2020 Forum, I've just had a great Idea
Apr 18th 2008, 12:09 pm
#1
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2020 Forum, I've just had a great Idea
Damn, too late to submit it to Rudds 2020 forum.
How's this for an Idea: A Smokers License.
It would work like this. For one year, the government would issue smokers licenses to anyone over 18 who applied for one. After that time, if you wanted to buy ciggies in a newsagent, you must present your Smokers License. The government would no longer issue new licenses after 1 year.
That idea ticks all the boxes. It means after 1 year no new people would take up smoking, but those who wanted to keep smoking could. The smoking population would decrease over time, through death and those who gave up the weed. No kids could take up smoking.
Best of all from the governments point of view, their tax income from cigarettes would only slowly decrease, and they can gradually wean themselves off their reliance on that revenue stream.
And the tobacco companies can't complain, because as they always say, their advertising isn't aimed at creating new smokers, just getting smokers to change brand. So no problems there.
I think it would be a great idea !(and I smoke) Why didn't I think of it last week and submit it to the 2020 forum.
JTL
How's this for an Idea: A Smokers License.
It would work like this. For one year, the government would issue smokers licenses to anyone over 18 who applied for one. After that time, if you wanted to buy ciggies in a newsagent, you must present your Smokers License. The government would no longer issue new licenses after 1 year.
That idea ticks all the boxes. It means after 1 year no new people would take up smoking, but those who wanted to keep smoking could. The smoking population would decrease over time, through death and those who gave up the weed. No kids could take up smoking.
Best of all from the governments point of view, their tax income from cigarettes would only slowly decrease, and they can gradually wean themselves off their reliance on that revenue stream.
And the tobacco companies can't complain, because as they always say, their advertising isn't aimed at creating new smokers, just getting smokers to change brand. So no problems there.
I think it would be a great idea !(and I smoke) Why didn't I think of it last week and submit it to the 2020 forum.
JTL
Apr 18th 2008, 12:36 pm
#2
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Location: Essex
Posts: 2,543
Re: 2020 Forum, I've just had a great Idea
This is genius.
Jul 1st 2008, 2:16 pm
#3
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Re: 2020 Forum, I've just had a great Idea
Unbelievable!! They've nicked my idea! 
From Todays Courier Mail:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...012475,00.html
Can I just say, that was entirely my own idea, I'd never heard of it being suggested in England, or now considered in Australia. I reckon they've nicked my idea
, and they haven't even got the bit about not issuing any new licenses after 1 year in there.
JTL
From Todays Courier Mail:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...012475,00.html
Roxon has warned she is prepared to embark on radical courses of action which may include innovative options such as a permit system for smokers.
According to Health England's chairman Julian Le Grand: "You've got to get a form, a complex form – the government's good at complex forms; you have got to get a photograph.
"It's a little bit of a problem to actually do it, so you have got to make a conscious decision every year to opt in to being a smoker."
According to Health England's chairman Julian Le Grand: "You've got to get a form, a complex form – the government's good at complex forms; you have got to get a photograph.
"It's a little bit of a problem to actually do it, so you have got to make a conscious decision every year to opt in to being a smoker."
, and they haven't even got the bit about not issuing any new licenses after 1 year in there.JTL
Jul 1st 2008, 10:28 pm
#4
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Location: Redneck Wonderland
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Re: 2020 Forum, I've just had a great Idea
Unbelievable!! They've nicked my idea!
From Todays Courier Mail:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...012475,00.html
Can I just say, that was entirely my own idea, I'd never heard of it being suggested in England, or now considered in Australia. I reckon they've nicked my idea, and they haven't even got the bit about not issuing any new licenses after 1 year in there.
JTL
From Todays Courier Mail:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...012475,00.html
Can I just say, that was entirely my own idea, I'd never heard of it being suggested in England, or now considered in Australia. I reckon they've nicked my idea
, and they haven't even got the bit about not issuing any new licenses after 1 year in there.JTL
However I can't see the govt. of either country banning smoking simply because of the amount of tax they collect from tobacco products.
In the U.K B.A.T [the tobacco company] published it's sales figures including the tax that the govt imposed on each pack of smokes. It makes for quite shocking reading as the amount that smokers are said to cost the NHS is more than recouped from the tax imposed on their habit. As a result the pro smoking lobby argued that instead of doctors refusing to treat smoking related diseases smokers should actually receive preferential treatment as they made a far more significant contribution to the funding of the NHS.
