Gasp launches smokefree by 2040 campaign
Tuesday 24th May 2011, 2:29PM BST.
Launching the six-step programme to make Guernsey smokefree are Alun Williams and Vidya Amey, pictured at Mes Amis Preschool with Daniel Neville, 4, and Lottie Hamon, 3. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 1139124)
BANNING tobacco is not the way to make Guernsey smokefree, according to Gasp chairman Alun Williams.
The Guernsey Adolescent Smokefree Project yesterday launched its new campaign to make the island smokefree by 2040, which would mean less than 5% of the population being smokers within 30 years.
Mr Williams said it was important that the public gave up smoking voluntarily.
‘It is a challenge, but it will certainly not be impossible,’ he said.
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I would be interested to know what GASP define as a “smoker.” On special social occasions I like to enjoy a cigar with friends, I know I’m not alone in this. Does that statistically make me (and my fellow cigar lovers) a “smoker” I wonder?
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Paul Le Page
Don’t think that is a little naive, to ask if you’re a smoker.
You don’t cook it, then eat it, it doesn’t play tunes’
What it does actually, is gets smoked, and by the one who lights one end to an idiot at the other end..
Are you still in doubt??
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I smoke weed but only in spliffs n bongs. I have never smoked fags. does this make me a smoker to? I do smoke everyday tho!
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Paul Le Page – you are a smoker, no two ways about it!!!!!!!
I will be pretty much dead by 2040 I guess. Just as well really, wouldn’t particularly want to live without my half a dozen cigarettes a day.
They say that if you don’t drink and you don’t smoke you live longer, but that isn’t actually true – it just feels like it!
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Why are they wasting time doing all this? It makes huge amounts of money in tax for the States.
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Islander – rather than pontificating why don’t you consider thinking about my question in it’s context?
My query was simply this – when setting this target, how do/will GASP statistically define smokers? That’s hardly naive, especially when you consider some insurance companies do not count casual cigar smokers as “smokers” when quoting for life insurance.
I’m happy to say I’m a cigar smoker, this was a simple matter of questioning statistics.
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Just ban the sale of Ciggys? Or make it law to not smoke? I will then have to give up as it is no longer my choice then.
If that is the way things are going then why not make it illegal to take drugs? If we did that then no one would do it?
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If they’re going to ban tobacco they should ban alcohol too. It causes the same if not more problems. Then with these super-injunctions and all that they should take our freedom of speech. Ban us from using cars, put CCTV in our homes…
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Oooh actually I could do with a fag now
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Paul Le Page
I find it quite annoying when people try to wriggle out of an answer given, it being the truth-
Then you try giving answers exactly how Governments do
I don’t give monkeys*****what words you use, or try to set your opinion over.
You asked Am I a smoker?
My answer was yes you are smoker.
What’s your blaze about?
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Islander – whatever you say, my question was clear enough.
Never mind, I refuse to get drawn into a tit for tat “blaze” with you over trifles, and since neither of us gives a “monkeys*****” about each other’s opinions anyway let’s just call it quits eh?
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WhatThe – In fairness to GASP they have indicated their campaign is to encourage people to give up smoking voluntarily.
Note that “smokefree” is a rather misleading term, at the very least it’s certainly not literal. According to the article, it means a population where 5% or less of the population are smokers. In Guernsey that would mean roughly 3250 or less.
If nothing else, this indicates to me that a blanket ban will not be pursued as it is acknowledged that smoking will continue to some degree.
In my view this is a wise move. Legislation will not stop tobacco smoking, in the same way it hasn’t stopped people taking hard drugs. All it will do is drive it underground.
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All…
Do you know that last year alone the UK took revenue of over 10 billion pounds from smokers, and that would be much more if they didn’t have such a problem with counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco, I believe it’s somewhere around 50% of tobacco products in the UK are fake and there for not taxed, so that would mean the revenue could double to 20 billion a year (for those of you who don’t know what a 20 billion looks like: £20,000,000,000.00) , now if everyone was to stop using tobacco products that revenue would be lost and would have to be made up across all other taxable services/goods. 20 billion divided over the 60 million people in the UK; amounts to £333.00 each extra in taxes a year (note that this figure would actually be much higher because of the children, unemployed and OAPs who do not pay tax). I have done this study on the UK as they publish their revenue made on tobacco, but these figures scaled down should work out the same anywhere in Europe, as we all roughly have the same percentage of smokers to population.
…Oh and before you start banging on about the “cost” to government with regards to “apparent” smoking relating illnesses, these costs are a small percentage of the revenues collected hence why no Government in the world would ever criminalise the use of tobacco products. In short the financial gains far out-way the “possibility” of health implications.
I really am bored now…
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To no one in particular;
So it’s alright to see people die, or the very least suffer some of the terrible illness from in this case smoking.
All this so long as someone some where is making money.
No point in arguing is there?
people will never change
But what does matter is that some people do try to help, they are scorned, well it’s nothing new, But to say it makes money is a kick in the groin–then to add illness is comparatively cheap.
I just can’t believe that people can be so callous.
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Islander – the problem with these debates is that well meaning organisations like GASP demonise people who choose to smoke.
We now live in a society where adjectives such as smoker, drinker, motorist etc are used to make it sound like people are somehow wrong, evil, anti-social etc.
If goverment(s) really want to stop the majority using tobacco products then the only way is to ban it compeltely.
There is absolutely no point fannying around one way or the other.
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Islander – after our little spat let’s hope we can both discuss this point with civility.
I agree with you that any efforts to stop (especially young) people smoking are of course welcomed and the efforts of GASP are indeed to be commended.
I must confess one thing though. Everyone is well aware, and has been aware for decades, that smoking carries health risks – yet despite that people still continue smoking.
Given that they have pretty much said they won’t pursue the legislative route, I’m not really quite sure how much more GASP can do to change that? Packs of cigarettes have “SMOKING KILLS” plastered all over them – you can’t be any clearer than that eh?
Take my case for example – I am still relatively young (mid 30s) and am well aware of the health risks of smoking. Despite that I am happy to puff on a cigar on a special occasion – usually less than once a year.
I am not an ignorant man (at least not in this case!) – I have simply made a calculated choice that the pleasure this small amount of smoking gives me far outweighs the risk of that volume of tobacco consumption.
I’m sure there are others like me who have made a similar calculated choice. I’m struggling to see what GASP can do (short of making it illegal) to change this behaviour.
I’d be interested to know your thoughts?
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Paul Le Page
You are fortunate that you don’t suffer from addictive tendencies like many do. Lucky you.
A high percentage of people who enjoy something will seek to partake in that pleasure giving product or exercise as often as possible.
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To Paul.
It is exactly that which you say(write) is the concern,
You made it short and right Even Shakespeare remarked that
“An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told.”
I will endeavour to say some of the ills that come from smoking, It is only natural for people to cry it down, as I did “not me I said, alas I was heard, and yes i got it all.”
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Paul Le Page.
I thank you for a nice answer well thought out and no tearing of the Hair, for that I thank you.
I do not try to influence anyone, we humans are lucky, of all things we do and say, we free to have our own thoughts, (in spite of brutal forces that attempted to stop it all.
This blog proves that, (to a point I notice some of my notes are not put on here–Tut tut Press you had good men during the occupation for defending the right to free speech- has that been stopped.?
Anyway Paul Le Page, I too smoked quite a bit.
When I was a bout 60 years old nor thereabouts I one day woke up and couldn’t keep my eyes open, had pains in my left shoulder, running up mostly to neck,
In was desperate, arrived at hospital, then after three hours of test received a ‘Jab’within five minutes I could open my eyes and stay open.
The verdicT had something I had never ever heard about ‘Myastenia Gravis’ Look it up it explains it better.
Well many years passed by and I was taking at times over 20 tablets of various typpes and strength. time passed (years)And I was told I was quite well again.
I had by now given up smoking.
Anyway quite happy to be on the road to recovery.. then Wham! one night 3 am to be exact I found I couldn’t breath, I was desperate, an ambulance took me to hospital and on the way I received Oxygen. I lay in hospital for 9 weeks. I has contracted COLS, Angina, Astma and a few other things to keep others company.
Today I take heart tablets, I have a pacemaker, I have a Inhaler which I must use at least four times day.
I have a portable one as well, but to go on holiday is out of the question.
I still enjoy life, I can only blame myself.
I keep busy with writing short stories,
A story about the occupation – things that amuse me.
Paul I must admit I’m not down hearted (you can’t be if it’s self inflicted.
So there you are, sorry if it’s a bit long winded, but a few words cannot really tell the dreadful happenings that can come from smoking-
And of course no law can ever be made to stop smoking- but more advertising about illness that comes from smoking might help.
En Passant; Paul Le Page any relation to a wonderful old school mate of mine, died I think about a year ago He was from Grande Rocque Norman Le Page was he.
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This one please! :-)
Paul
Thankfully I don’t but that wasn’t always the case. I used to be hooked on gambling but praise God that’s no longer the case – so I do have some understanding about addiction.
In regards to cigar smoking, I always take care not to smoke a cigar around children or those few people who might consider me a role model. The same applies to alcohol. I’m not saying I always get it right, though.
As you know pretty much anything can be addictive, from cigarettes to computer games; alcohol to exercise – even debating on this forum can be compulsive. Of course the damage done by substance misuse is far more visible but that doesn’t make other addictions any less harmful to the individual and those close to them.
The question as always remains how to deal with such things – prohibition or regulation. Having personal experience of gambling addiction, I would rather see the gambling industry legal and heavily regulated than illegal and underground. At least that way tax proceeds can (or at least should) be used to help those who sadly find themselves addicted.
The same applies to tobacco, and I am increasingly wondering whether it shouldn’t also apply to cannabis – although I haven’t yet made up my mind on that one.
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It is not the banning of smoking that bothers me as such, it is the broader question of what gives people the right to impose their beliefs on others.
Everyone knows smoking is bad for you – so are most things that people enjoy. Surely people should be free to make their own chices and mistakes.
It feels to me like there is a new wave of puritanism sweeping the land. The busy bodies who would once have thumped on bibles and told us to mend our ways cannot get away with that any more as most of us are indifferent about religion. Instead their moral indignation has been channeled into telling people what they can and cannot do on the grounds of health and safety.
I for one intend to remain a ‘health and safety atheist’.
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People should be able to do as they choose so long as it does not impinge on the lives of others.
The trouble with smoking is that it does impinge on the lives of others – malodorous and noxious fumes and litter.
Therefore a smoking ban in outdoor public spaces is what is needed, which would strike an appropriate balance between the competing interests of smokers and non-smokers.
I don’t have too much sympathy for smokers anyway because, unlike drinking where the first taste of alcohol for many is pleasant, it takes effort and persistence by a meek and easily led person to like smoking in the first place.
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Guernsey smokefree by 2040?
Guernsey will be Guern free by 2040.
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CD;
I really don’t think people try to force their beliefs on you, or anyone else for that matter, that is an impossible achievement.
When we were *made* we like many machines these days had a safety valve built into our system, it’s called ‘willpower’
It’s a wonderful thing, the only fault I see in it is the failure of many to use it- therefore soft words and skillful talking can defuse your safety valve.
As for remaining an Atheist is simply wild talk.
Think it over; and hopefully for your sake you do remain Healthy. but be careful for even that is not under your control
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Well put Islander – but the point is whether or not a person uses their own will power is down to them, not someone else.
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More people DIE in Guernsey through tobacco smoking related problems than they do for instance; Terrorism, Car Accidents, Murders, Rapes,Plane crashes, Extra Terrestial Abductions,Meteorite Strikes, bee and jelly fish stings,Gas leaks, Shark attacks,Suicides,etc
COMBINED. Ban it in 2040 ?
Ban it tommorow I say.
Future genarations will laugh at the way we have handled this filthy habit which mistakingly gets called freedom of choice by self destructing idiots.
You might want to kill yourself, but your children and grandchildren will not thank you when you are gone.
My Dad died 20 years after giving up as it was still in his lungs that were shot.
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PW Fudgedonut
I sure hope so!!
Tired of these Guerns, man. Tired, tired, TIRED!
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If I want to kill myself, I jolly well will – it is no business of yours!
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CD – you talk as if this neo-puritanism is stopping you smoking.
It is not, it is just stopping you smoking next to others in a public place.
If I was inclined to do so I would be free to defecate where I like in my own home. In public, there are rules restricting where I can do it – both legal and out of common decency. The issue with smoking in public is that the idea if what is common decency is changing and the laws are catching up because what the majority now find offensive and unpleasant (when carried out next to them, as opposed to in private) still seems perfectly normal to others and so those smokers have no problem with doing it next to strangers. That is why laws are required and why “freedom of choice” simply leads to the minority negatively affecting the majority.
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Billythefish,
You’re lucky, you’ve only had to put up with the -’Guerns’ as you call em for a few years.
We’ve been unlucky since 1300s. and still you stick like …. to blanket-
So what’s stopping going back to to the land of Hope and glory Eh?
You know and we know why; Islanders have spoilt you lot, my advice!!!
Bye Bye.
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Terry – trust me on this I’d find you having a dump next to me far more anti social and offensive than someone firing up a pipe.
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this topic has been a nice easy job for some. and i still see so many young people smoking. a lot of salaries have been payed out, and really a failure.
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Oh dear were not going to go through this one all over again are we?.
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First off – stating my position – I am a smoker (gasps all round!), and I get through about 6 a day. So that is now logged in the members interests book.
I quite agree with the banning of smoking inside public areas, pubs, restaurants, offices etc. where there are people visiting/working who don’t smoke. It isn’t the most social habit in the world really. Smoking outside in say a beer garden I think is fine – you’re not going to get lung cancer from the concentrations hanging around in even the mildest breeze. What worries me is the creeping legislation that gets voted in by the powers that be because of pressure groups such as GASP and ASH (in the UK). They start by banning one thing and then start to move onto the next one on their list. We started with bans in cinemas, moved onto planes, then onto offices, then onto pubs and even work vehicles with one person in them (fishing boats included!). So far reasonably logical. But, now these have been consigned to history as a place to smoke the pressure groups have to move onto the next one on their list. Talk of banning smoking in personal cars with children as passengers is now mooted – on the surface fairly logical. Then what? If you ban smoking in a car with children in it isn’t much of a leap to ban it in the house if there are children in it. The list goes on (probably). I can’t see the anti smoking lobbies relying on education for the next 20 or so years to reduce smoking. They will press for as much legislation as possible.
Just a thought.
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More Nanny state Diktats.
Come 2040 when GASP has achieved its’ goal of a smokefree Island what next will be in their cross-hairs? They’ve got to stay in the media lime light, after all don’t they know what’s best for us?
Well I predict bans on chips, burgers, ice cream or any food over a certain fat content will be in their sights next, if not already.
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The problem with ‘GASP’ is that they try the old fashioned scare method- in fact they really don’t have much clue as to drive a campaign, or how useful a well thought out campaign can be.
Instead of breathing fire and brimstone and all sorts of scary tales, they should tell all about what to expect after a period of smoking.
They have no right to try and brain wash people, or to use any method to substantiate their claims on smoking—certainly not without explaining the illness that can follow.
Rational behaviour will go much further that bullying methods.
No one, not even doctors have the right to tell you what to do- They can of course as most do- advise you- take it or leave it–
No point in making a song and dance about it–
The songs have all been song—
The dance comes later.
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I think the Goverment shpould get thier facts right, and stop pickig on smokers, oh yes we know it can cause cancer, but what about all this crop spray, the stuff they inject our meats with, whats the cause now of all this Dimentia in the world, years ago it was unheard of,all the additives put in food sauces, drinks, all the microwave foodes, we never had all this years ago, we live on an island full of graqnite which causes cancer, all the nuke plants that discharge into our waters, we are all killing ourselves, so leave the smokers alone,
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I took a nice walk through town on Saturday afternoon, there were numerous people smoking in the street, occasionally some would be blown my way and I’d have to walk through a puff of smoke.
However to put that in perspective.
I was down by Fat Face about 5.00 pm and there were a group of lads probably in their early twenties, 2 of whom could barely stand, one threw up, the others were (jokingly alledgedly) threatening passers by, parents were grabbing children and having to take major avoiding actions from these drunken louts. I saw 3 people on the phone trying to get to the police(who didnt show whilst I was there), and one middle aged lady was crying.
I happened to follow one of the more drunken ones and watched him literally being held upright by a friend as they walked into another pub where he got served more alcohol.
Out of the above 2 scenarios, I know which one I’m more disturbed by, yet for whatever reason, we continue to turn a blind eye to binge drinking, menahile GASP are out in force trying to kill off smoking altogether, when lets face it, on the list of social issues that currently need sorting, it should now be very low on priorities.
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Gasp is talking about 2040 which is in 29 years time. If the attitude to smoking change as much in the next 29 years as it has in the last 29 Gasp will get what it wants and the vast majority of people by then will welcome it.
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I personally can’t wait until the smoking ban that New York implemented is filtered to the UK and here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/nyregion/03smoking.html
The next phase is to aggressively tackle the mindset behind the binge drinking culture that the UK/Gsy have.
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@ St Marcouf:
I agree completely.
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Yes, well said St Marcouf and Adam West.
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St Marcouf.
Absolutely right.
The disease caused by smoking remains embedded in the lung Tissues.
Usually the first symptoms are a disease called
‘MYASTHENIA GRAVIS’ it attacks the nerve system, quite devastaing it is takes months to get back on an even keel, but you’re never cured- it pops on now and again.
The second disease is called ‘Cols’ or ‘Kols’
Now that one is truly there to stay, there is no let up. you get so much Mucus (Phlegm) that is it is horrible you really can’t visit friends or be out long (away from home) you have to get rid of the stuff.
I have an inhaler, which I have to use 4-5 times a day using a kind of solvent called Atrovent and Ventoline.
I wouldn’t wish this affliction on anybody, it beggars belief.
Of course that’s not all you get … dear me no, you get asthma, angina (I also have a Pacemaker) Bronchitis is another little add on, you sound like some old squeeze box when at it’s worst.
But of course as many has mentioned, no one has the right to deny you that which you wish to do.
In a way it’s like a criminal, not one has the right to say stop (some may argue that)however when caught, then you then must suffer the punishment.
This smoking illnesses are a little more cruel, A criminal is after a while released.
The diseases from smoking are for life.
THERE ARE NO CURES.
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Well well
PW Fudgedonut…’at least you got the ‘NUT’ part right.
Anyway about getting rid of the Guerns, as you so call them. How do you propose to do that?
You can’t start your slave trade all over again, even you thick as you are must see that.
But we lived through worse than you ever had, come on tell us all about the Bombing, and all you did for nearly five years,
You know, (perhaps you don’t) but an awful lot of hot steam was spouted at the Palace Of Westminster; But it took the Yanks to pull you out of the toilets and get you nether regions wiped of all that accumulated there,
So come on tell us about you master plan to get rid of us. It might make interesting reading. or is as is so ofter. Just small words from Big Mouths.
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Two Words Islander:
SEEK HELP.
I was making a flippant comment on the dwindling population of REAL guernsey people. I wasn’t advocating ANY of the pap that you talk about above.
What colour is the sky in your world?
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I wasn’t talking about ethnic cleansing, slavery nor the war Islander. You seem to have a worrying preoccupation with things that are completely not relevant to what you are replying too. All I was saying that by 2040 there may well be no person in Guernsey whom you could call a real Guern. Not the topic in question either but never the less an issue of the day.
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in which case fudge, try explaining it a little better,
We don’t take kindly to your sort of flippancy, you see you have played on us for so long, that we are sick to death of your lot.
Oh yes we are aware of some of you marrying our people, then boasting I have the Island at heart, keeping fingers crossed as it is uttered.
Give me one good reason why we should be under yolk ( er flag) of the English.
You’ll soon lose Scotland, Ireland will follow, wales well now the fence is still strong enough to sit on, the trouble with you lot who assume the Island is yours is because you haven’t the guts to stand up for the land you call home, or to the invaders, so you try it out on us,
We don’t have a sling shot, but we have the will power to one day see you off, of course by then it will be too late, you’ll be the 51st or something of the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Go back from whence you came, Saxony.
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Re: bored of you lot – may 25
Just ha a google for costs to the uk of smoking and found this:
“According to the think tank, the cost of smoking is made up of the cost of treating smokers on the NHS (£2.7 billion); loss in productivity due to smoking breaks (£2.9 billion); increased absenteeism (£2.9 billion); the cost of cleaning up cigarette butts (£342 million); the cost of smoking-related fires (£507 million); and the loss in economic output from the deaths of smokers and passive smokers (£4.1 billion and £713 million respectively).”
Cost to society: 13.74 billion
Revenue earned in taxes: 10 billion
Admittedly that wa taken from a anger charity’s website but the think tank Quoted was the Policy Exchange who i assume to be relatively independent.
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Non smoker
A very large pinch of salt springs to mind.
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Non smoker!
Did they also say how they told those natives that they would enjoy a trip to America.
It appears to me that any old rag-a-m-tass can say whatever they like, and gain favour with companies.
The truth is that in all instances mentioned in this blog– people die from whatever is acceptable to these firms.
Money has become their god, and people are second class-
If just one person is saved by demonising smoking, then it’s worth the effort.
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