Time To Raise The Smoking Age To 21?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47724068

[hc4361]

I wish they would - it saddens me to see so many young people smoking outside the local colleges.

[dannyk13]

There is no age limit on smoking, just on purchasing and I do not think that raising the age you can purchase tobacco will stop somebody under the age limit from smoking.They will just get somebody to buy for them.

[retrocop]

More of our nanny state
In my neck of the woods it's easier for youngsters to buy 'Charlie'than a pack of smokes. Even the ex licensee of our Wetherspoons pub was on it and he was chair of the boroughs Pubwatch scheme. Chief Constables are encouraging their constables to ignore or caution drug users so who would police 18year olds puffing away at a woodbine?

[hc4361]

It wouldn't be illegal for an 18 year old to smoke, just as it isn't illegal for a 9 year old to smoke now. It would be illegal to sell cigarettes to under 21s and the council would be the ones to enforce that, not the police.

[Ken4155]

So, at 18 years old, our young people can be deployed on the front line but not allowed to smoke until they're 21? We trust them to defend their nation but not to make their own minds up about whether or not to smoke. Ridiculous.

[hc4361]

But we want to keep them fit and healthy so they can defend the front line, Ken.

[Ken4155]

^
They're doing that now, hc. Do you honestly believe that our military can concentrate on their jobs if they are craving for a cig? To someone who smokes, the craving for nicotine can, at times, be all consuming.

[Old_Geezer]

I'd vote for 91.

[pixie374]

No. Adults are adults and can make their own decisions.

[Deskdiary]

Ken is spot on - it is bananas that an adult, who can be killed defending our country, is not considered adult enough to buy a packet of fags.

Total total nonsense.

[pixie374]

We need to give more personal responsibility to adults.... not less. It doesn't make sense for any more nannying, unless we also want more suing and blaming of other people for our own decisions.

[david small]

So, I’m married with two kids, did two years as a Royal Marine Commando, have my own business, own my own home, yet, can’t buy a pack of cigarettes until I’m twenty one. The above is just a scenario.

[Calicogirl]

It is crazy, we really need to find an age of majority for everything and stick to it. If you can marry and join the army at 16 but not smoke til 21, that's just nuts.

[douglas9401]

The young are being saved from themselves so they'll be available to go and fight at the behest of rich fat folk at the drop of a hat.

No use to anyone if they can't get their breath after a hundred yards.

Meanwhile, in a House of Commons bar, sundry gammons are swilling subsidised alcohol like there's a looming shortage and dragging down on a nice Cuban.