The bell tolls for tobacconists

@ JustThinking – I’ve already seen reports that they’re thinking about bringing in some of the ‘shock’ ads for obesity, aimed at fast food. The ads, I think already on air in the US, show people drinking glasses of congealed fat and other fairly disgusting matter.

Can you imagine the uproar, if McDonalds, KFC, Hungry Jacks etc had to lable every one of their containers with a health warning similar to that plastered on cigarette packets these days?

Back on topic though, It surprises me to no end that a tobacconist (a shop specifically created to sell tobacco products) has to cover up it’s wares, but they’re still legal to sell. I remember when supermarkets other grocery stores had to cover up their tobacco supplies and I understood – it’s because people didn’t go there specifically to buy tobacco and shouldn’t be subject to the temptation (the young, or recent quitters, I guess). But why a tobacconist?

This is such an annoying part of the legislation. I like to be able to see what the prices for different brands are, whether a carton is significantly cheaper etc. Now you feel like a nuisance even asking.

Would a printed list of brand prices/carton prices on the counter be illegal? I guess it will be soon, even if it isn’t now….

I wonder what Australia will be like it 15 years. What new things won’t we be allowed to do.

+1 Hells_Bells74, If Katie G wants to do this then it should be the same across board for Alcohol and Tobacco.

Isn’t obesity in Australia starting to outdo cigarette related issues??
What is next??
Signs on fastfood/takeaway doors or do they just hide the food???

I have to agree with Hells Bells…
With the laws in place smokers are only killing themselves (or their close friends and family I guess)
Drunks are still harming/killing heaps of people.
COVER the alcohol….makes them guess what they want to drink,,,,better still,,,,stop it being served in public places while they have their car parked outside.

Isn’t Katy a bit late??
Think she should worry more about the Mental Health of Canberra…

The only time I ever saw Stanhope in public was in the food court of the Belconnen Mall, wheeling through a Dan Murphy’s trolley, fully stocked with cases of grog (no plastic bags or cartons of smokes). On his own too.

That’d be why alcohol is still a protected species.

*TFIC*

sigh, i actually feel sorry for the smokers. OTT imo

Why don’t we just sue the government for allowing tobaccoo to be sold in the first place!

Morgan@7 +1.

Mr Stanhope, you and your miserable government have turned about 15% of the ACT population into pariahs. You didn’t need to do it this way. The vast majority of social issues you feel the need to deal with are given the jackboot treatment.

Is it really necessary to fine 15/16 year old shop assistants $2000 or so for giving out a plastic bag?

Have you driven over the border from NSW and read the billboard signs? The message is far less than ‘Welcome to Canberra’, more like ‘The AFP are watching you, and waiting for you to speed or commit a crime, and we will have you’.

We are treated as lemmings under the road rules. We are unable to turn right unless authorised by big brother. Roads are upgraded and the speed limit reduced.

We are forcefed the ‘arts’. Do we really have to have our aboriginal heritage noted on 5 metre signs? Do we not have better uses for the arboretum millions? Do we need painted rock piles and helicopter crashes beside our roads?

Could you not recognise that there are motoring enthusiasts in this town, and the Summernats is not a panacea to this group? Hint, a lot of us are a bit older than the very visible Rushhour members.

You very publicly took responsibility for the results of the 2003 fires, and then used every trick in the book, plus a huge amount of ratepayer money, to absolve yourself and every associated beaurocrat from any responsibility.

Sir: You and your almost incompetent rabble need to stand back and take a look at yourselves. Dictating your ideals to the community is causing aggravation and grief. You pretend to speak to the community, but you are deaf to the replies. Your ‘team’ have become expert at covering their arses, and deflecting criticism.

Stop trying to run Canberra society in your own narrow, misguided vision.

+1 Mr Evil, these rules lately are definitely reawakening my subversive tendencies (which have been dormant since being in Australia) Next we will be told who we can marry – oh wait… If smoking wasn’t so ruddy awful I would love to have a ciggie outside O’Malleys at three in the morning, just for fun.