Recently, (or years ago. I forget.) the Government raised the age of being able to legally buy cigarettes from 16 to 18. This was done in the hopes that young people will find it more difficult to obtain cigarettes and thus, prevent them from smoking.
Not only did they raise the age of buying cigarettes, they raised the age to buy any nicotine containing products and smoking paraphernalia (lighters, cigarette papers, filtres / tips, etc).
Now that 16 / 17 year old who was quitting The Satan Sticks without putting themselves through the horror that is "cold turkey" can't...unless they talk their parent/s into buying their choice of Nicotine Replacement Therapy for them.
I'm sure that request will go down just as well as "Could you buy me some cigarettes, mum?"!
They [the Government] want us all to quit smoking. A few months ago, they were considering making it illegal to display cigarettes behind the counter of shops; the packets would be held under the counter.
They're all for England to stop smoking but don't seem to be helping.
The price of Nicotine Replacement Therapy products is disgusting. Britain, you really want to help your people to quit smoking? Lower the price. Remove the VAT from the NRT products and raise the VAT of cigarettes to something MUCH higher. How about almost £10 for a pack of ten (currently between £4 and £6, depending on your chosen brand)?
And, please God please, make it easier to get hold of NRT products. This is the best thing you could do! My chosen method of NRT is the Inhalator, which I can buy in a whole of three shops in Plymouth. None of which are near me.
And I'm running out.
Couldn't agree with you more Li, the government really needs to pull their finger out their ass.
About Nicotine Replacement Therapy products I was told once they're obtainable through the NHS(?)