Uk news. Is banning the unemployed from buying cigarettes an no brainer and a humans rights violation?

Question

UKIP and the Tories have considered banning unemployed peoples from buying cigarettes. But that is stupid.

1) The government would loose a lot of money on tobacco tax because a lot of poorer peoples are smokers.

2) Its not the fault of jobless people that cigarettes are extortionately expensive. The government is to blame for charging so much tax. The real price of a pack of 20 should be less than £2!

3)  Tobacco is a legal substance for people aged over 16. Banning people who are legally entitled to buy cigarettes is a violation of their human rights. They could sue the government.

4) it seems the government wants to deny the poorest people in society namely the unemployed from having any pleasures even if it costs the country in lost tax and leads to black market imported cigarettes.

Is it a complete no brainer?

Just The Facts, Ma&#39;Am · Answer

Hope that's not true. But the English are the biggest FASCISTS on the face of the earth, so it certainly wouldn't surprise me.

Anyway, not to worry. The British Nazis have obviously not figured out that if you ban sales of smokes to the unemployed, then the unemployed will simply pay the employed to buy their smokes for them.

Which will solve the problem until the British Nazis start breaking down the doors of the unemployed's homes and using trained sniffer-dogs to ferret out possible ciggies concealed in the bust of Churchill or the handle of the umbrella or in the cabinet of the telly.

Guru Hank · Answer

Most people buy illegal rolling tobacco anyway.  The legal stuff is ridiculously expensive.  I can get a pack of 'Golden Virginia' in my local boot market for a quarter of the price of the same thing on which duty has been paid.

Anonymous · Answer

I have never been Unemployed and was a Black man in a white Country

If the Unemployed can afford to Drink they get to much unemployment benefits from My tax money

If the Unemployed can afford to Smoke  they get to much unemployment benifits from My tax money

If the Unemployed can afford a car they get to much unemployment benifits from My tax money

I am On a Self funded Pension and still Pay taxes so Bludgers can Bludge smoke drink and drive cars with no where to go

David GH UK · Answer

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/mar/22/ukip-benefits-claimants-tobacco-alcohol

Its only UKIP that are going to bring up the proposal at conference. I cant find anywhere that confirms yje Conservatives are thinking along these lines ?  As the asker points out its not really a very good idea and could lose a lot of working class votes.

Jimmy C · Answer

It's a good idea. Poor people waste money on smoking when they should buy food with all that money. I work and I could not afford to smoke. It is too expensive. Unemployed people must have too much money if they can afford to smoke.

Clive · Answer

I have heard no such thing, and even if it were true, it would mean all employed people having to present proof of employment every time they went to buy cigarettes.  As that would be impossible to enforce, THAT'S why it's a no-brainer.

Disgruntled the Cat with the Hat · Answer

There is no such policy as far as I know but don't come whining that you can't afford food if you spend it all on fags and booze.

Food comes first!

Anonymous · Answer

LET the underclass smoke themselves to death.  
1. They give most of their welfare cheque str8 back to the tax payer.
2.They die so reducing the length of time we have to pay to  keep them alive.

It's win-win!

Anonymous · Answer

10 euro for a box of smokes here, it's ridiculous!

Anonymous · Answer

interesting idea, but slightly condescending too. perhaps it will get some people up off their arses

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Uk news. Is banning the unemployed from buying cigarettes an no brainer and a humans rights violation?

12 Answers