Posts from — December 2008

In England and Wales open display of tobacco is to be banned. However this doesn’t extend to a ban on cigarette vending machines.. yet. So i’m guessing this will mean that they go under the desk or the displays will have to be covered up. I think it’s a good move but i can’t help but think this will make them seem more exclusive (to the young). Dare i say it’ll seem like they’re illegal. Will will annoy the long term smokers. It could also make these smokers more defiant to giving up… or could just be the opposite.

This measure has proved popular in Iceland where there’s been a 10% drop in smoking from young people.

Let’s hope that a ban on vending machines goes ahead as purchases can’t be policed from them as easily as in shops.

What do you think about the display ban? Will this help deter smokers?

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Read the full article here: BBC: Ban on tobacco displays announced

After an urgent family meeting yesterday we were told that my fiance’s Mum has lung cancer. After being rushed around without being told what was wrong i had a hunch it was going to be cancer. It’s so unfair… as my fiance’s Mum’s mum died of old age only a month ago. What a great addition to the turmoil.

Mumma K, as i will calll her on the blog, spotted a lump on her neck around 6 weeks ago, but because of events surrounding her mother decided not to tell us. It was after the lump was found that she had an initial x-ray of her lungs. Sadly a shadow was spotted on one of the lungs. After this a biopsy was booked in for the lump and it was confirmed as cancerous. It’s now a waiting game until further CAT scans are done on Wednesday next week.

I started Final Puff because the new Smoking Ban measures coming into effect in the UK, but it was also so i could vent my anger about fiance’s (who will be known as T from now on) parent’s smoking habits. It was when i started to sleep round on Sunday nights that i was subjected to the smoke chamber. Being an asthmatic meant that i hated it much more. I would open windows and generally irritate both Mamma and Pappa K about their disgusting habit to no avail.

In March, this year, i wrote the post about how to put up with passive smoking. It was also around this time that me and T moved out together to our first rented property. Apart from this being a big step forward in the relationship it was done to save my girlfriend from the smoke!

Despite both being upset we need to remain strong for all. I’m finding it even more upsetting though not just because I know how much Mumma K means to T, but because my Dad died of brain cancer when i was 16 years old. It’s a funny old life isn’t it.

I’ll be using Final Puff as a journal of Mumma K’s progress. Some might think that’s morbid but even if someone reads this and decides to stop smoking then its worth it.

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