ASH Scotland Tobacco Control Strategy Survey

[Vocalek]

Via the NicUrs page on Facebook (Welcome to Facebook), I stumbled across this survey being conducted by the Scottish TC folks. I took the survey, selecting options indicating that I do not support some of the draconian measures they want to implement. Where there were spots for comments, I advised urging smokers to switch to electronic cigarettes.

In my closing comment I mentioned that when the focus is on control and enFORCEment, people get hurt along the way. I advised them to think about why people smoke--many do so to control symptoms of depression and cognitive impairment. Finally, I advised them to encourage smokers to switch to snus or electronic cigarettes which reduces smoking-related disease by 99% and eliminates the SHS concerns.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ASH_Scotland_Tobacco_Control_Strategy_Consultation

 

[Little Girl]

Thanks for pointing out the survey! I took it, too, and just kept filling out the comment sections with repeated advice to not try to force people to do or not do things, and instead try offering them a viable alternative that they will enjoy. After all, you catch more flies with honey...

 

[rothenbj]

Ditto here. Why do these people believe that strong arming will ever get smokers to quit. I just became more belligerent when I was smoking. Now that I don't, I'm even more belligerent since I've found that I could have saved a lot of money trying to quit if the government had just been honest the last two or three decades.

I did agree that they should work with others on methods to encourage people to get off cigarettes because we know people really have a desire to. However, it shouldn't be "health" organizations (like ASH) that they work with. Work with the smokers, is that such a difficult concept?

TV had a special on their cheap 510 kits when I bought some juice last week. I picked up four of them. I'm getting more and more people asking about vaping. I'll sell them to anyone serious with the warning that they're cheap. It'll cost them about the cost of a carton of smokes to give it a try. I might even buy them back if they don't like or if they get a better model, replace the mouthpiece and keep recycling them.

 

[Little Girl]

Ditto here. Why do these people believe that strong arming will ever get smokers to quit. I just became more belligerent when I was smoking.

Agreed. Any time anyone tried to talk me out of smoking, I went into, "A-la-la-la-la-la I can't hear you!" mode. If someone had tried to force me to quit, I would have come out fighting big time. I'm angry on behalf of smokers for what New York is doing to them by putting that ridiculous tax on cigarettes in an effort to supposedly get them to quit (which is actually an effort to line their own pockets with blood money).

Now that I don't, I'm even more belligerent since I've found that I could have saved a lot of money trying to quit if the government had just been honest the last two or three decades.

Ah, you mean from trying various quit smoking methods they promoted? I never really did. I took one look at the offerings and knew instinctively that they wouldn't work on me. I did try cold turkey, but that was horrible and frightening 8-o, so I never tried it again.

I did agree that they should work with others on methods to encourage people to get off cigarettes because we know people really have a desire to. However, it shouldn't be "health" organizations (like ASH) that they work with. Work with the smokers, is that such a difficult concept?

I agree and disagree on this one. The idea of anyone who wants to help smokers working with actual smokers is brilliant, and is the way it should be done. My reason for hesitating to recommend it is that organizations like ASH and the government don't actually have the welfare of the smokers at heart, so I simply don't trust them to do a good job.