But regulation has dramatically cut smoking in the US, Europe,Australia and other countries.
I started smoking in the seventies when it was practically compulsory in the UK. People smoked everywhere, on buses, in cinemas, restaurants, and film stars, rock stars, everyone smoked.
Since then, price rises, bans on smoking in public places, bans on advertising and promotion on tv or in films have had a huge effect on reducing smoking.
I smoked for over thirty years, but I was hooked at seventeen. I regret every single day of it. The reduction in smoking is one aspect of modern life which is an unequivocal improvement on the past.
3 Likes
All this talk of cigarettes has made me want to smoke one. Thankfully my shift is almost over. 
I’ve never been a smoker, I detest everything about cigarettes, it’s a disgusting habit and I think anything that can be done to reduce smoking is a good thing. However, if people are prevented, by the government, from buying cigarettes, they will still find a way to obtain them, probably illegally.
This will result in criminals cashing in, the same way they do with drugs. The one thing in New Zealand’s favour, is their geographical location, it will be more difficult to smuggle cigarettes. If this legislation was introduced in the UK and Europe, we would be flooded with illegal cigarettes and tobacco, because it’s a lot easier to smuggle contraband around the continent. Illegal cigarettes are a problem here now and it would increase, if there was an outright ban.
1 Like
As you know, tax rises in the UK caused a lot of black market importation from the EU, but the end result has been a drastic reduction in smoking.
The tobacco industry always raise the spectre of smuggling in order to create a feeling of helplessness, but long term, regulation works.
3 Likes
I really hope it does work, I’ll be right behind it, if it does.
3 Likes
Right outside the Ukrainian coast. Artillery shelling. “Interesting” development.
1 Like
Raising the ante (Russia’s demands cannot be met and Russia knows this, which is why it is disturbing that they make them, as it looks a bit like preparing to make excuses that one has tried diplomatic channels to no avail and etc.)
Also:
1 Like
Be careful if you go to Watford 
Fairly certain I’ve seen this before, and my thoughts from the video I watched on it is that many cars were going way too fast for a width-restricted area… No sympathy at all there.
You’d be surprised at how many drivers don’t know where their passenger side is 
Note that the majority fimed were small cars and actually had plenty of room, they just didn’t use it.
Terrible sign. Could be just Maskirovka, i.e. artificial raising of tensions on behalf of Kreml.
Even so, this is very note worthy news if true (because we do not know this for certain, as the news is out of Russia and Belarus could be doing this as a ruse, so it could therefore be complicated):
The reason why this is extremely note worthy is that to cut Belarus (and Belarus has done nothing, yet, to deserve such a nuclear sanction, it’s border provocations with Poland are not worthy of THAT) from SWIFT is a type of sanction that the West would only deploy if Russia actually invades Ukraine. It is probably the strongest sanction the West can take. Some salt still needed, this could as always, be a ruse to increase fear and tensions for effect.
1 Like
Eh, not good:
Over 50% of Ukrainians willing to take up arms or otherwise resist further Russian invasion of Ukraine (this number is not as high as one would like really.)
Of interest to some who would like to know details of the possibly attacking forces (article is good, headline is stupid and tabloid, but article still good):
Not entirely sure why Americans think they have any right to ‘protect the language’ - they are responible for butchering it way more than every other nationality put together
5 Likes
Shut the front door!
I am yelling at my children every time they say ‘waiting on’ something. You wait for something, though you can wait on a bench if there is one handy.
My pandemic Room 101 is the vastly expanded American influence on my children by way of Youtube.
4 Likes
Hilarious. My daughters said that to me all the time when they were teens. Had no idea it was Australian. That one didn’t annoy me. The one I can’t stand is “just stop.” No idea where it comes from.
‘Wait, what?’ isn’t the Australian one, one of the others on the list is ‘no worries’.
LSSU has been doing that list for a long time, I usually agree with them, except for the ones that I use. Those I resent bitterly, because they are also correct.
1 Like