I turely understand their point of view, but what I think, and also a lot of others my age think would be a better idea, is that instead of making the cigarrets price higher, they just have to have more security than they do. The shops will NEED ID and such, because that also makes it humiliating to try buying a pack and get regected.
I also think about all the retired people. If they are smokers too, they are allowed to buy their cigarrets without having to worrie to much about their money. They only have the money that is left in their savings. Some are richer than others, but the poor once who just wants to enjoy their last years with a cigarret in their hand, will have it harder and some even money troubles. Don't we have to think about them as well?
Smoking is a choise. I chose it... I know all the effects it has, and what it can cause. I don't need a lectior of that. But the thing is, these cigarrets helps me through the day. Not because its an addiction, but I smoke instead of selfharming. It calms me when my anxiety gets too much. It makes me look more positiv at the world. It is somehow my daily drug.
After people have read my statments, they'll probably answer crossly back and say "well, the underaged will just ask one of their older friends or family members to buy the cigarrets for them!". And yes, we probably will. But don't you think its better to let people make their own foolish choises? You can tru to teach your cat not to shit on the floor. Maybe it woundn't do it again, maybe it will. Of course we can't compare ourselfs to cats, but try to see where I'm coming from.
Ironicly cigarrets saved my life. Its the thing that gets me through the day. I hate and love them at the same time.
This smoking stuff wouldn't be an issue, if smoking wasn't unhealthy. But what about candy? That is very unhealthy too. Maybe mire than we think. So why do we allow overweight people to buy more candy or cakes? Because we aren't the once to tell them not to. It's their choise. Some actually want to be overweight, believe it or not, and some(I think moste of them) don't want to be overweight.
What I am trying to say, and maybe you've already stopped reading this, because its just the same things I say over and over again; but what I trying to say is, it wont help anyone to higher the price of a pack of cigarrets. Young people will still be smoking. It is actually more about the culture, friends, family and schools.
The boarding school I went to, there no one was allowed to smoke, not even the teachers while they were at the school. Some of the teachers did though(of course) but many of them didn't. I smoked while I lived there. Me and my friends who were also smokers, we found spots around the neighborhood where it was "safe" for us to smoke. If a teacher caut us smoking we would be sendt home for a week to think about what we had done. They would tell our parents and such. If we got busted smoking inside the school building, we would be expelled. The thing is, not all of the schools are as stricht as our was. My school wasn't even that stricht at all. But some. Of these boarding schools has these rules but don't follow through with them. I think my point is, that schools has a huge responsobility. For example: the public schools. The one I attended sucked ass, and is the reason of my depression, eating disorder, selfharm and anxiety... Enough about me, the school sucks ass, but I think... If the school board had this rule for all schools in denmark, public or private, you will have to have a signed note from your parents telling the school that they allow their child to smoke at recces etc. but if a boy or girl smokes without having this signed paiper, the school will have to call their parents and tell them what they have observed. Some of these teens will hide as I did, and that makes it harder to smoke. If you have to walk a long way to be sure not to get busted, so wont smoke as much. So actually quit. It just isn't worth it.
In Denmark a lot of young underaged people smoke. Some only do it at parties, some do it when they feel like it, some do it when they are in the right company and some, las myself, smoke everyday to "survive". We will never be able to stop youngsters from making this bad choise. We can never stop it. What many girls follow is fashion. Some thinks its fashion to smoke, and that is then their reason to do it. The media has a huge impact on teenagers, so we cant only blame the teens friends, culture and such, we also have to blame some of it on the media.
There are a lot of girls who see these comercials everyday, the TV screen is filled with underweight girls who gets the sexy boy, and she can wear any dress, jeans, jacket or top she wishes, because of her too skinny body. Some girls start to smoke in the hope of loosing weight.
I noticed I have written a little too much now. My hands are shaking(and no, it is not because of my cigarret addiction!)
Hope it was time well spent on reading this... Otherwise I am sorry, and no you will never get the time back you spent on reading this.
