Cigarette Prices

[richthomuk]

Crazy crazy prices. I went back to the UK last week, stupidly didnt take any Cigarettes with me, but thought as I'm only there a week I shouldnt get stung too badly... yeah ok.

So got to the airport around 11 at night, strolled into WHSmiths and they wanted £10.60 (ish) for a packet of Marlboro lights, which I'm only used to paying 4.70€ (around £3.90)... Thinking that was just a huuuuuuge airport mark up I thought normal prices would be more reasonable. It was late thought and local shops were shut so had no choice. A couple of days later I went to my old local corner shop and they wanted £8.10. I guess I'm just lucky, in Spain when they put up tax on tobacco it only normally goes up by 10 cents.

Anyway, my point is how many people have given up smoking due to the prices. So forced to give up rather than choosing to give up.

 

[richthomuk]

Does the OP know it's STOPTOBER ? Now's as good a time as any to ditch the fags.

lol, fair enough. Like I said though, this was aimed at the people that have been forced to give up, or cut down rather than people wanting to quit.

 

[richthomuk]

If its any consolation the cancer you'll get will end your life early so dont worry it wont cost you that much in the long term

Thats a fair point but a lot people enjoy smoking even though they know its a filthy habit (like me). As for shortening life and getting cancer... I'd rather enjoy here and now, never know when your gona get hit down by a car... which lets face it, they kill a lot of people but people still drive. Anyway its a fair point but you can add the risk factor to pretty much anything.

 

[richthomuk]

Can't see a steep price stopping the addicts.

lol, just picturing some tobacco addicts robbing homes and looting old ladies to get their daily fix of 20 smokes.

 

[richthomuk]

According to this guy http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18545971 we can predict when people will be hit by a car

haha

 

[richthomuk]

at least getting hit by a car would be quick(er).

dying gradually over months of cancer is not really my idea of enjoying life to the full..

Each to their own.

 

[richthomuk]

just sayin. never really got the whole "i smoke because i could get hit by a car tomorrow".

in that case i'll start using meth. to hell with tomorrow

lol I don't think that was quite the point I was making. Just that there is a risk in everything. I enjoy smoking, and if I get cancer and suffer one day then I'm sure I'd cross that bridge when I come to it.

Also as others have said, whether its more enjoyable to drive cars... lol that's not really what I was getting at either.

 

[richthomuk]

The irony is that you are already poisoning yourself slowly with them bensons. Vaping should be promoted more as it could save so many people from death, disease, pain and suffering. Most e-juices have to adhere to a standard and as far as i know they are completely non-toxic.

They can't be promoted as there has been no long term research into the side effects or benefits of using them. There are no regulations on using them and as for them not being a tobacco product it means that any kid can smoke them before they are 16/18 what ever the law is now. So kids can now be addicted to Nicotine a lot easier by the age of 10/12 etc.

Not sure what smokers obsessions are with the whole 'hit by car' analogy. It's like saying 'oh, should not eat. could die from food poisoning'. Stop trying to justify your disgusting habit.

Yep... it's totally like saying people should no longer eat food.

Mainly because we had the willpower to quit this disgusting habit - know it wasn't easy but at the end of the day saw that there was absolutely zero benefit from actually continuing to do it.
As there are still a bunch of people who continue to smoke - either not seeing exactly what these ****** things do to you or convince everyone they aren't addicted, they could stop when they like and it's well worth the detriment in health to stink of fags all day - maybe putting the up to some stupid price would knock some sense into these idiots.

We can "be militant" because we've actually done it and know how bad it is for you, what it does to your health and taste buds and what it makes you smell of.
Those who have never smoked are basing their argument on what others say - they haven't experienced it for themselves.

Congrats on quitting (not joking there), but I have to say that quitting was an achievement from a goal YOU set for YOURSELF, which is great and I am being sincere in saying well done. However not everyone wants to quit or set themselves a goal to quit or cut down.

I dont really understand some of these arguments on this thread. I've never read an article, seen a news report or witnessed a car crash or a domestic beating that was caused by a man, woman or child who had one cigarette too many or binged smoked rollys, the day that happens then maybe I will consider other peoples effect from my smoking. As for smelling... mate, some people smell nasty whether they smoke or not.

 

[richthomuk]

As much as E-Cigs dont make you smell you still have massive risks smoking them. Nobody knows the long term risk of smoking concentrated nicotine vapor. They are proven to have just or almost as much carcinogens and formaldehyde as the average cigarette (proven, not me making up or exaggerating facts) but again, its down to the choice of the smoker. I wouldnt dream of tell a "vapor" its right or wrong, for me it's no different to drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco as it still damages the body there for its kinda/very hypocritical.

 

[richthomuk]

Fair enough if thats been debunked but how ever you look at E-Cigs, even though they look appealing, until the day real research comes out, they cannot be deemed as safe or a "healthy" option to tobacco. I understand its not you having a rant or being defensive. You have very good points. I'm also not saying tobacco is great and as much as I enjoy smoking, I understand others find it repulsive and I can see why but each to their own.

Afew of my close friends use E-Cigs and they admit they feel much healthier but people also said the same after switching from full fat Coke-a-cola to Diet Coke

 

[richthomuk]

After 9 months in the UK spending around £4.25 on 12.5g of tobacco I'm so happy I've moved again and only pay around £6.50 (8.40 euro ish) for 50g of Cutters Choice. Could go a lot cheaper if I got more local brands but I'm still saving a fortune.

 

[richthomuk]

Does that work? Does flying direct to Gibraltar circumvent all that duty free allowance stuff?

No EvilDreams, you can only get duty free on 1 carton of 200 cigarettes in Gibraltar so its not a viable way of saving money, unless you happen to be there on holiday anyway. The police at the boarder are shiz hot too so dont risk it, they have tightened you loads with all the blockades as well over the last couple of years.

 

[richthomuk]

I wonder how many people will still think like this if they find themselves close to death in their 60s due to lung cancer.. never going to see their grand kids grow up or miss their daughters wedding day all because they think that inhaling some smoke while having a pint is a good idea.

if I lived to 60 then I'd be fine with that. Anyway this isn't about people who like the fact smoking is banned or about people smelling. As a smoker I couldnt care less about someone that isnt influenced by my smoke being judgmental. People that write stuff like this are up there with street preachers lol... Remember kids... Say your prayers and dont smoke!!

All I asked was whether the price increases over the past 10 years had lead to many of the people on this forum quitting

 

[richthomuk]

I wonder if all the people having a pop at smokers for killing themselves in such a selfish manner go around saying the same things to people who drive cars for pleasure? or ride motorbikes, go scuba diving, hill walking, hang gliding anyone?

1.4 cigarettes = 1 micromort. Same as riding a motorbike for 6 miles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micromort

Damn I wouldnt want to have taken Ecstacy and having a smoking while I go mountaineering down a coal mine Micomorts plus micomorts for that situation = Mind Blown!!

 

[richthomuk]

Smoke yourself to death chap. Just don't make me share your smoke

What I do love is those smokers who are all smug about smoking and also make comments about how much they contribute to the NHS through doing so. I just smile and think "CHUMP". Yep, keep on paying for my free healthcare.

I dont think any of the smokers on this thread have said about how much we contribute to the NHS... your the one that came onto a thread about smoking... but your a non smoker so why cause a fuss about nothing, unless your just bored and want people to hear what you think are your valid arguments. I'd rather take in a little smoke at a pub than take in some little pretty boys rancid aftershave that hes so liberally washed his whole body in... but im not gona start a no aftershave in pubs stance. We all do things that someones not gona like, get over yourself Captain Planet lol

 

[richthomuk]

Don't smoke, so can't post in thread about smoking? Er, derp?

I didn't state anyone in this thread said anything about the NHS. You ought to invest more time in taking time to read what is written than chomping at a douchey reply.

It's not really a "douchey" reply, if you look at the OP it was just asking if, due to the price, anyone had given up smoking. Nothing to do with the smoking ban, or whether anyone was worried about smoking themselves to death or maybe even causing some pompous schmuck down the local pub an inconvenience.

We know smoking doesnt smell great but we like smoking. Most of us are also pretty accommodating and if people complain about the smoking, nicely, then we will move away or blow it in a different direction. We dont walk around blowing it in each others faces lol.

So as for investing more time in reading what it is written then I'd say the same for yourself too Captain.

Anyway, we get you dont like smoking but it doesnt smell as bad as ignorance... boom... take him to the burn ward!!!! lol I do kinda get your points though but I just really dont care, not when your not being forced to be around smokers, you just appear not to appreciate the inconvenience when a smoker comes along and your scared to breathe.

 

[richthomuk]

If i can earn about 45-50k per annum i think i could afford smoking again, at 20 a day. As long as my rent and other outgoings don't increase at the same time, which usually happens when you move up in the pay scale. I have my rent stuck at £650 for a one bedroom, nothing short of a two bed house with a garden for £850 is going to get me to leave there now.

damn that pricey, being back in Spain I'm lucky, tobacco doesnt cut into my budget but if I was back in the UK I'd probably be stuck at 12.5g a week at the most, maybe 25g a month would be more realistic though.

 

[richthomuk]

Clearly the thread had moved on a long time ago from the OP that you are referencing too. You have just jumped into the thread some what offended by a comment that didn't even concern you. In fact mostly what I see here is sanctimonious self righteous smokers, contrary to the "sanctimonious non-smokers" stated by someone else earlier. Why should the minority (smokers) get the say on whether they can carry out an act that is threatening to me because they enjoy it? The mindset is just absurd. Should I drive at 100mph down the motorway, and overtake on blind bends, and speed through busy towns, because I enjoy it? No, I would be reprimanded, because I am endangering the lives of everyone around me. I shouldn't neeed to be asked nicely by someone who is inconvenienced by this to stop... LOL

Oh, and just for your interest (and where you clearly couldn't use the search function)...

Well maybe the thread has moved on but I didnt really just "jump into the thread" I started the thread lol. And like I have mentioned a few times, I only wanted to know how many people had been forced to quit due to price rather than due to wanting to quit.

Theres plenty of smokers that only smoke in their own house and not in public even before the ban. To be honest, when I was back in the UK this summer, I heard more people complain about the smoking in a beer garden and designated smoking areas outside as it was a "nice day" and they shouldnt have to suffer... even though I mainly heard that on a huge row of bars where the weather was the same outside all of them and there were only smokers outside less than half of them... just people not happy to be inconvenienced like I say. Well done for finding the search feature too!! As for driving at 100mph... way to fly off the deep end and become very very childish lmao... i didnt realise walking past a non smoker would cause as much offence as over taking someone on a blind corner and nearly killing them.

Also smoking is my one vice as it is for many. I dont drive yet when I walk down the street I breathe in way more chemicals etc that can ruin my lungs way more in a month than I can cause by offering around my 2nd hand smoke (im guessing you thing we walk up to people and demand they take it from us) can ever to a person.

 

[richthomuk]

Never buy a deck from WH Smith. My god, nearly £12 for a 20 deck

Ouch, thats why I moved onto the roll ups. Which is ok in the summer but in the winter in the cold rain in a biatch. Been back in Alicante for 5 or 6 weeks and its 4.30 euro here, which is around £3.40 for 20. Im on the rollups here too though. 8 euro something for 50 grams of Cutters Choice, not the cheapest but I dont need to budget as 8 euros compared to the 25 or so euro that it would cost back in the UK is nothing really. Even though 50 grams at 25 euro or £20 is still cheaper than say 3 boxes of Marlboro Gold, that wouldnt even last nearly as long.

 

[richthomuk]

Roll ups i find smell more than normal cigs and its a hassle to have to roll all the time. They are also never as satisfying as bought cigs as they don't compress the tobacco in the same way. I considered moving to rollies but just too lazy for it.

Depends what tobacco you buy, I dont find that Cutters Choice smells so strong and not at all as strong as the smoke that ready made ones used to leave on me. Its quite loose too and smokes pretty nice, just need to find the right filters and brand for you if you decide to move to rollies again.