Scottish smokers to be paid to quit!

[i8hibsh]

What a total joke this country really is at times

 

Smokers to be paid between ?12 - ?50 a week to quit the fags

 

What is next? pay people to stop taking smack, beating their wives or molesting children?

 

Joke

 

Why the **** should the us taxpayers pay for people to stop smoking?

 

[Tane]

Remember... smokers are taxpayers too... Regardless of whether or not they work.

[S.N.T.H.]

Unbelievable.

[i8hibsh]

Remember... smokers are taxpayers too... Regardless of whether or not they work.

 

so what?

 

this justifies this?

 

Not really getting your point

 

the fact is they are been given money to not smoke

 

I don't get paid for not smoking

 

Do you?

[Bigsmak]

Might take it up, free cash!

[Tane]

so what?

 

this justifies this?

 

Not really getting your point

 

the fact is they are been given money to not smoke

 

I don't get paid for not smoking

 

Do you?

 

I'm not saying that it justifies it in anyway. To be perfectly honest, as a smoker, I'd find it quite patronising to be offered money to quit smoking.

 

All I'm saying is, the tax generated from cigarettes and tobacco is considerably larger than the cost to treat smoking related illnesses. Without smokers, on the current tax rates, the NHS would probably go bust.

[portobellojambo1]

What a total joke this country really is at times

 

Smokers to be paid between ?12 - ?50 a week to quit the fags

 

What is next? pay people to stop taking smack, beating their wives or molesting children?

 

Joke

 

Why the **** should the us taxpayers pay for people to stop smoking?

 

 

 

Never heard this one before. As a smoker I agree with you it is a joke, but if I am honest if someone offers me ?200 a month to stop smoking I don't think I would turn it down (is there a time limit on how long you can claim the money ????)

[i8hibsh]

I'm not saying that it justifies it in anyway. To be perfectly honest, as a smoker, I'd find it quite patronising to be offered money to quit smoking.

 

All I'm saying is, the tax generated from cigarettes and tobacco is considerably larger than the cost to treat smoking related illnesses. Without smokers, on the current tax rates, the NHS would probably go bust.

 

The old smokers fund the NHS myth

 

noone can really put a price on what smoking really costs the NHS but you can be pretty sure it is substantially more than what 'figures' suggest.

 

smokers pay tax on their fags just like people/retailers pay on every single product in the world.

 

Not saying this to argue mate or be a **** but it strikes me as smokers wanting credit for paying tax on their fags.

[Beverley]

last report i read on the beeb, so belive it if you like i guess, the suggestion was that tax on cigarettes puts approximate 7 or 8 billion into the economy and smoking related illness costs about 1? - 2 billion per annum, so in actual fact, stopping everyone from lighting up WOULD cause a drain on many services, NHS being one of the worst affected

 

 

as i say it was on the beeb and it was a while ago, so i assume with the increase in tax on fags, that would have risen a fair wee bit too

 

its not a myth i8hibs, its documented so while the figures may not be entirely accurate, i doubt they're that far off the mark

[Dave Ross]

****ing disgrace. I sometimes smoke fags when I'm drunk otherwise smoke cigars. Smoking's great.

[Doctor FinnBarr]

I like smoking, don,t really want to stop. In saying that, I,ve tried to stop a few times and never managed. I had Zyban prescribed a few years back and the doc told me if I failed to stop with them not to bother trying again.

[PresidentRomanov]

People don't like smokers because they're jealous - smoking's cool

 

It would take alot more than a few hundred quid a month to get me to stop

[portobellojambo1]

last report i read on the beeb, so belive it if you like i guess, the suggestion was that tax on cigarettes puts approximate 7 or 8 billion into the economy and smoking related illness costs about 1? - 2 billion per annum, so in actual fact, stopping everyone from lighting up WOULD cause a drain on many services, NHS being one of the worst affected

 

 

as i say it was on the beeb and it was a while ago, so i assume with the increase in tax on fags, that would have risen a fair wee bit too

 

its not a myth i8hibs, its documented so while the figures may not be entirely accurate, i doubt they're that far off the mark

 

Think it is an established fact Bev that if everyone stopped smoking and drinking the whole shabbang would be totally fecked. more people end up in hospital for non smoking and non drink related things, but hell s h i t, that doesn't make good reading or score many brownie points for governmental advisors.

 

If I smoke 40 fags per week day, plus a lot more over the weekend, I would conservatively guess that over the last 34 years of smoking I have paid additional tax to the government of somewhere in the region of ?150,000.

 

Personal medical costs to the NHS in looking after me over that period, again conservatively, possibly around ?20,000, which I think is not a bad deal for them (NHS) and non smokers benefiting from my financial input. If you add the additional tax I have paid through alcohol consumption the figures become frightening, and the NHS would indeed struggle big time, unless non smokers/drinkers were happy to make up the losses.

[Pete Seeger]

The old smokers fund the NHS myth

noone can really put a price on what smoking really costs the NHS but you can be pretty sure it is substantially more than what 'figures' suggest.

 

smokers pay tax on their fags just like people/retailers pay on every single product in the world.

 

Not saying this to argue mate or be a **** but it strikes me as smokers wanting credit for paying tax on their fags.

 

I'm a smoker and I disagree with giving people money to quit. It's willpower we need, not money. But to say that the tax on smokes doesn't considerably pay for more than smoke related diseases cost is not a myth. I pay ?35 a week on cigs , a large amount of which will be taxed. If everyone was to stop smoking tommorrow The government wouldn't know what to do. In fact you would probaly find that your alcohol would rise further to try to cushion the blow.

[Guest S.U.S.S.]

last report i read on the beeb, so belive it if you like i guess, the suggestion was that tax on cigarettes puts approximate 7 or 8 billion into the economy and smoking related illness costs about 1? - 2 billion per annum, so in actual fact, stopping everyone from lighting up WOULD cause a drain on many services, NHS being one of the worst affected

 

 

as i say it was on the beeb and it was a while ago, so i assume with the increase in tax on fags, that would have risen a fair wee bit too

 

its not a myth i8hibs, its documented so while the figures may not be entirely accurate, i doubt they're that far off the mark

 

GIRUY I8!

 

Christ, you only stopped a couple of months ago, ur just annoyed cos you wont get paid! ha ha ha.

[John Findlay]

We pay teenagers to attend school.

 

Now we want to pay people to give up smoking.

 

Politicians what a shower of doughnuts.

 

 

 

 

John

[JWL]

People don't like smokers because they're jealous - smoking's cool

 

It would take alot more than a few hundred quid a month to get me to stop

 

Funny, at the end of the Magaluf week you said you were stopping and how it was horrible and it gave you a worse than normal hangover and that you would hate for your laddie to take it up and that it costs you about 2 grand every year and you can't even smoke in pubs now, you have to go out in the pishing rain, think your quote was along the lines of "Feck this, smokings feckin ****e, I'm stopping the second I get back" aye smoking, coolas ****!!!:p:p:p:p

[Guest S.U.S.S.]

Re not smoking in pubs, its not a great way to meet ladies, either smokers or their mates when outside. Or so ive heard.

[Seats]

As a non-smoker, I should be entitled to this cash as well - why should someone get paid for giving up something that they have chosen to start in the first place? Feckin ridiculous!

[Pete Seeger]

As a non-smoker, I should be entitled to this cash as well - why should someone get paid for giving up something that they have chosen to start in the first place? Feckin ridiculous!

 

Perhaps if you moved to Scotland. But seen as you live abroad i can't see why it would have any influence on you whatsoever.

[PresidentRomanov]

Funny, at the end of the Magaluf week you said you were stopping and how it was horrible and it gave you a worse than normal hangover and that you would hate for your laddie to take it up and that it costs you about 2 grand every year and you can't even smoke in pubs now, you have to go out in the pishing rain, think your quote was along the lines of "Feck this, smokings feckin ****e, I'm stopping the second I get back" aye smoking, coolas ****!!!:p:p:p:p

 

That was a better bite than Fritz's 10lb trout

[JWL]

That was a better bite than Fritz's 10lb trout

 

So was that, anyway, next Sunday, Euro 2008 final, my birthday, I fancy going to the local, what do you think.

[Dave 1974]

People don't like smokers because they're jealous - smoking's cool

 

It would take alot more than a few hundred quid a month to get me to stop

 

That's because you're intellectually challenged.

 

You probably think swallowing E's on a weekend is great too while dancing like an epileptic.

 

Haste ye death.....

[Guest S.U.S.S.]

You probably think swallowing E's on a weekend is great too while dancing like an epileptic.

 

Epilepsy is not a laughing matter.

[RockyBalboa]

Just kid on you smoke and get free money man.

 

Happy days.

[PresidentRomanov]

So was that, anyway, next Sunday, Euro 2008 final, my birthday, I fancy going to the local, what do you think.

 

I think that's a splendid idea

 

Might even have the Monday off.

[PresidentRomanov]

That's because you're intellectually challenged.

 

You probably think swallowing E's on a weekend is great too while dancing like an epileptic.

 

Haste ye death.....

 

Still ignoring me eh

 

And I've never taken illegal drugs in my life

[PontiusPilate]

We pay teenagers to attend school.

 

Now we want to pay people to give up smoking.

 

Politicians what a shower of doughnuts.

 

 

 

 

John

 

What have doughnuts done to be compared to politicians? Politicians should be taken out and shot with a blunderbuss loaded with their own cr@p.

[portobellojambo1]

We pay teenagers to attend school.

 

Now we want to pay people to give up smoking.

 

Politicians what a shower of doughnuts.

 

 

 

 

John

 

Difficult to disagree with John.

 

Although you might have also wanted to add on that within our own city, which is recognized by most tourists coming here as having probably the best public transport system of any comparable tourist city, politicians decided it would be a good idea to spend between ?750 million - ?1 billion on a single tram line (running virtually the same route as the best bus service in Edinburgh) rather than using that money to benefit all the citizens of Edinburgh.

 

But I am sure that there are some who see that as a brilliant spend as well.

[davemclaren]

Difficult to disagree with John.

 

Although you might have also wanted to add on that within our own city, which is recognized by most tourists coming here as having probably the best public transport system of any comparable tourist city, politicians decided it would be a good idea to spend between ?750 million - ?1 billion on a single tram line (running virtually the same route as the best bus service in Edinburgh) rather than using that money to benefit all the citizens of Edinburgh.

 

But I am sure that there are some who see that as a brilliant spend as well.

 

That tram line goes up in cost every time you quote it Iain.

[Miller Jambo 60]

People don't like smokers because they're jealous - smoking's cool

 

Are you having a laugh with your smelly breath and clothes.

[Taffin]

How does one go about claiming this?

[Seats]

Perhaps if you moved to Scotland. But seen as you live abroad i can't see why it would have any influence on you whatsoever.

 

1. It was the principle of the thing I was referring to.

 

2. You have no idea what taxes I pay - whether in the UK or abroad, so I think I am entitled to comment.

[Pete Seeger]

1. It was the principle of the thing I was referring to.

 

2. You have no idea what taxes I pay - whether in the UK or abroad, so I think I am entitled to comment.

 

Likewise.

[jamboinglasgow]

People don't like smokers because they're jealous - smoking's cool

 

to me that's the problem with trying to stop smoking (or stop children starting.) It is seen as rebellious, cool and girls think it makes them thinner. I have only taken one puff of a cig in my life (hated it, realised I was just inhaling smoke, will never do it again) when I was about 11 at a scout camp. We were away from the leaders and some of the older guys smoked and the youngers started trying it because they thought they were being big and cool, even I only did it (despite thinking to myself i would never smoke) to show up another guy who refused to do it.

 

I have yet to see a celebrity who doesn't smoke as all the major ones appear to (apart from one or two, usually sports stars.)

 

Also I find it a huge turn-off in girls when they smoke, usually try to avoid them and it always saddens me when I see fit girls smoking.

[Dave Ross]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ySCcnoo3c

 

Doubt Bill Hicks done much for non-smoking!

[i8hibsh]

Just kid on you smoke and get free money man.

 

Happy days.

 

They do a breathaliser for carbon manoxide every week. If it has went up since your last one you dont get the money

[i8hibsh]

It seems like a lot of people on here want medals for contributing to the tax pot of the United Kingdom!!!

 

You buy a product that is taxed highly - whoopdyfeckindoop

 

You and I mean noone, buys this harmful product for the sole reason that you contribute financially to the nations pot of money.

 

All products are taxed ,we pay tax on our hard work, we pay tax when we die, we pay tax when we eat - IT IS LIFE.

 

Buying fags and making yourself unhealthy is your choice and your choice only.

 

It is noones business bar your own. However why should you financially benefit just because you are quiting something that harms you.

 

Are these people idiots? do they need to be informed with what is good and bad for you?

 

The 'funniest' thing is that it is not cash in hand, the money is put onto a card which in turn you can spend on fruit, veg and health foods in selected stores.

 

Are we going to start wiping these peoples bums also?

 

Healthy, good food = good for you

 

chippies every day and 40 fags a day = bad for you

 

This is a basic life lesson.

 

Watch this space as the skag head plebs in the Weeg will be next to benefit from the Scottish Executive (refuse to call them a gov't) infinat pot of money. We will end up paying them for not injecting heroin into their veins.

[Guest S.U.S.S.]

It seems like a lot of people on here want medals for contributing to the tax pot of the United Kingdom!!!

 

You buy a product that is taxed highly - whoopdyfeckindoop

 

You and I mean noone, buys this harmful product for the sole reason that you contribute financially to the nations pot of money.

 

All products are taxed ,we pay tax on our hard work, we pay tax when we die, we pay tax when we eat - IT IS LIFE.

 

Buying fags and making yourself unhealthy is your choice and your choice only.

 

It is noones business bar your own. However why should you financially benefit just because you are quiting something that harms you.

 

Are these people idiots? do they need to be informed with what is good and bad for you?

 

The 'funniest' thing is that it is not cash in hand, the money is put onto a card which in turn you can spend on fruit, veg and health foods in selected stores.

 

Are we going to start wiping these peoples bums also?

 

Healthy, good food = good for you

 

chippies every day and 40 fags a day = bad for you

 

This is a basic life lesson.

 

Watch this space as the skag head plebs in the Weeg will be next to benefit from the Scottish Executive (refuse to call them a gov't) infinat pot of money. We will end up paying them for not injecting heroin into their veins.

 

As you said, its no ones business bar their own, so why are you still on about it.?

[kearney19]

People who smoke should all be put in a big cage and with a roof on top and made to smoke together, geting paid to quit, Disgrace

[Pete Seeger]

People who smoke should all be put in a big cage and with a roof on top and made to smoke together, geting paid to quit, Disgrace

 

So long as the cage is a considerable distance from the cage filled with Coldplay fans. Disgrace

[neobis]

I feel sorry for smokers!

 

Its not easy being addicted to a disgusting habit!

 

[i8hibsh]

As you said, its no ones business bar their own, so why are you still on about it.?

 

Because SUSS it is now our business as it is costing the tax payer!!!!!

[crazy_jambo_2006]

they are not getting free cash. (which could be spent on booze, holidays etc). They get "tokens" to be traded in for healthy food etc. Now if they give the healthy food to their kids, then surely some good can come of this? I detest smoking. But I feel this story was misreported in the media.

[Era Macaroons]

How does one go about claiming this?

 

yeah...im in ...how do i sign up?

[Romanov Stole My Pension]

I'm a non-smoker but I'm defo going to look into this. I might temporarily become a chain smoker;-)

[Beverley]

Because SUSS it is now our business as it is costing the tax payer!!!!!

 

while i agree its a disgusting habit, and its pretty daft an idea, i fail to see how it is costing the taxpayer anything

 

 

the average smoker, on 20 a day will be paying a bit more than a non smoking taxpayer.....

 

oh wait

i get it

 

 

the smoker pays more tax, gets paid to stop, therefor costing the none smoking taxpayer, cos the smoker isn't paying more tax into the economy, therefor costing MORE if they get ill through a non smoking related illness, cos they're not smoking and paying extra taxes....

 

 

no wait

 

 

 

makes no sense deary, just like your argument

[Coco]

they are not getting free cash. (which could be spent on booze, holidays etc). They get "tokens" to be traded in for healthy food etc. Now if they give the healthy food to their kids, then surely some good can come of this? I detest smoking. But I feel this story was misreported in the media.

 

How does this work? Does the 'reformed' smoker carry around a smoking detector? Do the 'smoking police' watch them all the time?

 

Or does the smoker who gets these tokens use them for food - freeing up cash to buy cigarettes?