Raise cigarette prices.

No Ana they are no longer available on prescription in our area (unless you receive free prescriptions that is) which is a shame as the cost of the patches could make someone think they might as well be smoking as the are not saving much money at all. I have never helped him pay for cigarettes (infancy I have never bought a cigarette in my life) but am helping him buy the patches as I really want to see him succeed in giving up this time.

I agree with some of the posts that raising the prices too high will encourage tobacco smuggling and crime to help pay for "the fix"

Gillybob has he checked out online chemists? My ex used patches to help him give up and we found them much cheaper online than from the local pharmacies.

They really should be available on prescription! At least for a reasonable length of time, to enable someone who's serious about giving up to make headway. You're right, gillybob, the cost of patches must be offputting.

Why are they available for those on free prescriptions?

Is this site out of date then? It seems to be saying there are free treatments on the NHS.

Oh, sorry, I forgot prescriptions aren't free in England. I should have thought they were cheaper than cigarettes though, especially if you get a pre-paid prescription certificate for a year.

I think that answers your question, ana. If the site info is correct, treatment is available to anyone but people who do not get free prescriptions have to pay for their prescriptions of these treatments, just as they do for any other NHS prescriptions.

Except in Scotland where prescriptions are free to everyone.

Yes, but gillybob said (I think) that her son couldn't get them on prescription at all.

For one prescription medicine, that's currently £104 a year. Cheaper than cigs by quite a margin I would have thought.

I see, postcode lottery. That's bad.

Greatnan...every night when I go to bed I say ' definately not tomorrow'. Some days I could cry because I never follow it through. Strongly believe that will power is the only way.......patches etc wouldn't work for me. Tried them once , maybe too strong but I was hyper could have painted the whole street haha.

I do believe Lynne , you can only give up if you really, really want to .

It is very hard , I know .

lynne; you really can do it. You just have to break the cycle. Although I used the internet to break away from the dreaded weed [wouldn't smoke in the part of the house where the computer was] and now am addicted to that in some way . I used to be at work and, part way through the morning, a little 'must finish soon and go home for a fag' niggle is now 'must go home and check out what's happening on gransnet [which is far better for my health and pocket]. Although, I do sometimes fantasise about having a cigarette and have got a pretend one somewhere round my desk .

Up until 2010 there was quite a lot of subsidies (and free help) available for patches and nicotine replacement therapies but I have spent quite a while phoning around and find that this has been withdrawn for everyone in our area except for those receiving free prescriptions or on certain benefits.

I am really hopeful for my son as he has never managed to get to this point before and he is even saying that he can really taste his food for the first time in donkeys years. He is also starting to comment on how bad smokers smell, so I hope he is starting to think of himself as a non smoker.

"I looked at cigarette prices in a pub and they are just over £8 for 20.
Why not put a 0 on the end of that figure."

Yes... once they are hooked, up the price: that's how all drug dealers work...

feetlebaum

It would not affect me if cigarette prices were raised even if they went up to £1,000 a packet.

Frank

feetle that was exactly my point!

Oh but it would Frank . As I said in an earlier post the tax revenue on cigarettes is a significant amount, the loss of which would need to be made up somehow. Additionally as smoking is an addiction, those addicts would need to fund their habit somehow which could lead to an increase in crime in order to fund the habit.

Agreed feetlebaum those selling cut price cigarettes (smuggled in from abroad) would be the new drug dealers and laughing all the way to the bank!

well gillybob smoking is an addiction but please don't class us with drug addicts who steal, murder etc to fund the cannabis, heroin, etc addiction...one heck of a difference....don't think crime would increase in anyway because someone was 'gasping for a fag!'.......

Tegan...thanks

Lynne - nicotine is a very addictive drug - that's why fags are so profitable! I managed to give up after many years of quite heavy smoking. I had 4 0r 5 attempts before I succeeded and I think this is quite typical. I planned out my stop smoking campaign, taking account of what would be my triggers, such as a cigarette after a meal and I made many changes such as getting straight up from the table to do the dishes and postponing my coffee until later. I bought loads of jigsaws, DVDs and took up knitting again - anything to distract myself. I organised a couple of phone buddies who I could contact if desperate and they would talk me out of it. The craving goes away after about 10 minutes, and although it returns, it will diminish over time as long as you don't give in. Best of luck

vegasmags thank you....you talk so much sense probably because you've been there and have the T shirt

I just don't know how people can smoke. When I pass close to a person smoking a cigarette it sets me off with bad coughing.
The same happens to my 2 daughters.
We have all been checked by the doctor / nurse and they can not find anything wrong with our health.
The doctor said this seems to happen to half the staff in the surgery. None of them smoke and the doctor has said none of them are ex smokers.
One of the nurses said it has not been proved medically but she is wondering if we are losing our resistance to smoke as we are in Smokey areas less and less.
My 2 daughters think it is bad when medical staff smoke as they are supposed to be setting an example.

Frank

I suppose they're not supposed to drink alcohol, take sugar in their tea or eat 'unhealthy' foods either, Frank..?

Well Frank the thing to do is obviously give smokers a wider berth, or hold your breath as you pass.