Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
I have no views on the wether cigarettes should be on view or not in shops but I am all for putting them in plain wrappers based purely on the fact anyone selling them in non plain wrappers would be doing so with illegally imported ones. Those smoking them would have recently returned from holiday or bought them from an illegal source or have I not thought this through?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
will be a big problem for the shops if they do sell them in plain packets, customers ask for their brand and the shopkeeper immediately turns round and looks for the colour and style of the packet.
there was a shopkeeper interviewed that sold an unimaginable number of brands, it would take ages to read through all the labels each time to serve a customer.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
A report on TV recently said every fourth cigarette sold in the UK was smuggled.
No doubt though Ken the criminals would easily change the imported ones into plain wrappers as most of the wrappers they use as is are fake, as I understand it anyway. Cigarette smuggling is still growing despite the very heavy sentances meted out.
But as far selling legit cigarettes in plain wrappers. This is the nanny state gone mad, as some wag said on TV yesterday. The Tories derided Labour as purveyors of the nanny state, now here they are in power doing the same thing. No longer having the luxury of opposition loose chatter.
I believe myself that a certain level of nannying is needed...massive amounts of alcohol is consumed, people are eating far too much of the wrong food so there is an obesity problem, and cigarette consumption particularly amongst the young is frightening.
Girls especially are now suffering the medical fallout from the excesses of the ladette era..yet another report told us this only a few days ago.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
As you say paulb
those that want to break the law, will find ways round it plain packets or not
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
Plain packets will certainly be easier for the counterfeit cigarette makers, which apparently is a growing industry.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the whole thing has not been thought through, the tobacconist i mentioned earlier was saying that frosted glass would have to be installed on the windows.
he then argued that how would tourists know what he was selling inside if he could not advertise the fact, furthermore if he was being held up nobody would be able to look in and see.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
I have never smoked but Park Drive did for mother and any fag for my brother who died aged 42 .However the maths are £14.5 billion in tax revenue minus £3,75 billion in health costs. Now you know why the tobacco lobby is so strong and influential.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
Query - is TOBACCO also going under plain wrappers ?? There is a lot of that smuggled I believe.
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
kath
two different issues here, you are right about hand rolling tobacco, a higher proportion of hand rolling is from abroad than cigarettes.
some is smuggled but a lot is brought in for personal use quite legally, i forget the limit but it is very high so someone might bring back enough from france or belgium(especially the latter) to last them for a year.
cigarettes are a mixture, some are counterfeits from factories in the far east but many are real brands that are brought in from countries in eastern europe where the prices are much lower.
for example poland charge around £.2 a packet against our £.6 so a container full brought in wth legally purchased stuff but imported illegally and then sold on could mean a profit of approx £.1 million.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
yes MAREK the profit margins and dosh to govt, will have a large influence on the outcome on this one, at this moment in time i have no strong views either way
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
slightly off topic but similar in principle is the issue of fuel tax, a massive source of revenue for the exchequer.
ed balls was in kent today and challenged the government to stop the 1P tax rise due, quite a cunning move as he knows they are very unlikely to, just as his party would have done if they were in government.
the joy of being in opposition!!
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
howard,i believe its 3 kilos of hand rolling tobacco.equivalant to 30, 50g pouches.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
The govt are playing catch up as the bootleggers have been selling duty free fags in plain wrappers for years at the bootfairs and on the black market...
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
thanks for info brian, for someone that smokes an ounce(25 g) a week a years supply.
