Iceland Considers Prescription-only Cigarettes

Iceland is considering banning the sale of cigarettes and making them a prescription-only product.
The parliament in Reykjavik is to debate a proposal that would outlaw the sale of cigarettes in normal shops. Only pharmacies would be allowed to dispense them – initially to those aged 20 and up, and eventually only to those with a valid medical certificate.

The radical initiative is part of a 10-year plan that also aims to ban smoking in all public places, including pavements and parks, and in cars where children are present. Iceland also wants to follow Australia's lead by forcing tobacco manufacturers to sell cigarettes in plain, brown packaging plastered with health warnings rather than branding.

Under the mooted law, doctors will be encouraged to help addicts kick the habit with treatments and education programmes. If these do not work, they may prescribe cigarettes.

So what do you guys think of this? I see it as good and/or bad and am reminded of Hitler's first program for a better society by providing anti-smoking propaganda. Considering how one's personal choice though can cost the rest of society in health costs is one injustice I suppose. I did not realize Australia had brown bagged cigs and I will check into their numbers to determine any positive effects.

"Under our plan, smokers who are given prescriptions will be diagnosed as addicts, and we don't think the government should tax addicts."

Well that is some deterring,not everyone wants to be considered an addict, especially on paper.

"We also want the government to license cigarettes like a medicine, which would mean they would have to go through the same rigorous trials as any other drug. I doubt cigarettes would ever get on the market now that we know the side-effects – lung cancer, heart attacks, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."

Medicine huh? Maybe they could make a healthier cig, but that still seems like an oxymoron to me.

Iceland has successfully halved smoking rates over the past 20 years. In 1991, 30% of the population smoked; today, only about 15% light up regularly, according to Baldursdottir, giving it the lowest smoking rates in Europe.

This success is attributed to huge increases in tobacco tax, which accounts for about 25% of the pack price, as well as the drop in disposable income among islanders since the financial crash of 2008.

Other countries have gone further. Bhutan has completely outlawed smoking and Finland hopes to follow suit by 2040.

Swedish surgeons now refuse to operate on smokers until they give up, because of the deleterious effect smoking has on the healing process, Gudnason added.

Source
25% tax, yea that might make some quit. Here in the US we have rates as high as 17% and I see no evidence of this curtailing smoking, significantly.
I kind of agree with the Swedes refusing to operate until a smoker gives up, what better detterent than that? Of course I would hope they would operate first and then maybe charge a fee if you pick up smoking again, and then refuse treatment. Does that sound fascist? I hope not. Let freedom ring unless your habits cost the rest of us I guess.
Outlawing smoking? Hmmm, what do you all think of that? The black market would love this new probably.

Peace,
spec

Cigarettes are legal. Period.

You go to the doctor, and according to this law, he/she HAS to first prescribe you pharmaceuticals to aide in quitting.

***nice payout for the big Pharma right off the bat***

Next, after you try several different prescriptions to help you quit, then you can go back and get your cigarette prescription.

Basically, all they have done with this law is to make it mandatory that smokers are forced to take several presciptions with all kinds of side effects before they can once again smoke,

Makes perfect sense to me. Why don't they just make it illegal if they are so concerned about our well-being? Oh yeah, way too much money to be paid. And now, they added Pharma companies to the ones that can profit instead of just the government.

This is progress people.

reply to post by lpowell0627

Makes perfect sense to me. Why don't they just make it illegal if they are so concerned about our well-being? Oh yeah, way too much money to be paid. And now, they added Pharma companies to the ones that can profit instead of just the government.

Touche' on that! And yea, the side effects from these pharmies could only cause more ailments that need treating. I guess I am only fooling myself to think the gov is looking out for societies best interest, versus a money making opportunity. I was hoping Iceland gov could be different, but maybe not.
Still though, I see a genuine concern with having to pay health costs for other's decision to make them selves ill, potentially. But I'm not sure if it works the same in Iceland as it does here in the US. Perhaps an ailment is an ailment and deserves being treated regardless. As a semi-smoker(quit every week) I am a touch biased for smokers, so it makes sense to raise taxes on tobacco products to supplement any extra health costs as a result, but this other stuff, I am suspicious of.

spec

And again it's the smokers that are attacked, and the lobbying tobacco industrialists that ad chemicals and who knows what else to make it more addictive walks free.

I though Iceland had become progressive instead of moronic.

reply to post by Grey Magic


I hear ya, man I wish people could just grow their own tobacco, and the fact that they can't just shows how twisted the whole thing is. Heck I'd even pay taxes on a garden plot if necessary, but take all of those chemicals and lobbyist out of the scene! It'll never happen though, too much dough to be made.

spec

I'm not a smoker, but I'm sure they'll outlaw chew (snus) soon enough... *Sigh* Us adults needs a guardian too, since we don't know how to take care of ourselves.

On a side note though: HAHAHA in your face big tobacco companies!

Heck NY is trying to ban electronic cigarettes but KEEPING THE REAL ONES!

It's all about money. I imagine here in NY they haven't found a way to tax the hell out of the e-cigs (which are safe and smoke free) like they can regular smokes and the various drugs/patches/gum.

IMO we'll be seeing prescription only cigarettes here as soon as the FedGod figures out the most advantageous way to tax.

that would be great especially if the cigarettes were banned from around the world. THe cigarettes are not only bad for you but also for the environment. Why pollute the earth?

I knew about this over a month ago but couldn't post about it as I was away at the time.

This isn't through yet and its very opposed by most people. I don't like the air around me polluted ,
but making it a prescribtion wouldn't really solve much and its utterly draconian in nature.

Who's going to enforce this if it goes through? Would there be nicotine drug raids?

There should be other ways ,better ways to keep the air clean for those who don't smoke.
Free choice and technology to support it would be an ideal approach in this situation.