British Government are introducing new legislation in which cigarettes may no longer be displayed behind the counter but actually under the counter. They’re going to ban the cigarette machines, selling them in boxes of only 20- and target younger people - prevent them smoking. What’s your thoughts?

I agree 100%. Its like preaching to the converted - those who are already smoking. Lets combat the next generation of smokers - scare them, make it harder for them to get their hands on these cigarettes. I don’t think that the selling boxes of 20 will be harder to get. Get 4 willing smokers together and they can split the cost - split the cigarettes.

Your right Madgal it won't stop younger peole buying cigarettes but it may be less attractive to the customer. If someone sees the cigs they may want to have some, but if they don't maybe its a step closer to stop selling them (which i don't think is advisable now).

I actually think that's a good idea. Though if they really want it they can get it other ways no matter what.

The important thing really is to get people old enough to buy for others underage people, the balls to say no.

There was a 14-15 year old guy yesterday who asked if I could buy him some cigarettes. I laughed at him :# I though if he got embarrassed maybe he wouldn't feel so happy about asking someone else.

In New York the state raised cigs - all brands, by one dollar. Hope soon they'd be 15 bucks a pack...:)

Yay for you country trying to make a difference!

Buying cigs for underaged kids in the US is illegal but not sure about where you are at.

the cig machines were banned a long time ago over here for the simple reason that anyone could buy them without anyone to stop them.

and I agree selling them in cartons only doesn't stop anything as it only ensures that a group will pool the money necessary to buy them but that's if they can find four people who like the same brand so it might help to stop it.

I always say screw you to the kids that stand out side the shops as i head into town. its bloody stupid the amount of kids that smoke.

There's something called homemade cigarettes. Actually a thousand times more healthier than regular cigarettes, probably because companies insert a lot of toxic chemicals in their own cigarettes.

The government can scare the idiotic smoking club all they want, they know deep in their hearts that since cigarettes are taxed, they'll stay away from trying to get rid of smokers in general. Do you realize the billions of dollars that comes from pathetic smokers all across the world? The governments taxing cigarettes are making a fortune, they would care less about stopping smokers.

People will smoke and sadly enough the government will say nothing about it, in fact just making laws moving stuff around so non-smokers can breathe a bit.

It's quite sad, really. Smoking is awful. Oh well.

which is why the goverment are trying to tackle it.

i think its great that the government have thought up an excellent strategy. but then opposition knock it flat. again. :-/

I think that they should higher the age of smoking in the states. Each state can, in the United States, higher it if they want. They just can't lower it. I think it should be higher personally

Your country is doing good, Madgal; if only the US would do that <.<

Making it higher doesn't do an awful lot. You will still get older people buying it, to sell to wee'uns.

I like the smoking ban rule in workplaces as it stands.
I think they need other stress relief ideas, to prevent people from smoking.

I personally think Cigarettes should be banned from the world.

To make it easier just destroy the company itself, but no we greed for money so we put pennyless *I really shouldn't use bad language* to save but no. Underage smoking is whats making the business even going. No matter how hard we try to eliminate way of letting them get drugs, no matter what they will find a way to. They support underage smoking. Don't worry you have to thank society for that.

I smoke and i am underage sadly.
Even if there are all these laws you can still get a mate who is maybe 17, 18 to go in for you and you give him like £0.50 extra for doing it.

Underage smoking isnt going to stop but i am :)

Too be honest I believe that underage smoking is wrong for that matter. They should up the age too buy ciggaretes. Being able to buy cigs at 18 is way too young. I mean if they could up it too 21 at least three years would be less for them too smoke. I have been smoking since I was 14 i am 21. It is quite tough and it hurts me too see kids so young smoking. Even though I started at such a young age. It kills me too see it too, I try too stop underage smoking.
Going on too banning. It is almost impossible to ban ciggaretes from the world. It brings in too much revenue for countries all over the world. America is one of the biggest Tobacco dstrubiter in the world. If we stopped our economy would slip even more into the hole.
That is why it sucks so much.
I have recently switched too rolling my own smokes way cheaper and I am not giving into the corp bull crap.
~Sariki

The harder you make smokes to get, the more determined kids are to get them.

Its then like a challenge, oh wow those are behind there, and guarded they clearly must do something XD Lets go try and get one lol.

Making it difficult for young people to get ciggaretes is really good, so yer increasing the age limit is a good thing, but, what about the irresponsible parents that actually supply their children with the ciggaretes?

And banning ciggaretes completely will only make the govermant increase taxes on other stuff because they make far to much money from the sales.

It's good they're trying to stop under age smoking, though I doubt those measures will do any good. Because where young kids get their cigarettes from are the night shops and they'll give it to anyone even if it's under the counter. I think the only way to stop it is to make it too expensive for kids to buy.