Another case of smoke and mirrors
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 Last night's discussion on Talksport showed that politicians such as Peter Mandelson (Labour), Mike Penning (Conservative) and Norman Lamb (Lib Dem) are not alone in questioning the need for a ban on the display of tobacco in shops. We know that small retailers are opposed to the idea, and finally it seems that consumers (smokers and non-smokers) are alive to the threat.
Irrespective of the current financial climate, the arguments in favour of a ban are incredibly weak. For example, for all their huffing and puffing, ASH is unable to provide any evidence that a ban will improve the health of the nation. Likewise a ban on cigarette vending machines, or 10-packs, or the introduction of plain packaging. It's taken a while, but the message is finally getting through that the antis point of sale campaign is little more than smoke and mirrors.
Out of sight, out of mind, they chorus. It's a nice slogan but that's all it is. The use of recreational drugs is rife - despite being "out of sight". And just because we see something in a shop or supermarket, it doesn't mean we want to buy it. Do they really think people are that stupid or gullible?
Questions are also being asked in the mainstream media. Writing in the Sunday Times at the weekend, Rod Liddle, former editor of the Today programme, commented:
"Remarkably there is no hard evidence that banning the display of fags will have the remotest effect upon the numbers of people smoking. The government’s own study reports that in the only countries where this has been tried out [Iceland and Canada] ... the evidence is at best 'speculative', ie, there is no evidence at all."
Of course, such is the quasi-religious determination that drives the anti-smoking agenda, the lack of hard evidence never seems to matter. In fact, when asked to provide evidence that a display ban will work, the stock response is to declare that of course it will work! Confidence is everything. Facts are irrelevant.
As we know, this is a deliberate tactic designed to steamroller weak or compliant politicians who have neither the time nor the will to question the arguments or engage in proper debate. It's bar room politics where the "winner" is the side with the loudest, most confident voice - and the ear of government.
We've highlighted this many times but it bears repeating, over and over again. Writing in the Guardian in July 2006, Deborah Arnott, director of ASH, commented:
"It is essential that campaigners create the impression of inevitable success. Campaigning of this kind is literally a confidence trick: the appearance of confidence both creates confidence and demoralises the opposition."
The difference in 2008 is that some politicians and some journalists are alive to this trick. Or they should be - because we're doing everything we can to alert them. Indeed, if you do nothing else this year, please send a copy of Arnott's article, highlighting the relevant passage above, to your constituency MP. Send a short covering letter and request a reply. The link is HERE.
It's too early to celebrate but it would be nice to think that the tide is beginning to turn. Oh, to be a fly on Deborah Arnott's wall this week.
Reader Comments (5)
All this talk about vending machines and their worth is taking everyones' eyes off the ball. The issue here is a smoking ban based on a gigantic FRAUD. The evidence for the SHS con should be brought home to politicians over and over until they see that they were misled. A slight understatement.
They need to know the truth that there shouldn't even be a smoking ban, let alone the nit-picking details of vending machines , displays etc. as though we accept that it's all done and dusted. Bringing them all back to the all important criminally manipulated evidence
presented to the Government by the extremists who are now taking control.
Yes, Zitori. Your message is the important one.
Doubters should combine it with the knowledge that moderate smoking does not harm anyone and is beneficial to health. It is not for nothing that it has been popular for all these years. The all powerful pharmaceutical companies have ALWAYS used it as the basis for their medications. Check their prescriptions for the chemical names 'Niacin', Nicotinic Acid, Vitamen B3 - all are Nicotine. It was they who started this war against smoking a long time ago. People who choose to smoke tend not to need these drugs.
The 'ABHORRENT TOAD' is a slimy creature.
I am fed up with writing to my constituency MP so decided to write to a number of Conservative MP's, on the basis that more of them voted against the total ban, than those in other parties. Here is the note I put with the piece from the Guardian:
Dear All
I realise this is a lengthy piece, but would urge you to read it, nonetheless as it is Ash's own admission that government ministers were conned into even considering the smoking ban.
Now, with all the ugly, empty once licensed premises boarded up, the abuse of smokers, which is seen as a right to be condoned, the segregation and the dire straits many businesses are now in as a direct result of this ban, perhaps it is about time that groups like ASH were exposed for what they are - Con Artists.
There are other reports from ASH themselves, admitting to barefaced lies with regard to the smoking ban and how they have fooled MP's!
As representatives of the people, surely it is your duty to investigate this major con, to admit, where applicable, to being conned and to start to do something about putting it right? Currently I am urging others to protest vote at the next General Election, as I, and many others, have little or no faith in the 3 main parties and the option for many is to protest vote or not vote. Obviously, this is just one issue, but one that has hugely impacted adversely on many, myself included, resulting in now being on long medication that I was never on before the ban! It is also worth noting that many medicines actually contain nicotine and Vitamin B3 is, in fact, nicotine!
I look forward to your responses.
So far I have had one response from :
Thank you for your email. I shall pass this onto Anne.
Best wishes,
Richard Talbot
Office of Anne Milton MP
Member of Parliament for Guildford
Shadow Minister for Health
Better than I expected though!
The reply to Lyn's letter shows that when confronted with the truth about their propaganda on smoking govt bodies cant and dont know what to do or say.
I can just imagine Milton's lackey on reading the letter throwing it into his lackey's in tray marked 'for acknowledgement' and then forwarding it on to the recycling sack.
And then if they happened to get more than a comfortable number of such letters Anne the MP would be informed, consult her manual marked 'needing personal signature' and throwing it into her PR secretary's in box marked 'show concerned reply' before heading off to parliament to vote with the party on the latest diktat.