Cigarettes are still too easy to purchase

Although many of us applaud the judgment that holds cigarette manufacturers liable for all the harm they’ve done, it does not solve the problem of keeping this poison out of the hands of young people, who still might see smoking as something glamorous, adventurous or rebellious.

Cigarettes are still much too easy for young people to get and the fact that they’re sold in grocery stores and dépanneurs still gives them an air of legitimacy.

Cigarettes must be subject to tighter controls and an even greater stigma if we are to ever really rid society of their presence. One way to do this would be to hand over the distribution of this product to pharmacies. A smoker would go to his doctor for a prescription to buy them, together they would establish a daily quota of up to a pack a day, a smoker could buy a week’s supply at a time. The government could then dictate the ingredients that could go into them; we have all heard of the many extra harmful ingredients added for whatever reasons.

They could also come in different nicotine strengths for people who want to gradually reduce their dependency. Anyone bringing back cigarettes from abroad would have them confiscated and pay a hefty fine.

The same thing for vaping. It should only be allowed for recognized addicts who want to use it either as a less dangerous way of getting their fix or as a way to quit. We probably can’t do much for those already addicted, but we must make it harder and harder to obtain this product. Apparently, those nasty pictures on the packs only have a limited effect. Pierre Montpetit, Senneville