Surely selling only packets of 10 would be a far better solution to stop the nation smoking. (Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

As news comes today that 10-packs of cigarettes and small packs of tobacco will be banned from our shelves next year, my immediate reaction was that this is probably a good, healthy step.

However, then I recalled what usually happens when someone comes home with a whole bunch of duty free cigarettes after their holidays.

I can’t count the times I have had friends comment to me that they get through their duty free far faster than they would if they were out purchasing separate packets.

And the same logic can be applied to only allowing large packs of cigarettes to be sold.


Surely a far better solution here would have been to make only 10 packs available?

If a smoker has cigarettes they will smoke them. No one will buy a 20 pack of fags to then save 10 for later or smoke them slowly as it’s more than they would usually buy.



The time between buying packets is taken up with extra cigarettes and I would put money on it that smokers will end up smoking more.

Are super-size and family pack snacks and burgers not blamed for a large percentage of the rise in obesity?

What about the people who are trying to cut down who have been buying 10 packs of smaller packets to help them smoke less?

The quitter that keeps a 10 pack in his or her bag just so that they know they are there and they can’t suddenly binge on fags as there are only so many in a pack?

Or the person on a night out that wants to limit their intake?

Surely a far better solution here would have been to make only 10 packs available?

But then this shows yet again the might and hold of the tobacco industry – sadly too much money is still at stake for the ban to go the other way.

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