Smoking Ban

[niemeyjt]

The UK appears to be following New Zealand with an ever-increasing minimum age for smoking.

The proposals will effectively mean that any English (not sure about the other 3 countries) person born in 2009 or later will never be able to legally purchase a cigarette.

Would such an approach work in France (assuming it does in the UK)? Or would frontaliers just generate a black market?

Vote winner or vote loser?

[Quiksilver]

It's a brave idea and one which would put an end to the hypocrisy of Governments saying how bad it is for you whilst coining ever-increasing amounts of tax. Will it work? I doubt it given that youngsters will probably just tap up their parents.
As for France....it still surprises me how many French (especially females) do smoke. It helps to keep them stick-thin, apparently With all the land borders available it would be impossible to implement.

[Antonia]

The first thought that came into my mind was 'how are they going to police it'. Will every 19 year old have to carry photo id in order to buy a packet of fags. Are there still cigarette machines in pubs (I don't know it's been 20 years since I've been in one). Don't get me wrong, as a former smoker I'm all for a ban but I just see this as unworkable.

[MAD87]

It wouldn't work in France and I'm sure it won't work in England either. As Antonia says, how do you police it? Some 14 yr olds look 5 years older. Will they all have to have IDs?

[Blaze]

Kids have been smoking since forever. I remember several of us trying a Woodbine behind a hedge at school - it couldn't have been more off-putting.

If limiting age for smoking is impossible to police, like many, I am eternally grateful for the no-smoking laws which allow us to enjoy a meal or a drink without being subjected to smoke wafting over us. Even railway stations smell nicer !
I wish vaping was subject to the same laws ....

[Hotrodder]

The only place I am aware of smoking stench is when entering our usual Carrefour supermarket in Guingamp, dept.22. There must be an extractor fan duct outlet just outside the front sliding doors. Somewhere within the building there must be a smoking area for the addicted employees.

[Blaze]

I was in Rennes on Tuesday and I walked into a shop with two young women smoking on either side of the door. No "Bonjour madame", and when I asked about something, one of them was so unhelpful I waved a hand and walked out. I won't be going back there - the same shop in Saint Malo is much nicer !! The 2 puffing harpies at the door were probably to scare off potential customers !!

[curtis]

A message to the management ?

[Blaze]

A message to the management ?

Could be worth it. I've been a good customer of the Saint Malo branch and was so disgusted by Tuesday's behaviour in Rennes that I ordered what I wanted on line. Delivery free and does save the battle with Intra Muros, trying to park (all paying), fighting off the tourists and then the shop would probably have to order which would require a second visit ... But I like going there if I happen to be in Saint Malo !

[Hotrodder]

They don't seem to understand that if people don't get reasonable customer service they will eventually turn to the internet. It is getting so bad that it is worth posting a thread when you discover somewhere that actually treats the customer well. I recently discovered a garage that is a family business and is always busy but every person there has no problem being helpful with a genuine smile. As far as I can see, they don't charge over the odds either. The last time I ventured into a main dealership to attempt to buy spares nobody even looked up. I stood there like a lemon for ten minutes or so and ended up walking out without being asked what I wanted. Dog knows what they would have charged for the parts.