In the news

1. Liverpool fans
   
2. Smokers
   
3. Drivers
   
4. Christians from stable developed countries where they're the majority
   

... tax cigarettes to a level that would cover all of the cost of the harm they did ...

That's just pricing in a negative externality. Like, in principle, carbon pricing.

👍

As a someone who has recently taken up smoking it seems this is already the plan 15 quid for a pack of 17 these days.

It's just more empty nonsense. Ban fucking vapes if you want to do something meaningful, kids are not spending 15 quid on packs of fags for their nicotine hit.

15 quid for a pack of 17 these days.

Shocking compared to how cheap they were when you were... when you...

Still, I expect it's done wonders for your social life.

You do know that someone disagreeing with you doesn’t automatically make them a troll, right?

Ban fucking vapes

The public health people aren't keen on that. I haven't followed it closely but I think the argument is they are so good at getting people to stop smoking that even allowing for the non-smokers that vape, including kids, they are a net good.

*getting people not to smoke

I assume

Fair enough.

I challenge that parking spaces are a scarce resource. And I’m not trolling.

Cars would be left in the middle of the road due to lack of spaces or driveways. And they’re not. Some may be badly parked, but they’re parked at least.

I don’t think you can make an equivalence between not paying for parking and the more dangerous acts that drivers are prone to.

I think driving in London is a selfish act in 90% of cases and I would never advocate for it. At the same time, it’s not such a leap to think that parking costs are overly expensive and that the revenue from it is spent badly.

As a someone who has recently taken up smoking it seems this is already the plan 15 quid for a pack of 17 these days.

I've bought them cheaper individually in the playground! (albeit not at 2023's prices).

15 quid for a pack of 17 these days

17? They don't just come in 10s and 20s anymore?

Ok. Boomer.

Shrinkflation.

As a someone who has recently taken up smoking

How you getting on?

Oops, yes. Edited.

I challenge that parking spaces are a scarce resource.

They very much are on the typical high street, near to a train station or around a workplace without a big private car park. Maybe not on a residential road 15 minutes walk from anything other than other homes.

It's very much a lottery with residential roads too.

Around us there are always more than half the parking spaces free. It was very rare I couldn't park within 10m of my front gate.

Friends who live a mile away from here often have to park 3 streets and 200m away from their front door. And when they do they're almost certainly making it more of a problem for the people that live in that road. Sure it's a first world problem for those with good mobility but it can be much more of an issue for those with limited mobility (but not bad enough to warrant a blue badge and a dedicated disabled space) or those with small children.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/shop/home-and-ents/tobacco-and-alternatives/cigarettes

What brand are you buying?

I just think that parking spaces not 15m from where you’re going does not equal parking spaces are scarce.

Helipads are scarce.

I sorted that link from Low to High on price and Marlboro Gold at £14.10 for 20 are the first pack I'd consider buying if I ever started smoking again (17 years now!)

Shit like JPS, Rothmans, B&H, Berkeley, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Carlton, Richmond, Mayfair, etc were just fucking rank.

(Not that I didn't used to smoke most of them when I was a poor student.)

If you don't smoke it's like asking why someone is paying £2.50 for a can of craft IPA when there's a supermarket own brand thing for 37p.

Strawmen are not scarce in this thread.

Charging makes fuck all difference to the availability. It just pisses folks off. I think deep down we know that the money raised is funnelled in to other things the council provides. It's got zilch to do with discouraging car use.

My fave is Legoland. Charge you £10 to park. After you've emptied your wallet and paid your dues at the lego shop. Obvs. has nothing to do with the council though!

Packs of 10 were already banned at some point

Thanks for all the ciggy knowledge drops, now they're hidden behind the wall of shame it's all a mystery!