Pinch, punch, first of the month. Blogging may be light for a few days as I catch up with some writing. Meanwhile, I recommend this quite entertaining, and certainly informative, documentary about the illicit tobacco trade in Ireland.
THE TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL HATERS ARE JOINING FORCES AT THE "SCOTTISH ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO POLICY SUMMIT" BEING HELD AT THE HILTON GROSVENOR HOTEL , EDINBURGH ON 15 MARCH 2011.
Alcohol Focus Scotland, ASH Scotland and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems are pleased to announce a joint conference which will consider what progress has been made in alcohol control and tobacco control and explore what each sector might learn from the other. Chief Executive of AFS Evelyn Gillan and Chief Executive of ASH Scotland Sheila Duffy look forward to hearing your views and ideas to improve Scotland’s health. A report with policy recommendations will be circulated to delegates and to the Scottish Government.
Around 49:30, that guy says the only way to deal with the issue of smuggling cigarettes is to have support of the courts and put people in jail who are doing the smuggling. Are you kidding me!? That is NOT the only way to deal with the problem. Here is a novel idea, lower the taxes on them! Prohibition never works. End of story.
I'd love to see them try to de-normalise alchohol over here, not for long they would'nt as every single polititian would be lining up to kick their arses as traitors to the reputation of La Belle France.
It is almost laughable how the video equated 'counterfeit' cigarettes with 'bad' cigarettes. In fact, 'counterfeit' refers only to copying packaging. Of course, being propaganda, such niceties are ignored. Another nicety cleverly exploited is the 'science' - that is the arsenic and cadmium content. As I understand it, these substances are present in utterly minuscule amounts - three times utterly minuscule is still utterly minuscule.
Having tried counterfeit cigarettes in India I assure you that there is a big difference between smuggled/duty-free cigarettes and counterfeit. Counterfeit cigarettes can be very well packaged but they are not the real thing and they are very much worse for you (ie. they can give you problems very quickly as opposed to 40 years down the line). Some anti-smokers don't care what goes in them, of course, because they see one cigarette as being as bad as another. There is definitely a difference.
I have just acquired 600 tobacco plant seeds. I will grow some of them. If I am successful, I will have x amount of tobacco. I do not expect that cigarettes made with this tobacco will taste the same as Benson and Hedges, for example. I have no idea. But I am sure that there will be traces of various elements. Elements which are present in the soil.
I am starting now because I see Tobacco Control becoming much more draconian. The persecution will develop. For example, I see imports being forbidden on penalty of death (well, nearly). It takes a year or so to get a harvest. We will see - better than the jungle which exists in my garden at the moment! At least, I have a good reason for gardening!
Good luck with that. I'll follow you and Leg-Iron's efforts with interest. I thought about doing the same (free plug for www.coffinnails.com) but lack a greenhouse Be sure to put up some photos so w can watch it progress.
THE TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL HATERS ARE JOINING FORCES AT THE "SCOTTISH ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO POLICY SUMMIT" BEING HELD AT THE HILTON GROSVENOR HOTEL , EDINBURGH ON 15 MARCH 2011.
ReplyDeleteAlcohol Focus Scotland, ASH Scotland and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems are pleased to announce a joint conference which will consider what progress has been made in alcohol control and tobacco control and explore what each sector might learn from the other. Chief Executive of AFS Evelyn Gillan and Chief Executive of ASH Scotland Sheila Duffy look forward to hearing your views and ideas to improve Scotland’s health. A report with policy recommendations will be circulated to delegates and to the Scottish Government.
http://www.ashscotland.org.uk/policy/event-tobacco-and-alcohol-policy-summit
More LIES to be spouted out and no doubt accepted by the Scottish Politicians of all parties.
The route of modern western governance.
ReplyDeleteUN
EU
NATIONAL
REGIONAL.
This of course leads to lack of accountabilty.
Hence the kind of crazy illogical idealism they spout
Chris, next Monday's Panarama is about tobacco smuggling in England. I'll get an overview of regional variations in the price of Golden Virginia
ReplyDeletesorry, panorama.
ReplyDeleteAround 49:30, that guy says the only way to deal with the issue of smuggling cigarettes is to have support of the courts and put people in jail who are doing the smuggling. Are you kidding me!? That is NOT the only way to deal with the problem. Here is a novel idea, lower the taxes on them! Prohibition never works. End of story.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see them try to de-normalise alchohol over here, not for long they would'nt as every single polititian would be lining up to kick their arses as traitors to the reputation of La Belle France.
ReplyDeleteIt is almost laughable how the video equated 'counterfeit' cigarettes with 'bad' cigarettes. In fact, 'counterfeit' refers only to copying packaging. Of course, being propaganda, such niceties are ignored. Another nicety cleverly exploited is the 'science' - that is the arsenic and cadmium content. As I understand it, these substances are present in utterly minuscule amounts - three times utterly minuscule is still utterly minuscule.
ReplyDeleteJunican,
ReplyDeleteHaving tried counterfeit cigarettes in India I assure you that there is a big difference between smuggled/duty-free cigarettes and counterfeit. Counterfeit cigarettes can be very well packaged but they are not the real thing and they are very much worse for you (ie. they can give you problems very quickly as opposed to 40 years down the line). Some anti-smokers don't care what goes in them, of course, because they see one cigarette as being as bad as another. There is definitely a difference.
Snowdon.
ReplyDeleteI have just acquired 600 tobacco plant seeds. I will grow some of them. If I am successful, I will have x amount of tobacco. I do not expect that cigarettes made with this tobacco will taste the same as Benson and Hedges, for example. I have no idea. But I am sure that there will be traces of various elements. Elements which are present in the soil.
I am starting now because I see Tobacco Control becoming much more draconian. The persecution will develop. For example, I see imports being forbidden on penalty of death (well, nearly). It takes a year or so to get a harvest. We will see - better than the jungle which exists in my garden at the moment! At least, I have a good reason for gardening!
Good luck with that. I'll follow you and Leg-Iron's efforts with interest. I thought about doing the same (free plug for www.coffinnails.com) but lack a greenhouse Be sure to put up some photos so w can watch it progress.
ReplyDeleteChris
ReplyDeleteYou don't need a greenhouse, you can grow them on your windowsill and then plant them outside in a flower bed or in a large pot, after the last frost.
Just like growing an outdoor tomato.
They are tall and very beautiful.
Well worth the effort,if only as a spectacular summer display.
Rose
I just bought some seeds. They're going in my brand new (electric! Think of the carbon footprint!) propagater tommorrow.
ReplyDeleteSeeds in propagator today. Now sitting on shelf over radiator. Should maintain temperature of about 75f as recommended. We will see in 5 to 10 days.
ReplyDelete