A smoking pass to get cigarettes? If so what about an eating pass for obese people?

Question

Britains gov wants to introduce a pass for smokers that costs 10£ a year and without this pass you cant buy cigarettes. Well if the 10£ would go towards the health insurance of the smoker then fair enough, but to fill debt holes caused by the gov is not acceptable. But anyway what about all these obese people (and i mean those who are fat simply because they eat too much and too much unhealthy foods, not those who gained weight because of some disorders), should they get a pass aswell each year to be allowed to purchase junk food? They have a lot of health risks which cost NHS a fortune too and they give their offspring a bad example as 8 out of 10 kids of obese people are also overweight! Whats your opinion?

Answer 1

The difference is that smokers chose to smoke.  Over-eaters were given food from the day they were born and a combination of poor nutrition and/or anxiety have caused their weight increase.Over-eaters have very deep emotional issues.

Answer 2

well the difference is - someone who overeats is only harming themselves. yet people who smoke are not only harming themselves, but also EVERYONE around them who has to breathe in your nasty second hand smoke.

Answer 3

I heard that too - and you have to register to get your pass which must be renewed annually.

Tell me - if cigarettes are soooo bad why aren't they banned?

Is it necessay to create a new agency dealing with these passes - and will it be non-smokers who have to pay for it aswell?

And how much do you want to bet they hold the information disc and then loose it?!

Answer 4

What we need to do is shut-down the NHS.  We should all pay for private insurance, and those that are too unhealthy will have higher premiums.  Perhaps then the fatties will get off their lardy backsides and do some exercise...

Answer 5

Sorry but what a load of c**p, to whoever just said obese people cant help it, when they are not children anymore, ITS YOUR FAULT!!!!

BLOODY GREED ITS WHAT ITS CALLED

Answer 6

Who cares for which group the pass is for? The whole idea is yet another way of introducing a stealth tax and more social control, nothing to do with health etc. For those blinkered enough to favour the idea for smokers, think on, it will be your turn next! As for the practical side, it will create yet another "quango" to implement and monitor which will cost millions if not billions, where is the logic in that? Plus, as already stated, there would be simple ways to get round such a system, unless of course the smoker has to pay extra for a photograph on their pass. From every perspective the whole idea is preposterous in mho. 1984! We are almost there folks!!!!

Answer 7

Think what people enjoy doing:  it doesn't matter what, smoking, drinking, dining out, eating yourself silly, jogging (might have a heart attack), owning pets, tax them till their eyes pop. The extra revenue can then be put to good use by upping MPs' salaries and allowances.  Good deal for all!

Answer 8

Exactly. Where do you draw the line?

I think smokers have been persecuted enough now so let's call it a day. I smoke one small cigar week and don't inhale. I suppose that's another ten quid I've got to fork out then.

New labour: tax you once – then tax you again.

Answer 9

Just a joke, but if all the fat people just had a cigarette they'd find they eat less!

Answer 10

When did £10 become 10£

Just ban junk food and smoking

And limit speeds on cars

ban skiing and other dangerous sports

Answer 11

my opinion? I think you're not very nice!

Lots of people don,t have a disorder neither do they eat too much or eat junk food but can still be overweight  through no fault of their own, However, smokers do choose to smoke.........

EDIT! WELL SAID ROBIN!!!! PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK!!!

Answer 12

In theory its a good idea. In practice some people would say it's some kind of discrimination. Sometimes "healthy" people want to buy junk food too - do they need a pass..? Where would the boundaries be laid to determine those that should have one, those that must have one, and those that don't need one?

Another thing - if I knew a mate of mine had forked out a pass for the purchase of cigs, I'd get him to go get my f**s for me - save me the money.. How would the Government get around this rather easy by-pass.?

Answer 13

Driving a car puts more pollutants into the atmosphere than smoking ever did.

Answer 14

What a good idea. Also, let's have passes for thin people to buy items in fast food chains and passes for alcoholics to buy booze.

Then we could have passes for mentally disabled patients to receive their medications and passes for all unhealthy people to visit their GPs.

Your idea suddenly doesn't sound too clever now does it??????

Answer 15

well personally, I choose no to smoke, for a number of reasons. The first, its gross, the second it makes you smell horrible, the third it stains your teeth and the fourth, Im sure my boyfriend doesnt want to kiss a chimney. So the reasons I dont smoke have nothing to do with my health. If you know that I am choosing not to smoke for this reasons, what makes you think I want standing next to me smoking?

I really could care less if a fat person is sitting next to me eating 10 different meals. That wont bother me or hurt me. But someone standing next to me smoking is different, because then the smoke gets on me and I smell gross, and I cough and cant breath. If you want to ruin your body and hygeiene, do it in the company of yourself, not me.

Answer 16

The Police state marches on

Answer 17

Completely agree. Smokers get a bad rap and we should (to some extent) but people or gorge themselves on junk, refuse to exercise and then complain when they get heart problems and diabetes. If smokers are going to be singled out for affecting their health then fat people should as well. Its like they were talking about charging larger people more for going on planes because if a healthy person gets charged more because they are carrying more luggage weight then fat people should get charged for their extra weight as well.

This never went through though. People are too worried about offending fat people - get over it! they are killing themselves just as much as smokers.

A valid point - thanks for bringing it up

x

Answer 18

Another crazy idea that is an infringement on human rights whilst smoking remains a legal habit. It is bizarre the lengths that this government will go to to cash in on people's smoking addiction whilst pretending they'd really like everyone to give up.

I'm not a smoker, I just think it is hypocritical, I'd like to see the passive smoking statistics actually proved and if necessary smoking made illegal.

Answer 19

Because smoking is a lifestyle choice. Smokers can potentially damage anybody who just happens to be sitting or standing near them - passive smoking is a serious problem - that is a fact. Obese people aren't hurting anybody but themselves. If you are going to go down the path of criticising obese people for using the NHS, then you also need - to be fair - and go down the path of criticising bulimics and anorexics who also use up an enormous chunk of NHS money with their related illnesses. The only problem with this is we end up helping nobody. Most anorexics, bulimics, and over-eaters are usually dealing with some personal mental and/or emotional issues. Smokers just start smoking because they want to. :-)

Answer 20

I agree with Robin,  I think Robin deserves the ten points

Answer 21

Well smoking doesn't just harm you, it harms others around you. That's why all public places are non-smoking.

Obese people aren't hurting anyone but themselves.

I'm not biased by the way, I used to smoke.