Why is underage smoking tolerated?

Blacktie. · 13-06-2009 02:24PM #1

So the legal age for drinking and smoking is 18 yet if anyone under 18 was caught drinking the lightest thing to happen would be the drink removed and they'd probably be brought to there house in the car aswell. I've seen this happen to friends brothers who were stupid enough to get caught. And yet if anyone under 18 is caught smoking nothing is said or done. Its just let go because its accepted now. How did this happen tobacco is the biggest killer in America right now and I'd assume here aswell I just dont have the numbers for here. Has our society become so short sighted as to only see the immediate effects it has on you?

Rant over!

Captain-America · 13-06-2009 02:25PM

I'm pretty sure you can smoke when you're sixteen.

Stop me if I'm wrong though.

minidazzler · 13-06-2009 02:25PM

Because it's what all the cool kids do.

blackgold>> · 13-06-2009 02:25PM

tax

phasers · 13-06-2009 02:25PM

Well what exactly do you expect people to do?

Also legally and can smoke whenever, you just cant buy smokes until you're 18

That_Guy · 13-06-2009 02:27PM

Why is underage smoking tolerated? Because we live in Ireland. We're the most relaxed country in the entire world when it comes to the law. Plus it's cool!!!

loveissucide · 13-06-2009 02:27PM

Because smoking is regarded as lesser than drinking.

Blacktie. · 13-06-2009 02:28PM

Well dont expect people to do much really I mean they never did when people underage drink but I'm sure guards could. Anyone looks like I'm wrong bout the age thing as a few people pointed out its 16. My bad!

TheZohanS · 13-06-2009 02:29PM

Because if you were to arrest every underage smoker you would waste too much police and court time, at the end of the day the rascals would only get a stern talking to.

Personally I prefer having the police sorting out real crimes.

Captain-America · 13-06-2009 02:29PM

The Government love taxing people.

phasers · 13-06-2009 02:29PM

Blacktie. wrote: »

Well dont expect people to do much really I mean they never did when people underage drink but I'm sure guards could. Anyone looks like I'm wrong bout the age thing as a few people pointed out its 16. My bad!

No problem.

Good thread guys! We really pulled together on this one.

SEPT 23 1989 · 13-06-2009 02:30PM

Why is Nick O' Teen such a weed?

because he doesn't smoke hash

chin_grin · 13-06-2009 02:30PM

Anyone remember that ad, "I'll get it if it kills me?" Little girl from the North smoking. Used to p!ss myself laughing at it all the time.

But I don't care. If young wans want to light up it's their problem. Once I'm not the one putting the fags in their hands I couldn't give two sh!ts.

But here's a fact that you probably don't know and I can't wait to tell you.........drumroll.....brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrp non-smokers die everyday. HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHH! (Bill Hicks)

dlofnep · 13-06-2009 02:30PM

Captain-America wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you can smoke when you're sixteen.

Stop me if I'm wrong though.

It used to be when I smoked, but I think they put it up to 18..

Captain-America · 13-06-2009 02:32PM

chin_grin wrote: »

But I don't care. If young wans want to light up it's their problem.

Not necessarily. In years to come they'll be the ones taking up hospital beds and racking up hospital bills.

chin_grin · 13-06-2009 02:36PM

Captain-America wrote: »

Not necessarily. In years to come they'll be the ones taking up hospital beds and racking up hospital bills.

And dying.

EDIT: Before anyone would like to get on their high horse and say "oh, that's awful" My Granddad died of cancer.

wobzilla · 13-06-2009 02:39PM

a few year's back when i'd just turned eighteen, i went into an off licence and asked for a bottle of southern comfort and 20 malboro. i'd no id on me and your one behind the counter goes "i can give you the cigarettes but not the drink". and there's signs plastered up all over the wall saying not to sell tobacco to under 18s

citizen_p · 13-06-2009 02:41PM

because the garda knows that it cost them like 4 euro a pak in tax

RonMexico · 13-06-2009 02:49PM

How the hell do some people still think that you can legally buy cigs when you are 16?? They must be walking around with their head up their arse.

YOU HAVE TO BE 18 TO BUY TOBACCO PRODUCTS!!

Saibh · 13-06-2009 02:53PM

wobzilla wrote: »

a few year's back when i'd just turned eighteen, i went into an off licence and asked for a bottle of southern comfort and 20 malboro. i'd no id on me and your one behind the counter goes "i can give you the cigarettes but not the drink". and there's signs plastered up all over the wall saying not to sell tobacco to under 18s

Cause you can't get drunk on 20 marlboro.

phasers · 13-06-2009 02:55PM

RonMexico wrote: »

YOU HAVE TO BE 18 TO BUY TOBACCO PRODUCTS!!

Buy. Yes, Buy.

If somebody over 18 buys them for you however, that's different.

challengemaster · 13-06-2009 02:58PM

Why? Because underage drinking is tolerated part of Irish culture more-so than the Irish language is at this stage. Allowing one and not the other is just highly hipocritical, and there's no way the nation of drunks is going to give up drinking underage, so smoking underage is also acceptable.

Also, there's ~700 students in my school. Out of that, I'd estimate that probably 300+ smoke. Going by school smoking routines, a box of 20 (between smoking 5 during/before school, handing out many more, and more in the evening) would last a day or 2 at max. So every 2-3 days, you've about ~200 boxes of ciggies purchased. 8€ something a packet, that's €1600 euro in 3 days give or take, out of which, a lot of that is going to the government. And I only live in a pretty small town, and that's one school.

In the whole of Ireland, that's a very large amount of revenue

challengemaster · 13-06-2009 02:59PM

phasers wrote: »

Buy. Yes, Buy.

If somebody over 18 buys them for you however, that's different.

Not really though. It's still illegal. It's not the same as the loophole that you can drink at home with your parents under 18

Degag · 13-06-2009 03:09PM

The more the little fcukers are told they can't do something, the more likely they are to do it. I don't see any problem with 16 or 17 year olds smoking or drinking and in fact, if you took the stigma away from doing it, alot less of them would. If i had kids i'd be alot happier with them drinking a few pints beside me in the pub than flooring a naggin of vodka in a field somewhere.

TonyBlair · 13-06-2009 03:11PM

the united kingdom is kind of messed up in this section. you are not allowed to smoke until the age of 17, but yet you can buy them at 16

weird isin't it

Boskowski · 13-06-2009 03:39PM

who gives a ****?

Gaillimh1990 · 24-06-2009 01:02PM

People are going to always smoke in the country... I started when I was sixteen and there was no peer pressure involved...just expirimenting.... still smoke today at 18... not every min. but i do enjoy a marlboro now and again... a pack a week...

as far as I know you can smoke in Ireland at the age of sixteen but you cannot buy them till 18... but underage people will always find somewhere to serve them

Dravokivich · 24-06-2009 01:16PM

Captain-America wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you can smoke when you're sixteen.

Stop me if I'm wrong though.

Used to be that way.. then about 8 / 9 years ago that got changed...

- Drav!

Spud83 · 24-06-2009 01:30PM

Easy really. It would be a waste of police time.

Underage drinking is seen as a leading cause of anti-social behavior in teenagers. That is why the Gardai are willing to tackle it at least a little bit.

Underage smoking is not seen as a cause of anti social behavior and therefore why should the Gardai bother doing anything about.

Enough crap going on this country way more serious than underage smoking or drinking. Gardai should be spending there time elsewhere and not parenting kids.

lol5605 · 24-06-2009 01:41PM

I'd say a reason why it would be if lets say a 14-15 year old is our on the knack pissed off his tits hes going to be a danger, if hes having a fag hes grand like.

shaner · 24-06-2009 01:59PM

Blacktie. wrote: »

How did this happen tobacco is the biggest killer in America right now

Leave them to it. Next time you see someone underage smoking here take the cigarette off them. See how productive it is.

Why is underage smoking tolerated?

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