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Call to raise legal smoking age to 21 to cut deaths



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ONE of Scotland's leading lung cancer specialists yesterday called for the legal smoking age to be raised to 21.
Dr Jayant Vaidya, a senior lecturer and consultant surgeon at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee, said that increasing the minimum age from 18 would substantially cut the number of deaths from cancer.

He added: "If (people] have not smoked by the time they are 21, usually they do not start."



The full article contains 82 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 January 2008 10:16 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Tobacco
 
1

subrosa,

08/01/2008 00:34:05
Excellent idea. I'm one who started before 21 and still struggle to stop the filthy habit.
2

Charles Linskaill,

.Edinburgh 08/01/2008 02:30:01
'Yer having a Laugh'! back to the prohibition years!
'comes to mind'!
"To young to Smoke".."To young to Vote".."To young for Sex"
"to young to Drink"
Try telling that to a 19-20year old!
THEY WILL "LAUGH-IN-YOUR-FACE" and do it anyway!
3

,

08/01/2008 06:21:36
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
4

David from New Mills,

U.K. 08/01/2008 08:41:09
#3, Charles Linskaill,Edinburgh.
Perhaps they'll not be so liable to "laugh in your face" if they end up in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask.
Sad that Charles can't adopt the attitude of correspondents #2 and #4, and applaud any initiative that might encourage people to avoid taking up this vile habit, or would he just feel happier that others share his misery? Did he mean to employ "too" as an adverb?
5

danielrober,

08/01/2008 09:28:14
I can see 18 yeas old, it will take smoking ou of school (i hope). But 21, come on, thatwill just create more business for dug dealers.

I know a lot of exsmokers feel badabout smoking, but the Hollier than Now attitude is getting to be a bore. Never heard of freedom of choice, combined with the ultimate liberal control 'death by missadventure'.
6

mr chips,

08/01/2008 09:40:45
3 Charles Linskaill.
Spot on.
Sack the pc health freaks.
Dam it no cigs left, I will ask my 16 year old married
nephew is he can spare a wee cig for now.
7

english charlie,

suffolk 08/01/2008 10:53:01
It would be good if kids were discouraged from smoking and drinking until their internal organs had properly developed, but to ban them would only encourage them. As #3 Charles says youngsters will say if they are old enough to vote, get married and fight for their country etc. why am I too young to smoke. Education not force.
8

David from New Mills,

U.K. 08/01/2008 12:32:47
#8, chas w.
So, what age would that be? What form of education would chas recommend? Parental example? Visiting a few cancer wards?
9

english charlie,

suffolk 08/01/2008 13:35:32
Instead of criticising other people's comments, how about making some sensible comments of your own. If you have any.
10

Eve,

Scotland 08/01/2008 16:50:38
It seem odd to have a legal age for being allowed to do something at 21!!

And I don't personally like people smoking near me, I'd like it if smokers where a wee bit more understanding and NOT walk up and stand beside some whose NOT smoking, while puffing away on a cancer stick (they should ask you if you mind if they smoke next to you, problem is they don't or a few do)

The smoking ban is great, would better if it included door ways (Though I'd be happy if some smokers showed more diplomatic strategies to their fillfy habit, especially when their 2-3 doors that all pick a door and smoke near the one door rather than them all smoke around all the doors.)
11

Charles Linskaill,

.Edinburgh 08/01/2008 17:52:45
#5 David, are you 'in-touch' with this age group,?
Because I am! My response to the article, is life as it is, for this age group.
And 'many, many' will drink, smoke, have sex, NO MATTER, what we say or do!
You can 'Dance-on-your-Head', it WONT make a,
'Blind-bit-of-Difference' to them!
12

NoBanJan,

Manchester 08/01/2008 18:48:39
I am sick of this persecution of smokers. All we want is smoking pubs for the smokers, then the antis wouldn't have to breathe in our fumes nor go near our pubs! freedom2choosedotinfo
13

David from New Mills,

U.K. 08/01/2008 19:02:44
#11, chas w.
Wasn't my #5 "sensible" enough for chas' taste? Can't chas' think of ANY answers to my #10? Not even one?
14

David from New Mills,

U.K. 08/01/2008 19:06:09
#14, C.L.
Only too often.
Would charles be prepared to dance on his head then,if he thought it might wean the weans off this dreadful affliction?
15

David from New Mills,

U.K. 08/01/2008 19:11:34
#15, NBJ.
No problem Jan, as non-smokers don't have to breathe in smokers' fumes once they pass through those hovering in doorways, as at #12,and can enter any pubs they please as they're all "ours" now. Smokers can, of course, do likewise, as long as they leave the cancer sticks behind.
16

mandyv,

huntingdon 08/01/2008 19:19:20
I remember say this would happen before David- After the antis have spent millions on their obsession.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/health/article3318627.ece
Record numbers of our teen girls are taking up smoking
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
By Claire Regan
The number of Ulster teenage girls taking up smoking has hit an all-time high- with more than twice as many of them smoking than boys.

This government do not seem to mind sending the youngster off to war on a lie either, to be killed or maimed for life.
You are just pushing the youngster into the arms of drug dealers. That is what happens when you go down the prohibition road. It is a shame you cannot see it.
freedom2choose.info for tolerant non-smokers and smokers alike
17

Donnie,

08/01/2008 19:53:09
Dave you are such a bore, give it a rest, go out to your empty smoke free pub, you can talk to yourself there
18

Charles Linskaill,

.Edinburgh 08/01/2008 19:54:55
#16/17 David, I wouldn't be that stupid to "dance-on-my-head"
I thought you may like to!

Legislation WONT work, Education may.

Were you NEVER a 'teen' David,? or is it Too far back for you to remember,?
Ive seen 13year olds cunningly getting the 'fags', they are VERY resourceful you know!
15 year olds cunningly getting the 'booze' again clever enough, to 'Out-Witt' us!

Soo, lets go 'further-up-the-ladder'
17, 18, 19, 20 year olds!
Old enough to fight wars, at 18 old enough to vote! and you want to cotrol them!
Tell you what? I wouldn't like to be in 'your shoes'
19

David from New Mills,

U.K 08/01/2008 20:11:55
#20, Donnie.
Perhaps Donnie could pull down the visor and earplugs on his tin hat, and no longer be bored?
Already been to, far from empty, smoke free pubs. Donnie never answered me on another thread as to the progress of his flights with Smintair, or doesn't he want to talk about that either?
20

David from New Mills,

U.K. 08/01/2008 20:18:58
#19,mandyv,huntingdon.
Re "her" Ulster smoking teenage girls, more fool them for following Mandy's bad example.
Is not the answer to clamp down on drug dealers? "It is a shame she cannot see it."
21

David from New Mills,

U.K. 08/01/2008 20:40:31
#21, Charles Linskaill,Edinburgh.
I thought Charles might just be tempted to dance on his head if he thought it would help. After all, it was his suggestion at #14.
I can vaguely remember being a teen in the mists of time, but never succumbed to the tobacco affliction, mainly due to family example. Nor have my two children, nor do I hope my grandchildren will, so perhaps prevention isn't quite impossible.
I would repeat the question I posed to cheerless charlie at #10, that he was unable or unwilling to answer, namely "What form of education would chas recommend? Parental example? Visiting a few cancer wards?"
Perhaps Scottish Charles will have some better, or any, idea?
Charles could never stand in my shoes. They just wouldn't fit
22

mandyv,

08/01/2008 20:50:01
The only thing this government know what to clamp down on, seems to be the legal products, not the illegal ones. I did not put smokers out in the street in full view of children, I am not trying to make something taboo either. I smoke and it is still legal as far as I am aware, I enjoy smoking, I do not pill pop, illegal stuff and rarely legal stuff. Maybe they should have won the war on drugs first. They spend enough on other "wars" killing many innocent people. So do you think those under 21 should not vote, or be in a war situation? just out of interest
23

Bill Crombie,

08/01/2008 21:02:29
David from wherever...

You seem to be on a one man mission to put all smokers up against a brickwall and have them shot. Why don't you just accept that people are different to you, have different views and live their lives differently.

You would think from your rantings that smoking was the most serious crime known to man. Chill out...perhaps you should take up smoking???
24

David from New Mills,

U.K 08/01/2008 21:59:30
#26,Bill Crombie from the same place.
God, no thanks.
25

english charlie,

suffolk 09/01/2008 09:32:59
I went out last night, but I see David stayed in once again, instead of supporting his local, empty, smokeless pub.
26

english charlie,

sufolk 09/01/2008 09:44:58
#10. David. 'What form of education'. I advocate general education, the three 'r's. 'Parental example'. I would encourage my kids to tell the truth. 'Visiting cancer wards' I wouldn't take a three year old to any, as that would do more harm than good. Now, David let us have your views on those three subjects.
27

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 11:25:12
#28, chas w.
Chas has jumped to conclusions yet again, as David had chosen to support his local, thriving, smokeless pubs earlier in the day, and was content to have missed the rain that was lashing against the window.
28

english charlie,

09/01/2008 11:47:10
#30 And how many pints did you consume? Did you go mad, like new year's eve, when you went to two pubs and had one pint at each. You are a very valued customer at your local(s). Keep up the good work, your pub needs you.
29

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 11:49:27
#29, chas w.
Not quite clear what relevance the three "r"s have to the issue of "s" for smoking or "t" for tobacco? The ability to read "no smoking" signs or health warnings on cigarette packets, perhaps?
By parental example, I meant being in a home environment where was no example of smoking to emulate.
If the child simply says "I cannot tell a lie Dad, I've been smoking, like you", whither then?
Why has chas chosen the threshold of three years old? Is that his opinion as at #8 of when "their internal organs had properly developed." If not, what age would he suggest? Or did he mean too young to be frightened off the likely results of smoking-again what age would be appropriate?
Chas has had my views. Can he come up with an apposite response?
30

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 12:07:00
#31, chas w.
I'm beginning to feel concerned for poor old chas, who almost seems to be compulsively stalking me and logging my movements. Just to enable his monitoring, I was in more than two venues, all reasonably well patronised, considering it being the usual slack January, post-Xmas, period until payday comes back round.
On New Year's Eve, I'd chosen to return home early, especially as the buses all finished early, as is the custom. Were they running late in Suffolk?
Oh, that reminds me! How many smoke filled venues did chas sniff out locally on National Smoking Day. I've seen no news reports, national or otherwise, to help me out on this one.
31

Enrico,

09/01/2008 12:11:47
Lung Cancer Rates vs Cigarette Sales from the 1950s to the present:

http://www.data-yard.net/10h3/1950.gif



Sources:
1963-1997 - ATF
1950-1960 - Tobacco Outlook Report, Economic Research Service, U.S. dept. Of Agriculture

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/mx1950_59.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statab/dx196067.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/dx196878.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/datawh/statab/unpubd/mortabs/hist290a.htm
32

english charlie,

suffolk 09/01/2008 12:26:36
#30 'Jumped to conclusion again'? #32 You have jumped to the conclusion that I buy cigarettes. Wrong again, I roll my own and enjoy lovely cigars with my drinks. What age would you suggest for sending people to cancer hospitals?
33

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 12:36:11
#35, chas w.
Could chas clarify how or where I said he buys cigarettes?
At whatever age it might have the desired effect. I won't put a number on it, as it might depend on the child, but if it scared the s--t out of them, then I would consider it a better option than leaving it too late.
34

english charlie,

suffolk 09/01/2008 13:21:52
David. You are missing your lunch time pint. Why don't you come clean and admit that you are not a regular drinker?
35

David from New Mills,

U.K 09/01/2008 13:26:39
#37, chas the beer monitor.
I repeat." Could chas clarify how or where I said he buys cigarettes?" Oh, and National Smoking Day's resounding success or otherwise?
Must dash-fug free pubs open now.
36

claire,

09/01/2008 13:34:13
Hi David from New Mills, just thought I'd pop into your favourite 'blog topic' to wish you a very happy new year. Personally, I don't give a damn about the age you need to be to buy fags. I see the ban is doing great in Ireland and more teenage girls are taking up the habit! I think the whole ban has been a way of HMG drumming up funds by making the whole cigarette issue appeal to teenagers who want something to rebel with! Gordon knows that cigs are a great revenue boost. He should be congratulated for his new tax initiative. Maybe the whole thing was engineered by a government Think Tank, afterall they do need something to talk about especially when they are having a drink and smoke in the bars in the Houses of Parliament! Obviously the staff in these bars do not deserve the same working environmental protection enjoyed by the rest of the UK.

There are some things that are comforting and one of them is that David from New Mills will be shouting about smoking in the Scotsman blog spots. I am still certain that David has also been known as Me Bungo Pony who was a favourite sparring partner of mine on past sites. So thank you David and may 2008 be a happy prosperous year for you and keep the blogs up, I'd miss you if you weren't there!!

37

english charlie,

suffolk 09/01/2008 13:39:23
#37 Admit it David. You are not a regular drinker.
#38 We don't need a National Smoking Day in Suffolk as we have pubs that have 'shut ins'. On Xmas day a couple of coppers went into one pub and told the landlady to lock the doors and get the ash-trays out.
38

DaveAAA,

Forfarshire 09/01/2008 14:25:20
David Of New Mills: What age do you think the consumption of Class A and B drugs should be raised to, with the idea of cutting use? I am particularly referring to heroin and cocaine.
39

english charlie,

suffolk 09/01/2008 17:08:20
#33. David, I definately would not want to stalk you. For one thing I know what you are doing most of the time, on your computer.
You need a bus to get home from your local. There was me thinking that you were a healthy non-smoker, who would be capable of walking from your local.
I do not know if Suffolk buses were running late, as I have no need to use them, if I want to go for a drink.
40

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 18:56:18
#41, DaveAAA, or was it AA?
Sorry to disappoint Dave, but I have no strong opinion about Class A or Class B drugs. I believe HMG has changed it's policy on occasion re classification, but that this is not age related. Best answer I have, apart from "drugs are for mugs".
41

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 19:15:03
#40, chas w.
Chas is falling into his old trap of drawing wrong conclusions and/or making wild guesses. I don't just peer through the window of fug free pubs, but actually enter them. Does he?
He hasn't properly answered the NSD question, but if his allegation has any substance, both the landlords, the customers, and any participating police officers,
would be breaking the law. Perhaps he'd like to name and shame, as no one is above the law, not even Shuggie Howitt. Wonder how he'll do next Tuesday?
I am quite aware that certain pubs used to have "lock ins" before the law on licensing hours was amended, but I always felt the practice was a bit like midnight feasts in the dorms. So very "daring" and just as unappealing.
42

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 19:46:44
#35, chas w
To chas w, re my #38, I repeat." Could chas clarify how or where I said he buys cigarettes?"
If chas wishes to make dubious allegations, can he either substantiate them, or retract them with a modicum of good grace? I have noticed and remarked in the past how F2Cers and other pro-smokers, have a tendency to ignore questions they have no answer to, presumably hoping they'll go away.
I've no intention of going away. Poor show chas old chap, he really should try harder.
43

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 20:01:20
#42, chas w.
Gosh that's a relief! Well, not really.
Chas, as usual, suffers from his usual delusions, in that he knows very little about me.
"You need a bus to get home from your local." Again, chas is resorting to his old habit of jumping to conclusions, as I am quite capable of walking home from my local, and do so regularly, but appreciate the facility of the bus dropping me off there, when I've been further afield. Good try chas, if not quite good enough.
Whether chas is able to stagger to his illicit smoky locals, or even back home again, is of little concern to me.
44

David from New Mills,

U.K. 09/01/2008 21:50:27
#39, Claire.
Hi 40 something Claire 77 from Cumbria. As a non-smoker, I don't really care about minimum ages for buying tobacco, but as I said at #5 "Sad that Charles can't adopt the attitude of correspondents #2 and #4, and applaud any initiative that might encourage people to avoid taking up this vile habit" A propos her apparent pleasure that young Irish women are taking up smoking in greater numbers, I would only say more fool them.
I note Claire's theory about the reason for smoking restrictions, but don't buy into it. I understand that the Palace of Westminster would have exemption as a Crown property, but that this has been waived at the direction of the Speaker.
David doesn't shout, as his use of upper case and exclamation marks is very limited.
I'm still neither a professor of English NOR Me Bungo Pony, which he has confirmed in the past.
Claire wouldn't miss me too much if she's busy with her trumpet lessons.
45

english charlie,

suffolk 10/01/2008 10:40:37
#47. re#5,#2,#4. David. I hope you are enjoying yourself going back through all the previous postings. You really lead an exciting life. I'll leave you to have fun and hope that you find plenty of spelling and grammatical errors.
46

grafiger,

10/01/2008 17:42:45
48 posts, 10 by David - Wow.
47

David from New Mills,

U.K. 10/01/2008 19:06:56
#48, chas "sour grapes" winfield.
Not particularly, old spud. As chas the beer monitor managed to log my National Smoking Day posting and his confusion about dozens and dozey, what's his big gripe? I do try to respond to his postings, after all. Speaking of which, he still hasn't managed to explain how and when I said he buys cigarettes, or is that subect just about as dead in the water as the previously much vaunted F2C Judicial Review.
P.S. Is chas Claire's mouthpiece, or are they one and the same?
48

David from New Mills,

U.K. 10/01/2008 19:14:48
#48,grafiger.
51 posts, could be 12 by David, but he's not counting, tho' grafiger would appear to be? As at #50, "I do try to respond to (his) postings", so what's grafiger's gripe?
To quote sour grapes charlie:-"You really lead an exciting life. I'll leave you to have fun." So did grafiger need an abacus, or just use his fingers? Never mind. he can always use his toes should he run out of fingers.
49

grafiger,

10/01/2008 21:09:24
51
No gripe Old Boy, just curious. Suspect a problem, psychological, perhaps, though not beyond help.
50

David from New Mills,

U.K. 10/01/2008 21:35:40
#52, grafiger.
Now that grafiger's recognised his problem, he's taken the first step along the way to try to have it resolved. He should indeed carry on, and seek the appropriate professional help.
51

english charlie,

suffolk 11/01/2008 11:11:51
Grafiger. You must not make mistakes otherwise David has nothing better to do than correct you. I wonder why David didn't correct you on your figures, so I did a David and checked the figures. When you commented on his postings you should have said 19 David posting out of 48. Now 22 out of 53. In future I am going to make a lode of misstakes just to keep David amussed.
52

grafiger,

11/01/2008 11:53:30
Well said, Charlie. I am indeed chastened for my mistook. Only reeson I can find is the 0 on my keebored id rite next too the nine and I punched that bi mistook.
Mind you, doddering David's remarks about the use of the english language on this site perplexes me a wee bit when I note his use of grammatically pathetic use of schoolboy French on other sites. I suppose, on reflection, that every village has to have an idiot.
53

David from New Mills,

U.K. 11/01/2008 19:19:08
#54, chas w.
Gosh, it would appear that the Little and Large duo are really struggling if they have to resort to counting postings for their gags. David, however, felt he had more to challenge him than to trawl back to check grafiger's claim.
If chas is so very bored, and can't dream up his justification for his "buys cigarettes" nonsensical claim, he can always keep counting the days until next Tuesday, when loser Howitt is due back in court, failing which losers Hogan and Blows' appearances are both due within a few weeks, and of course Dave West is due before the magistates in March.
By the way, did bored Little chas note that a Welsh landord got hit with a £1k fine for failure to enforce smoking restrictions? A sobering thought for advocates of NSD?
54

David from New Mills,

U.K. 11/01/2008 19:27:01
#55, grafiger.
As for Large grafiger, he really should attempt to sharpen his keyboard skills. Ou est-ce qu'il préférerait qu'on discute en français?
So what will he do now that he's run out of toes? Grow another foot?
As a matter of interest, which village is lumbered with grafiger?

 

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