The ridiculous idea that ads from the 1950s are influencing modern smokers to such an extent that we have to have plain packaging to sort it has been well fisked elsewhere.
All I can add is the observation that if modern teenagers are influenced by advertising that was seen only by their grandparents or great-grandparents (these ads were even before I was born), then modern pseudoscience has a whole new field of inherited vision to pretend it’s studying and advertisers will be delighted to hear about this.
Plus, of course, this:
She [The Dreadful Arnott] added: ‘We need plain packaging of cigarettes. Attractive “pretty” packets make cigarettes appealing to women, but there is a big price to pay.’
Ladies of the world, listen up. Deborah Arnott has stated that you are too dim to understand what might be inside a packet and you will buy it because of the packet, not the contents. All it takes to get you to open your purse is a shiny box with ‘Death!’ written on it.
That’s what she thinks of you. She thinks you are all just as stupid as she is.
Meanwhile, Smoking Hot has found a loony to play with. The story this originates from concerns a shop selling imported tobacco. Not fake or dodgy baccy, but imported.
Selling foreign-bought baccy is illegal. You can bring in as much as you want for your own use but the sale of tobacco in the UK attracts UK duty and VAT and dodging that is illegal. Nothing2Declare makes that clear. They will assist you in bringing home tobacco for your own use but they do nothing illegal and will not help smugglers.
The same applies if you grow your own. If you sell it (the finished product) and don’t pay the duty, you are breaking the law. So don’t sell it. Give away seeds and plants instead. You can even sell plants and seed if you like because they aren’t smokable and therefore not taxable. The finished product is taxable when sold.
Looking again at the article though, we see this:
He also pleaded guilty to seven trademark and video recording offences for the possession for sale of illegal counterfeit DVDs and tobacco.
He was selling copied DVDs but the tobacco wasn’t counterfeit. It was bought abroad. That does not stop the liars though…
Maddy Ratnett, of HMRC, said: “Low-cost tobacco and alcohol products can often seem very attractive to people, who are lured into purchasing them at what seems like a bargain price.
“However, the truth is these goods have been smuggled and are unregulated, so often contain harmful chemicals.
Unregulated? No other country has any regulations? Yes, they were smuggled and sold illegally but that does not mean they are faked products. There’s no need to fake them when you can buy the real thing so cheaply anywhere in the EU. Oh, the fakes will come and they will increase in number but for now, all any smuggler has to do is cover the cost of driving over to Europe in his van and possibly greasing a palm or two on the way back.
It was 2005 when I first heard the line that ‘tobacco bought abroad is dangerous’ as if it’s any different to the stuff sent here by the same companies. It’s still being spouted and still being believed.
“Those involved are not concerned if they are selling to children and underage young people and the illicit trade has a devastating impact on legitimate retailers and the local community.”
All perfectly true. So why are the government creating the conditions that encourage such activity, the same conditions that led to the rise of Al Capone?
Are they totally stupid? Sorry, silly question…
They are creating the conditions that lead to crime because they want a certain level of crime,
a crime level that they regard as manageable and that does not threaten them but that allows them to use the police power against criminals and against anyone they deem as suspects.
Over at Orphans of Liberty there was a recent post about police not being able to keep property taken from people who weren’t convicted of theft.
Well of course they shouldn’t be able to take such property, as the blogger over there said, but the idea that suspects, not just convicts, can be punished seeps slowly into the public consciousness.
It’s one of the ways they keep the vast majority compliant.
To recap: they create the conditions that lead to crime because they want a certain level of crime.
Throughout history and still today many governments have viewed their own populations as the enemy. Of course in the UK and EU the situation is not the same as in Syria, but it doesn’t need to be. They keep us compliant without needing violence but by smaller and subtler steps.
One of those steps is creating crime and sometimes harrassing people.
I think we should rechristen plain packs to something in honour of favourite nannies Nicola, Simon and Deb. Perhaps we can call all plain packs a packet of “Roxons,” or “Chapmans,” or “Arnotts.” Likewise, we should start saying “I’m stepping out for a ‘Deb.’” Or perhaps, “I’m just rolling up a ‘Simon’ now, mate.”
We should honour them appropriately. Do feel free to make further suggestions, improvements, etc. Maybe we can have a vote or something, real democratic-like.
I’m not a tobacco company, but if I was, my design department would be preparing for the release of packs labelled ‘Twenty Arnott’s’ even now…
“Ladies of the world, listen up. Deborah Arnott has stated that you are too dim to understand what might be inside a packet and you will buy it because of the packet, not the contents. All it takes to get you to open your purse is a shiny box with ‘Death!’ written on it.
That’s what she thinks of you. She thinks you are all just as stupid as she is.”
Given how many of my female colleagues read ‘Heat’ and ‘Hello’, I’m not entirely sure the Dreadful Arnott isn’t on to something here…
Jay
Good idea.
How about putting posters on the doors of closed pubs.
“Closed by the actions of Deborah Arnott and ASH”
Non-smokers have had their social lives ruined too, they might be interested in why, if they haven’t worked it out already.
Mad Rat Net?
Wow.