Plectrum's Rants

I was shouting at my computer screen last night, as you do. I was shouting in particular at a nice lady GP advertising No Smoking Day on Youtube. I was shouting at her because in amongst the sound, logical advice she was giving she was also spouting much bollocks. It occurred to me to question why this nice lady was fibbing and I wondered if it was me that was wrong and it was her that was naturally supplying the factual data.

She said, “nicotine is more addictive than Heroin.” Well. If you do any basic research you’ll find it’s not. There’s plenty of apocryphal, “I found it harder to quit smoking than quit Heroin” sort of data but quitting smoking is not quitting nicotine. One nil to me.

She said quitting using the NHS meant you were “four times more likely” to succeed than going it alone. Well the last time I looked the ASA had ruled this as misleading (‘cos it was a big fib) and the NHS were no longer allowed to say it on anything covered by the ASA.

Of course on youtube or their website they can pretty much say anything. Two nil to me.

Now I couldn’t imagine that this GP was consciously telling porkies so it must be policy that is making her do so. Why would the NHS want to stress how hard quitting is, how addictive is nicotine and how good their quitting services are when the exact opposite is true?

Similarly, on public discussion forums, why do the NHS always belittle quitting methods such as Allen Carr, Cold Turkey or Hypnotherapy despite them being just as, if not more effective as the methods that the NHS do advocate?

If I liked a good conspiracy I’d say they didn’t really want us to quit after all?

Everyone laughs at the 9 billion raised in duty compared to the 1 billion spent treating smokers but surely it can’t be as simple as that?

Playing devil’s advocate and coming up with a plan to keep people smoking yet appearing to do something about it produces what we have at the moment.

Tell smokers it’s hard to stop.

Recommend a method that doesn’t work.

Advertise lots.

Rake in the cash.

In these times of austerity the government should really be encouraging everyone to take up the habit, it’s a financial no-brainer.