own vices without regulation. I even think the heavy taxation on such products shouldn't be allowed. However, I don't really see a clear solution to keeping it out of the hands of kids until they are ready to reap the consequences without using age restrictions. Sure, there are still plenty of ways for kids to get their hands on them, but at least you're not encouraging it then. So... keep it as is I suppose.

 

[possumboy]

Get the kids on pipes I say! Give them a bit of class and sophistication it would.

A friend of mine got a pipe thinking it would make him cool and sophisticated, but it made him look like a complete tool, like a young arrogant kid trying to be cool. The first time he brought a pipe, about four or five strangers laughed at him.

Pipes are classier, sure. But I doubt it would be easy to pull it off without a beard or some kind of refined hat.

I have all 3, and people respect me for it.

 

[Raineheart]

Get the kids on pipes I say! Give them a bit of class and sophistication it would.

A friend of mine got a pipe thinking it would make him cool and sophisticated, but it made him look like a complete tool, like a young arrogant kid trying to be cool. The first time he brought a pipe, about four or five strangers laughed at him.

Pipes are classier, sure. But I doubt it would be easy to pull it off without a beard or some kind of refined hat.

I have all 3, and people respect me for it.

I respect you for it, and I've not met you.

Smooth faced boys wandering around with pipes and trying to act cool? Minus respect there.

 

[Tallim]

Get the kids on pipes I say! Give them a bit of class and sophistication it would.

A friend of mine got a pipe thinking it would make him cool and sophisticated, but it made him look like a complete tool, like a young arrogant kid trying to be cool. The first time he brought a pipe, about four or five strangers laughed at him.

Pipes are classier, sure. But I doubt it would be easy to pull it off without a beard or some kind of refined hat.

I used to have a pipe, but then I also had a beard and a hat and no one laughed at me. I stopped smoking the pipe when I stopped wearing the hat, make of that what you will.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Also, I'm still surprised that an "average" smoker is 20 a day. I barely smoke 5 a day, and I don't reckon I could handle 20.

I know of people averaging 60 a day. Let's just say I don't expect them to reach the next decade.

 

[SckizoBoy]

A friend of mine got a pipe thinking it would make him cool and sophisticated, but it made him look like a complete tool, like a young arrogant kid trying to be cool. The first time he brought a pipe, about four or five strangers laughed at him.

Pipes are classier, sure. But I doubt it would be easy to pull it off without a beard or some kind of refined hat.

What about cigarette holders? Classiest of all... *hrk*

 

[Aesir23]

What is the age restriction (if any) on tobacco products in your country and do you think there should be restrictions?

18 and yes.

Tobacco doesn't cause diseases/death (No it doesn't) but it can accelerate the chances of those occurring. People can still live to a ripe old age and smoke 20 a day - it's just not as likely.

But if you're going to make it legal, while making safer drugs illegal, then why do you think people are confused about it?

Let's take a quick look at how "lethal" smoking is.

Your average smoker takes in .2g of Tar, .02g of Nicotine and .18g of Carbon Monoxide a day.
(20 full strength a day)

Most smokers suffer a loss of 13.2 years of their life from their habit. Non-smokers (even those around smokers) suffer far less (as there would be statistics to prove otherwise).

If I'm about to die at 70 as a non-smoker, and 56.8 years as a smoker (and I started at 18); I'll have taken in 283,000 cigarettes - cost myself £8.5 million pounds - and imbibed 2.8 kilos of Tar, .3 kilos of Nicotine and .25 kilos of Carbon Monoxide (though I'm not sure how gas is a weight rather than a volume)

While it DOES kill you and it DOES lower your lifespan and it DOES reek to high heaven - it's not as toxic as people make it out to be.

All the class A's (AFAIK) can kill you with one dose. So can peanuts.

Cigarettes, for all their myriad of faults, have never killed anyone without prolonged (over a year) exposure. (AFAIK)

I don't smoke, but I merely want to say that even being a non-smoker doesn't guarantee you to nice pink lungs and a chemical free body. Between second hand smoke and living in a city (albeit a small city compared to places like Vancouver, London or New York City), my lungs are likely just as bad as that of a smoker depending on how long that person has been smoking. Not to mention all those chemicals absorbed through breathing the air, drinking the water, etc.

OT: The restriction is 18 years old where I live and yes, I think the restriction should be in place. While kids do have other ways of getting their hands on tobacco, that doesn't mean we should make it any easier for them.

 

[ThisIsSnake]

Get the kids on pipes I say! Give them a bit of class and sophistication it would.

I had a friend that despised smokers but just loved the look of a pipe, we went on a trip to Belgium (WWI Battlefield tours) and in Bruges we saw a shop with tinted windows and a sign with a pipe on it. We opened the door and saw 50 Belgians all aged around 60 each with their own glorious beard (Santa's and Gandalf's seemed the most popular) and a wall of concentrated pipe smoke which decided to try and make a break out the door. It was like being hit with tear gas.

OT: I agree with the age limit, it has helped to massively downcurb smoking Britain, which as an asthma sufferer I am glad of. If only we could do the same with binge drinking.

 

[Ogargd]

Complete ban on tobacco in my opinion, it's a harmful drug and while people will no doubt say stuff like "it can't be done" well clearly they haven't seen some of the cigaret reforms here in Australia that have already taken place that had their own skeptics.

 

[VanQ]

Also, I'm still surprised that an "average" smoker is 20 a day. I barely smoke 5 a day, and I don't reckon I could handle 20.

I know of people averaging 60 a day. Let's just say I don't expect them to reach the next decade.

I read 20 a day and thought "gross." Then I saw 60 a day and felt like vomiting. Just being near another smoker makes me physically sick. And I can tell if someone has smoked recently because they stink for ages afterwards. Mind you, I have a higher than average sense of smell. I can't imagine someone smoking 60 cigarettes a day because of the smell, let alone the monetary implications. Aren't cigarettes really expensive?

OT: If someone wants to smoke then let them and don't try and force them to quit. That's no better than them trying to force you to smoke. But smokers, please be aware; the smoke from your cigarettes isn't just an annoyance for all of us, some really strong cigarettes can physically drain me and a few other people like we had just run a marathon.
I'd like to think it was common courtesy that you shouldn't smoke in public places like shopping centres and restaurants. I'd like to think there was no need for a law on the matter. Though to be completely honest, I wish that cigarettes would just disappear completely.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I can't imagine someone smoking 60 cigarettes a day because of the smell, let alone the monetary implications. Aren't cigarettes really expensive?

The smell is abominable. Even talking to them requires smelling their rotting lungs.

And like any drug, it's only expensive if you get it legally.

 

[Lilani]

True about tobacco slowing growth, however children are exposed to second hand smoke and will often smoke before 18 due to peer pressure. Also, is it really so bad if some people are a little shorter? I'm not trying to advocate tobacco products but merely try to further discussion.

Yes, let's lower the age of lung cancer and emphysema. I've always thought we had too many kids in this world, anyway. So why don't we literally choke a few off just for good measure?

 

[Ashcrexl]

people pretty much stop being incredible idiots at age 18. which is why the drinking age should also be 18 if there must be one, but i digress. it's all about good parenting people!

 

[Nyaliva]

I think the age restrictions on tobacco are necessary but they're nowhere near enough. Kids are still getting cigarettes and smoking (I frequently see kids that couldn't be older than 15 smoking, drinking, spitting and saying "fuck" like it'll make them cool the more they say it) and there are very few laws in place to prosecute those kids, only the people and shops who supply them. I don't think kids are too young to know the damage cigarettes can do, but they are far too young to care. If a person grows to 18, they've started to learn of their own mortality. Unfortunately, many people don't grow out of this "Fuck you I'll do what I like and cancer can go fuck itself" mentality, at least not until their in their 20s and those who start smoking early never give it up, using it as an excuse not to quit because they don't have the will to stop. But I digress...

OT: Age restrictions are good and prosecuting kids for smoking (not like jail, just community service or something) would be good but until we change the mentality surrounding smoking throughout teenage years and on, things will stay pretty much constant.

Extra: I think laws restricting smoking around places kids often go are good but extending that to anywhere inside is a bit much. What we need more is for smokers to take notice of other people and act in a way as to minimise the effects of their smoking on others. I don't expect smokers to move around non-smokers like smoke detectors, I saw a man the other day at a bus stop, he stood at least 5m away while smoking, and when he finished, he put the butt out on a bin lid and PUT THE BUTT IN THE BIN. Just another pet peeve of mine, but that's a conversation for another time.

 

[Woodsey]

Over here (UK) you can smoke at 16, but you can't even buy filter papers until you're 18, which has always seemed like a brain fart to me.

I don't want people to smoke, but if you're going to let them smoke at 16 you may as well let them buy the stuff at 16 too.