£10 government permit plan to deter smokers

[Don Crack]

GuardianA ban on the sale of cigarettes to anyone who does not pay for a government smoking permit has been proposed by Health England, a ministerial advisory board.The idea is the brainchild of the board's chairman, Julian Le Grand, who is a professor at the London School of Economics and was Tony Blair's senior health adviser. In a paper being studied by Lord Darzi, the health minister appointed to oversee NHS reform, he says many smokers would be helped to break the habit if they had to make a decision whether to "opt in".The permit might cost as little as £10, but acquiring it could be made difficult if the forms were sufficiently complex, Le Grand said last night.His paper says: "Suppose every individual who wanted to buy tobacco had to purchase a permit. And suppose further they had to do this every year. To get a permit would involve filling out a form and supplying a photograph, as well as paying the fee. Permits would only be issued to those over 18 and evidence of age would have to be provided. The money raised would go to the NHS."Le Grand said the proposal was an example of "libertarian paternalism". The government would leave people free to make their own decisions but it would "nudge them" in the right direction.He said there was a parallel in pensions law. If workers were automatically enrolled in a pension scheme, few would choose to opt out. But if they had to make a conscious decision to opt in, most people would stay out."Breaking the new year's resolution not to smoke would be costly in terms of both money and time ... [This] would probably have a greater impact on poor smokers than on rich ones, hence contributing to a reduction in health inequalities."The paper, written by Le Grand and Divya Srivastava, an LSE researcher, acknowledges: "Administratively it would require addressing the problem of the existing black markets and smuggling in tobacco; but this should probably be done anyway."They add: "Politically, this might be viewed by some as giving people a 'licence' to smoke; and by full-blooded libertarians as a subtle and hence even more dangerous form of paternalism - paternalism squared."On the other hand, the popularity even among smokers of the smoking ban in public places suggests that firm actions in this area can lead to political as well as health pay-offs."The paper also proposes incentives for large companies to provide a daily "exercise hour" for employees and a ban on salt in processed food.A Department of Health spokeswoman said last night: "We will be consulting later this year on the next steps for tobacco control. Ministers are looking for input from a full range of stakeholders."funny enough i said this would happen one day

[Jodie]

Smokers are pissed.

[AirMaxKing]

As if this will go ahead.If it does = less income and tax goes to the covernment = pissed offthey dont want this lol

[Kurtis]

everyones pissedtheres always some next way to tax us into payin moreworst i see is carbon offsetting and all that co2 fraffi mean come orrrn

[Wam]

If these f*ckers really cared they would just outright ban tobacco.

[dynamat]

If these f*ckers really cared they would just outright ban tobacco.

They dont care.Do you know how much money the government makes on tobaco man

[Kurtis]

If these f*ckers really cared they would just outright ban tobacco.

of coursebut they dontthe amount of money they make off it

[Natalie]

Lol @ a permit to smoke a cigaretteFirst of all its freedom of choice to smoke and now you may have to hold a permit to do so.Good lord.Alcohol may aswel be right round the corner.

[Beavis]

Taking the f*cking piss!!!

[anti social]

This permit thing cannot work. I understand the whole "the government makes too much money off tobacco" argument but let me point something else out. When cannabis was made illegal, what happened? It went underground, it neva stopped. And the exact same thing would happen 2 tobacco if they started putting restrictions on it. This is just as stupid as the tv licence thing.

[j-step]

From when them corner shop workers are selling me fireworks when I was 15 I doubt they're gonna refuse to sell me fags cause i aint got a "permit"

[Em Dott]

This permit thing cannot work. I understand the whole "the government makes too much money off tobacco" argument but let me point something else out. When cannabis was made illegal, what happened? It went underground, it neva stopped. And the exact same thing would happen 2 tobacco if they started putting restrictions on it. This is just as stupid as the tv licence thing.

Real talk.Anyone that studied history at GCSE or has some general knowledge knows Al Capone became a very very very rich man off of selling moonshine uring prohibition in the 20's. Man was making around $60 million a year from it. NOw, I for some reason can't imagine someone in this country making that much, but who knows. Point is, it will go underground and then we are back to square one as they will just have to legalise it again.However, I hate breathing in that foul smoke, and realistically if I had my way I would fine everyone that smoked a cigarette anywhere where someone who didn't smoke was.

[DINKY]

low the stealth tax ting

[djbmc]

The permit might cost as little as £10, but acquiring it could be made difficult if the forms were sufficiently complex, Le Grand said last night.

so basically if ur poor or really stupid, ur pissed.

[DINKY]

imagine to them chain smokers on benifits they would be pissed