EU rules.

[cee-dee]

The EU bureaucrats are flexing their muscles again:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36200778

Just to be clear, I am not and never have been a smoker but when looking at the current cigarette packets, I wonder if alcohol packaging will, before long have a similar "message"?

[artful_dodgings]

Unbelievable !

On second thoughts, no it isn't. It's what we've come to expect from the EU Mandarins.

[jd.linklater]

I'm a smoker and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I think we have more important things than the aesthetics of cigarette packaging to be concerned about tbh.

[cee-dee]

I think you've missed my point.... How long will it be before some bright spark decided to push for legislation to do the same to alcohol...... "Drinking kills" ...... then where will it end....? "This will seriously damage your health", That will seriously damage your health.....

I can see it now.... "Drinking causes deaths in several ways, it causes people to become irrational and violent often resulting in deaths, it causes drivers to drive erratically often resulting in deaths...." "All alcohol containers nust carry a government health warning..."

"Eating too many doughnuts causes obesity which causes....... all sorts of things." "Doughnuts are bad for you"..... "All doughnuts must carry a government health warning...."

[fallen-archie]

If a point has been missed then I reckon that lies squarely with your assumptions. For one thing smoking does harm the health of both smokers and passive smokers hence the need to regulate. You are right to point out that anything in excess may result in health problems but in such instances the emphasis would be on helping people to understand the need for a balanced diet not to stop them consuming alcohol, chocolate, red meat etc altogether. Those responsible for selling the latter items are only interested in selling more so someone has to intervene but in a balanced way only. 

Smoking is nowproven to be both addictive and a health hazard, making it more difficult to be seduced by the weed and easier to quit would seem a perfectly responsible approach whilst ultimately leaving the final choice to the individual.

[right-then-petal]

think i'll throw in the towel

[fallen-archie]

Couple of weeks ago I saw a guy smoking a pipe, the smell was divine 

[cee-dee]

Look, I'm no smoker so it doesn't affect me but..... over regulation does and like I said, where will it end?

Yes, smoking does kill.... some people but not others. Some people have smoked like a train all their lives but lived in to their nineties. Yes, some people have died young, their deaths being attributed to smoking but some young people have died young driving a car... Driving kills, so there must be a health warning on all cars?

[fallen-archie]

Actually most accidents on the road are attributed to excessive speed yet we have speed limits. Yes there are some who smoked for years without any major consequence but the evidence is overwhelming that smoking does cause Ill health and premature death.

Excessive regulation is a problem and the EU a major source, I was simply questioning your target area for had you raised the spectre of legislation of business I would have been with you all the way. 

I see greenpeace leaked a load of stuff about the negociations between the EU and US over trade, wonder who will come out on top.

[cee-dee]

There's no dispute that smoking is addictive and can cause severe ill-health but so does alcohol.

The thing is I don't seem to remember any smoking definitely leading to death shortly after consuming tobacco but there's many instances every day of alcohol causing either the death of the consumer shortly after consumption or the death of another person by either fighting or driving.

Now, it's the over-regulation and the possible proliferation I'm complaining about, OK?

[upthecreekyetagain]

Whilst I agree with regards to regulation I think it's a bit rich to put 'blame' in this instance on the EU - the UK wants to go even further and introduce plain packaging with just health warnings and without any brand or colour detail - in line with the Aussies.

[soppysofty]

Do you realise that if we vote to leave the EU then we will actually be able to make our own laws again!

With the current goverment is this the lesser of two evils?

[suzieseaside]

It won't be long before we are fined a Carbon Tax for farting.

[fallen-archie]

Would it be called a wind-oh tax?

[suzieseaside]

If it exceeds our Personal Methane Allowance 

[baybizz]

>> Half the UK's major new regulations are from the European Union... the Foreign Secretary is today publishing new guidelines for the implementation of EU law into the UK...

>> I have today written to the European Commission proposing that the tax free limit on goods brought into the UK from outside the European Union should rise...


http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/mar/16/economy.uk

[fallen-archie]

Do the half introduced by the EU affect only the UK or are they adopted by all EU members?

[john.b74]

If we leave there will be no more new rules.

[artful_dodgings]

Directive. (Issued 5.5.2016).

It has come to our attention that people are breathing in fresh air. After extensive research, investigation, and laboratory findings, we believe the 'fresh' part to be contentious, and not exactly true. We have found that doing so can lead to all manner of things being inhaled.

To wit: Airborne germs, exhaust fumes, tobacco fumes, pollen, BO and foot odour, garden bonfires, burning food, oppressive and heavy female perfume, cheap aftershave, rotten eggs, methane gas, garlic breath, composts, some air fresheners, blue cheese, raw / decaying fish, manure, ozone, human / animal faeces, fumes from industry / landfill sites, paint, sewers, stagnant water, and skunks.

We therefore deem it necessary that all members that are presently part of the EU, must now wear surgical face masks. This to become effective 7 days from the above date. (12.5.2016).

THE EUROPEAN UNION.

[upthecreekyetagain]

The problem with satirical articles like that is that they could end just as easily end with "by order of the U.K. government.

i have no more say over edicts coming from one than I do the other. 

It's not the quantity of legislation I'm interested in, it's the quality and quite frankly I have no real faith in either the EU nor the UK. 

The standard argument against the above is that if we don't like what's being done in the UK we have a vote and can change things but that is a total nonsense as well. 

For instance how many can remember who they even voted for at the last PCC election, they can possibly remember the party but not the person - I've just been to vote at today's election and the ballot paper has the party emblem to each candidates name - what has the party the individuals belong to got to do with their ability to carry out the job?